In big win, Chiefs find a leader in Romeo Crennel

[Hammock Parties]

This is dangerous. Chiefs players are lobbying openly for Crennel to get the job.

64-year old interim head coaches don't win shit in this league.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/18...-a-leader.html

Rookie linebacker Justin Houston grabbed an orange bucket of blue Gatorade and followed a pack of co-conspirators to drench the Chiefs’ new head coach. Romeo Crennel took it, smiled and clapped.

Running back Le’Ron McClain strutted toward Arrowhead Stadium’s west end zone, dropped his helmet around the 25-yard line, and joined five or six teammates in high-fiving and hugging delirious fans.

Crennel missed it. By this time, he was making his way off the field, wiping away tears.

The Chiefs stunned the football world by beating the previously undefeated Packers 19-14 on Sunday, the most shocking outcome in the NFL this season and in Kansas City for longer than that, one that we all might look back on in a few years as the day the franchise’s direction changed.

Three critical developments, in ascending order of importance, emerged from Sunday’s improbable upset: The Chiefs maintained a sliver of playoff hope, reminded a city that football can be fun and almost certainly found their new head coach.

“We treated this as our Super Bowl,” running back Dexter McCluster said. “This was our Super Bowl. You could feel that positive energy.”

What the Chiefs accomplished on Sunday is now the talk of the league. The Packers are still the prohibitive Super Bowl favorites, owners of the second-longest winning streak in NFL history, the model franchise for 31 others trying to build sustainable and long-term success. They’d won 19 straight and came in averaging nearly 36 points per game.

Juxtapose that with an organization in disarray. The Chiefs hadn’t scored more than 10 points since October and have lost five times by 27 points or more — one away from the most since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970.

This last week started with head coach Todd Haley being fired. Kyle Orton, cut by the Broncos a month ago, became the Chiefs’ third starting quarterback of the season. Injuries continue to expose an inexcusable lack of depth.

Nobody wondered whether the Packers would beat the Chiefs as much as they wondered just how badly the Packers would beat the Chiefs.

Then a funny, fun and completely unpredictable thing happened: The Chiefs led for all but 4 minutes, held the Packers to their fewest points and yards since last season, shut down Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers and beat the defending world champions.

It can’t be as simple as Tyler Palko sitting, and the plainly capable Orton playing, can it?

Because even before this, Crennel figured to drop the “interim” from his new title as head coach after Haley’s firing.

But now, after the team’s most inspired effort of the season, the Chiefs almost surely have their man. The locker room is rooting for Crennel to get the permanent job — actually, some Chiefs players are openly lobbying for it.

“Everything was different,” McClain said of the past week. “More meeting time. More football time. Learning your opponent better, understanding your opponent. I know I watched more film this week than I watched all year. Everything was different, man. Good different.”

Especially after Haley openly admitted the Jets were better prepared than the Chiefs last weekend. What you hear from players now is both an indictment of the past and endorsement of the future with Crennel.

McCluster: “I know everybody in this locker room will fight for him.”

Receiver Terrance Copper: “He doesn’t give us a reason not to play hard for him.”

Running back Thomas Jones: “He’d be a great choice for us.”

Receiver Steve Breaston, a noted Haley supporter, even referred to Crennel’s nickname after the game on Twitter: “Yeah by the way … Rac City!!!!”

The descriptions of Crennel are a general sketch of what owner Clark Hunt and general manager Scott Pioli say they want in a head coach.

Crennel treats everyone with respect. He is obsessed with details, with fundamentals, with the kind of preparation that means the Chiefs know their opponents better than the other way around.

Crennel makes his own decisions (Orton found out he was starting Sunday’s game before Pioli did) without being insubordinate. He gives credit to his players first, his assistants second and himself never.

“I was just standing on the sideline,” he said. “That’s all I did today. They got it done.”

The parallels are too many to ignore. Crennel is consistent. He is dedicated. You will never see him take the kind of unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty that Haley drew in his last game.

Crennel went 24-40 over four seasons in Cleveland, but you know that Bill Belichick was also fired by the Browns before taking over the Patriots.

Pioli believes in guys he’s worked with, guys who’ve been in his system before. He believes that smart and motivated people get better with experience and can learn from mistakes.

In other words, Crennel fits.

The immediate impact of the Chiefs winning his first game in charge is kind of fun and mostly obvious. Green Bay’s perfect season is over. The Chiefs can still claim a mathematical shot at the playoffs.

A fan base is truly encouraged for the first time since that Monday night win over the Chargers, when the Chiefs improved to 4-3 and receiver Dwayne Bowe spray-painted his shoes and a dozen or so teammates put on “Scream” masks to celebrate on Halloween.

But it’s the other stuff that is more important, the other stuff that the players seem to know gives this a chance to be more than a temporary reprieve like their win in Chicago two weeks ago.

The feeling is entirely different this time. Some of that is Orton, who ran the offense well enough to knock off an opponent that hadn’t lost in more than a year.

The bigger part is Crennel, and a genuine vibe in the locker room that this team has found the right coach to make a still-promising future become reality.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

No. Romeo was in New England in 2002 during the helmet game. He didn't become coach of Cleveland until 2005.

Meh, I am high then. I thought he was in Cleveland then.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by petegz28

The attempt at a QB is not necessarily up to the HC. You do have the GM who unfortunately carries a lot of weight in that decision. Having said that Romeo made the best and though obvious decision, he made it by starting Orton and using Stanzi as the backup and not even activating Palko. That's a step in the right direction regardless.

Yep. This team still needs to draft a QB regardless of who the HC is.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

When has CP ever let fact trump opinion?

Well the fact is none of these great coaches ever win dick without a great QB. So to blame Romeo when he was handed the crap he had for QB's in Cleveland is not really fair then, is it? What did BB ever win without Brady? What did Shanny ever win without Elway? The list goes on, of course.


Get us a QB and Romeo will be fine. We have the rest of the pieces in place already.

Originally Posted by Omega

And those ancient head coaches also had superior quarterbacks. Where's Romeo's?

Now that really is an astute point. Don't hire Crennel because he doesn't have a superior QB. Wouldn't we not be able to hire *ANY* coach for the Chiefs since he doesn't have a superior QB or is it just the combination of old guy along with no QB. Do you even think before you spew? I'm shocked you don't get hit by a car on a daily basis.

[Hammock Parties]

The point was that I don't think Romeo is going to go find himself a superior QB.

Considering how old he is, he may not even have the patience for a rookie.

[Oh Snap]

Originally Posted by Omega

Find me a 64-year old interim head coach who went on to win a SB.

If Crennel is our HC and actually wins a SB here it will shock everyone in the NFL. It would be unprecedented.

Sorry for being concerned when 50 years of NFL history says this won't work out.

And FYI, Dick was younger than Romeo when he won it.

Theres a first time for everything.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Oh Snap

Theres a first time for everything.

This is no different than saying we can win a SB with Cassel.

[okcchief]

If Goat Chiefs doesn't like it then it's probably a great hire.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Omega

Not really. We're talking the vast, vast majority of super bowl winning head coaches are under 60. Like, 24 of 27 if my math is right.

The odds are so low, the idea that we would just hand Romeo the job is shockingly stupid.

And those ancient head coaches also had superior quarterbacks. Where's Romeo's?

Unfortunately just because Romeo took over as HC in week 15 they don't move the draft up.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by okcchief

If Goat Chiefs doesn't like it then it's probably a great hire.

I was against Herm from the beginning.

[okcchief]

If we play well the last 2 games then I say why not. I'm not excited about the other options either.

Romeo is an upgrade from Haley and Herm at least. JFC the bar is low around here.

[Titty Meat]

I don't want them to hire Crennel either. They love him now but what happens when the relationship goes stale?

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by Omega

The point was that I don't think Romeo is going to go find himself a superior QB.

Considering how old he is, he may not even have the patience for a rookie.

64 is not old. Do you know anyone that is over 60? You don't appear to.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

I don't want them to hire Crennel either. They love him now but what happens when the relationship goes stale?

Yeah because he hasn't been a part of this team the last 2 years or anything. WTF do these players know about him?

[Oh Snap]

crennel could coach for 5-10 years possibly. Yea hes old, and has some health issues. But you're speculating at best.

If he gives us the best chance to win, guess what? Ill take it! Especially if he builds this team into a winner! Sure I like Jeff Fisher, but we need to be realistic, crennel might be the best fit for us. (best available coaching option)