GRETZ: The Conservative Approach

[C-Mac]

GRETZ: The Conservative Approach

Nov 21, 2007, 1:04:17 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ


It was so predictable.

In the moments after the Chiefs loss at Indianapolis, the drumbeat started.

The Chiefs had been too conservative on offense. They had hamstrung Brodie Croyle in his first NFL start. They had not let the kid fling the ball around the yard.

And that’s why the Chiefs lost. This mantra started in the press box and then some of the boys in the locker room joined in, supposedly giving this point of view credibility.

Let me put it this way: one of the key reasons the Chiefs were a factor in the game was because they pulled in the offensive horns in for Croyle’s first start.

It’s the same thing that happened early in the 2006 season, when the Chiefs went to Denver and Damon Huard was making his first start, after Trent Green was injured. Everyone wrote the Chiefs off that day, but they went in, played great defense and kept a tight reign on the offense in a loud and hostile stadium.

The Chiefs went to overtime that day before losing. Against Indy, they went down to the final seconds before falling to a Colts field goal.

There were two situations that seem to have caused the most bellyaching amongst the second guessers. The first came late in the first half. The Chiefs got the ball at their own 23-yard line with one minute, 18 seconds to play and all three of their timeouts. They ran two running plays and went to the locker room tied 3-3.

Why not take a shot down the field? Why not go for it?

Because on the last offensive play before that possession, Croyle had been smacked by Robert Mathis of the Colts, fumbled and Indianapolis recovered the ball. That eventually provided them the opportunity to kick the field goal that tied the game. Plus, the Colts had a pair of timeouts remaining and they were going to get the ball to start the second half. Throw three passes, run no time off the clock and give Peyton Manning another chance before the half? That’s crazy talk.

Second situation came in the fourth quarter, with 7:41 to play and the Chiefs with a 3rd down-and-18 to go play. The Chiefs ran Kolby Smith and he gained two yards. They punted the ball away to the Colts.

Why not go for it? Let me count the ways. First, on the second down play, that leaky pass protection had again allowed a sack of Croyle. Two, 3rd-and-18 gets converted about eight percent of the time. Don’t believe me? This past weekend in the NFL, there were 37 third down plays where the distance to a first down was 15 yards or more. They ranged from 3rd-and-15 to 3rd-and-25.

Of those 37 plays, three were converted for first downs. That’s 8 percent.

The call on those plays was 29 passing/8 runs. The running plays averaged 7.1 yards per play. The passing plays (attempts plus sacks) averaged 4.4 yards per play.

No, the smart move is you punt the ball away and try to influence field position.

Why would anyone have expected the game plan to be anything but conservative? A young quarterback’s first start, on the road, in a loud hostile stadium, against a good defense and a team with an explosive offense, that’s the recipe for an offensive plan that leans towards the conservative.

Think of it this way: you send a child out on Halloween night for his first experience in trick or treating. He comes home with a bag full of candy. The child is allowed to sit down and eat as much candy as he can stuff in his mouth. Child gets very sick.

The Chiefs coaches were not going to give Croyle the whole bag of goodies. They are going to parcel them out and the young man gets his feet under him and his wits about him.

Understand that the idea is to give Croyle a chance to play. Put in a game plan that is aggressive and full of throwing the football means that Croyle will play for awhile. But with the poor pass protection provided by the current offensive line, that type of plan would eventually end with Croyle being carried off the field, and not in celebration.

Already, just one game into the Brodie Croyle Era and the fans, media and some of his offensive teammates are already grumbling.

Patience people. Patience.

[petegz28]

Bob Gretz is the biggest suck ass there is. I am ready for them all to go. Lj, Herm, , Solari, Gunther.....Clark Hunt needs to just fire all the ****ers and let the fans know he actually gives a **** about this team.

[RedThat]

Originally Posted by Laz

lack of direction and suspect coaching will do that

This franchise has those 2 signs right now

[chasedude]

Wow... Gretz has a little CP shit on his nose!

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

Gretz doesnt ****ing get it either. the 3rd and 18 draw didnt really bother me at that point. it was the 2 plays before that. T hey were HORRIBLE calls. Especially late in the 4th quarter. Who in their right minds wants to let Payton Manning dictate a football game at the end?

This is what pissed me off. you have one of the all time great QB's and your want to put the game in his hand? WHY?

exactly ..... when Zouk and co talk about 3rd and long being such a terrible down for risk they are ignoring the real issue.


What got us to 3rd and long in the 1st place.....


when they talk about our balance .... how we run it 27 times and threw 27 passes, they ignore the types of runs and passes. They also ignore the order of the runs and passes.

a swing pass counts as pass but doesn't have the same effect as a pass.


They say we can't protect the passer so we can't throw the ball deep ...... well hell ya we have trouble protection the passer when everyone in the stadium knows we are going to throw it.



"Homer power and the misleading stat" should be the titled movie about the Chiefs.

[RedThat]

Originally Posted by Laz

exactly ..... when Zouk and co take about 3rd and long being such a terrible down for risk they are ignoring the really issue.


What got us to 3rd and long in the 1st place.....


when they talk about our balance .... how we run it 27 times and threw 27 passes, they ignore the times of runs and passes. They also ignore the order of the runs and passes.

a swing pass counts as pass but doesn't have the same effect as a pass.


They say we can't protect the passer so we can't throw the ball deep ...... well hell ya we have trouble protection the passer when everyone in the stadium knows we are going to throw it.



"Homer power and the misleading stat" should be the titled movie about the Chiefs.

Laz you should be a coach man. I enjoy reading your posts, you have good football knowledge.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Laz

exactly ..... when Zouk and co take about 3rd and long being such a terrible down for risk they are ignoring the really issue.


What got us to 3rd and long in the 1st place.....


when they talk about our balance .... how we run it 27 times and threw 27 passes, they ignore the times of runs and passes. They also ignore the order of the runs and passes.

a swing pass counts as pass but doesn't have the same effect as a pass.


They say we can't protect the passer so we can't throw the ball deep ...... well hell ya we have trouble protection the passer when everyone in the stadium knows we are going to throw it.



"Homer power and the misleading stat" should be the titled movie about the Chiefs.

They also don't tell you how many of those runs go for negative yards. It's all bullshit. Complete and utter ****ing bullshit. No other team goes into this kind of a shell cause they change QB's.

It's horse shit. Gretz and Herm call go suck each others' nut sacks.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Gretz and Herm call go suck each others' nut sacks.

that just made me laugh

[FAX]

Originally Posted by RedBull

Laz you should be a coach man. I enjoy reading your posts, you have good football knowledge.

You're right, Mr. RedBull. Mr. Laz has better vision and patience than any other poster on the Planet.

FAX

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by Laz

They say we can't protect the passer so we can't throw the ball deep ...... well hell ya we have trouble protection the passer when everyone in the stadium knows we are going to throw it.

Let's remember that the worst play of the entire year occurred on a 1st and 10 deep-drop pass.


Kansas City Chiefs at 13:32
1-10-KC 20 (13:32) D.Huard sacked at KC 12 for -8 yards (E.Dumervil). FUMBLES (E.Dumervil)
[E.Dumervil], RECOVERED by DEN-N.Webster at KC 17. N.Webster for 17 yards,
TOUCHDOWN.


The blockers (not just the offensive line, but the tight ends and fullback as well) are making every play - run or pass - look awful right now. They threw 43 times and ran only 10 times against the Jags (which I'm sure was not what they expected) and still only scored 7 points. It's really hard to play call your way out of physical domination.

[Messier]

Everyone on this board is obsessed with homoerotic imagery.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Messier

Everyone on this board is obsessed with homoerotic imagery.

Hey! Stick this post up your vaseline-soaked anus with a big pecker!!

FAX

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Zouk

Let's remember that the worst play of the entire year occurred on a 1st and 10 deep-drop pass.


Kansas City Chiefs at 13:32
1-10-KC 20 (13:32) D.Huard sacked at KC 12 for -8 yards (E.Dumervil). FUMBLES (E.Dumervil)
[E.Dumervil], RECOVERED by DEN-N.Webster at KC 17. N.Webster for 17 yards,
TOUCHDOWN.


The blockers (not just the offensive line, but the tight ends and fullback as well) are making every play - run or pass - look awful right now. They threw 43 times and ran only 10 times against the Jags (which I'm sure was not what they expected) and still only scored 7 points. It's really hard to play call your way out of physical domination.

every team has bad plays ..... the idea is too minimize those plays by good playcalling and good coaching.

minimizing those plays by not calling them is just silly ..... it's surrender.


btw - who chose these offensive lineman?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by FAX

Hey! Stick this post up your vaseline-soaked anus with a big pecker!!

FAX

it's so rude, it's hilarious.

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by Laz

every team has bad plays ..... the idea is too minimize those plays by good playcalling and good coaching.

minimizing those plays by not calling them is just silly ..... it's surrender.


btw - who chose these offensive lineman?

You can't fix everything in 1 or 2 offseasons. Herm inherited a bottom 5 in the league defense, and an offense based around players over the age of 30. He chose to fix the defense first. 8 of the 11 starters on the D were brought in since Herm arrived. This offseason he will rip up the offense. There will be about 5 new offensive starters next year. He's already started the process with Croyle and Bowe. By next year I anticipate only 8-10 of the 45 players that will be active on gameday will have been on the team when Vermeil was coach. That means the team IS being re-built, and the process is not over yet.

[Messier]

Originally Posted by FAX

Hey! Stick this post up your vaseline-soaked anus with a big pecker!!

FAX

Wow! Yikes! Happy Thanksgiving!
Send my best to you and yours.