COMMENTARY: No Explanation for Bad like This
From Charlotte, North Carolina
It’s not a good day when the team gets beat by 34 points and the head coach says:
“I can’t explain it … Our staff and I didn’t see that coming at all. It’s puzzling to me.”
But then what other alternative does Herm Edwards have after watching his team’s humiliating performance on a sunny Sunday afternoon against Carolina?
Listen, the Panthers are a good enough team and the Chiefs are a young and inexperienced enough team that Edwards boys could have played well and still lost this game.
But the Chiefs didn’t play well. OK, that’s an understatement. They went out and repeated their horrid performance from the Oakland game. In fact, this effort may have been their worst overall performance by a Chiefs team in many, many years. It’s certainly the worst I can remember seeing since the brutal 1988 season when the team finished 4-11-1 under Frank Gansz and that brought it in the biggest change in franchise history with the hiring of Carl Peterson and Marty Schottenheimer.
The Oakland performance was bad, but this was worse because last week the Chiefs showed what they were capable of doing on the field.
Which is why the head coach was at a loss for an explanation of how his team could ineptly allow the Panthers to run out to a 21-point lead early in the second quarter, a margin that destroyed any possibility that the Chiefs could get themselves back in the game. Down by two touchdowns, and the Chiefs could have stayed within their game plan and methodically worked their way back into the game.
Go down by three TDs and the game plans go out the window because quite frankly, how many times is this offense going to be able to score more than three touchdowns on the road? Not often, based on recent history. In the Herm Edwards Era, the Chiefs have scored three or more TDs on the road three times in 19 games away from Arrowhead Stadium. They are 1-2 in those games.
Yes, there were offensive and defensive game plans for Carolina and yes the Chiefs practiced last week. I watched every second of their work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It was good, solid, sound work from a team that had a little more bounce in its step than at any time in the previous month.
The coaching staff worked long and hard breaking down Carolina and trying to put their players in the best positions to be successful. And by all evidence during practice, this team worked hard and assimilated the information.
And yes, it did not look like it. That’s indisputable. Whatever this team was taught, they forgot come Sunday afternoon. They stumbled and bumbled around like they were collected in the parking lots moments before the game, handed uniforms and given a five-minute primer on how to play football.
I too can’t provide any more logical explanations for what happened than the head coach. It’s befuddling how a team can play a good football game one week and seven days later play as poorly as what we saw on Sunday. This wasn’t just one guy making mistakes, or one side of the football. This was every single person on both offense and defense. I know when the tape of this game is dissected by the coaching staff they will find something good, but heaven knows what that might be.
Everyone, including the Chiefs themselves has grown tired of “being a young team” as a catch-all excuse for what happens. There is no excuse for what happened in Carolina. The Chiefs should be beyond this type of performance. Carolina is a good football team, and again, even on a good day for the red and gold, the Panthers may have won. But the Panthers barely worked up a sweat because the Chiefs kept handing them opportunity after opportunity.
So now the Chiefs go back to the drawing board. Sadly for them, they have two weeks to live with this stinker, two weeks to walk around with the foul taste in their mouth.
I think the next two weeks will make or break this team’s season. This team must get a lot of work done over the bye week. There must be some serious soul searching on the offensive and defensive coaching staffs on the way they are handling this group. At a time where they probably need a break from the game, these players need to dive head first into what’s happened and what’s going to happen.
All this is necessary because the Chiefs are capable of so much more than what they showed against the Panthers.
Although the answers may not have come to mind in the moments after the game, Herm Edwards, his staff and his players have to find them. More importantly, they must make sure that complete breakdowns like what happened on Sunday never happen again.
“I think the next two weeks will make or break this team’s season.” What’s to make? You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken %@%!
Clark needs to find a GM and whoever that guy is he needs to hire a competent coaching staff.
I like Herm, but he’s in over his head.
God help them if it happens again and again. I have been arguing that we can’t just jump the gun and fire the Head Coach or GM in the first year of the “official” rebuilding plan and I stand by that opinion. On the other hand we can’t keep doing what the Chiefs did today either. We have to have something positive to hang our hat on. If this becomes the norm then I wouldn’t be surprised to see some changes at the end of the year. It may not be the head coach either….it could be the offensive coordinator…or someone else….Herm is not the only one responsible…this is a team. I have to believe that this won’t be the norm though. They will show some progress and Herm & Carl will have one more year to show that our Chiefs are on the road to success.
Herm backers? Anyone? And attributing this to the rebuilding program? That’s no excuse for not competing. Herm has implemented an implosion program…and didn’t see it coming. Well, some of us did…and others apparently still don’t…
This team needs new Leaders someone that can show them how to become the best players they can be. Its not fair to the players to be stuck in with Herm. Face it if they play poor they get cut or benched its time we cut Herm for the poor job he has done. Herm has lost this team!!
The problem with the “be patient, we’re rebuilding” argument, is that you have to believe that the architect of the rebuild program has a clue. Herm hasn’t given me reason to have faith in his ability to see this through.
I do not have an answer about what happened. I am worried that no one with the chiefs has an answer either. The team did not quit but they failed miserably as a team and that is a concern for the future. Are they just satisfied to be in the NFL? We went threw this with the Royals and it took years to turn that around. The easy answer is fire herm, my personal favorite, but is that a good answer. Someone must step up and get this team trying to win, the question is who? Clark hunt might be bothered to make a move or carl go nuts but neither is likely. So we continue to flounder like a ship without a capt, rudder, sails, or anchor. Just out there and nothing more.
This team doesn’t have a quarterback. You can’t be in the “rebuilding” process when the cornerstone of the team, the person to build around, isn’t currently employed by the Chiefs. It’s ironic that we played the team today that proved this — the Panthers were terrible last year without Delhomme. One year later, their the top 3 in the NFC. We need a QB.
Rob….your dead on correct.
It all starts with the QB. And KC does not have one. However, a healthy Tom Brady would have a tough time behind our current O-Line. The Chiefs problems are many….and coaching is right up there @ the top. Long Season is an understatement
[...] COMMENTARY: How do you explain this? [...]
“I too can’t provide any more logical explanations for what happened than the head coach.”
This is the most honest statement I think I’ve ever read from any of the kcchiefs’ writers. It’s refreshing. You could substitute blooper music for the Chiefs’ play-by-play against the Panthers and nobody would’ve thought twice about it. It was embarrassing. I think I’ve lost my mind from watching so many Chiefs seasons fail. It’s no longer seeming to affect me. I find it more laughable than anything, how inept the Chiefs are as an organization, and how nothing seems to ever work out for them. It’s like a Charlie Brown comic strip.
I’ll bet anyone out there that wants to take me up on it, but Herm will never deliver the Chiefs, nor any other team with a front office incompetent enough to hire him, to the Super Bowl. I’m not saying this because we got shellacked or because I have any personal vendettas or because I’m an angry, idiot fan. All this losing has made me even more lucid than usual, I think, though I’ve never liked Herm as the HC. Probably one of the worst 4th rounders the Chiefs ever dealt. I’ve always thought the man in charge should be a bit, I don’t know, smarter; smart enough not to say “opponent” when he means “proponent” (on multiple occasions), among other gaffes. I’m not saying the HC needs to have a Masters in English, but if you donn’t have a grasp on your native tongue I’m a little concerned about your ability to figure out complex schemes and make difficult decisions and adjustments in a time constrained environment. I wonder how a billion dollar company could essentially be under the leadership of someone who seems so dumb (good-natured, but dumb), but I guess if you have an idiot running the country you can have an idiot screwing up your team. I guess the only bigger idiot would be someone who cares so much about such a poorly run team outside of his geographical region that he posts comments on a fan site the night after one of the stupidest displays of preperation and effort were exhibited by said team. Here’s to hoping the Chiefs get better before I get smarter.
QUATERBACK–QUATERBACK–QUATERBACK–QUATERBACK I shot the Easter bunnie.
Some teams just never get off the ground with their re-building efforts. Never, as in Detroit Lions? Will KC be the newest tenant to this dubious distinction?
Other teams, most recently, shake up their front office and coaching staffs to make re-building seem like a plan destined for success. Teams like the 2008 Dolphins and Falcons. What’s the difference between these groups of teams?
One group is all about winning and not settling for just a good effort. The other has gotten comfortable losing.
I’ve not seen an NFL offensive line look so clueless in a very long time.
They looked OK in the second half at Atlanta and pretty good against Denver. Then this. It was as if they’d forgotten everything they had ever learned.
Leadership seems to be the issue. Many want to question Herm & Carl’s leadeship, and it does go all the way to the top. However, it also comes from the locker room. Herm is the coach, but he’s not on the field.
One of the TV commentators made the comment yesterday: (paraphrasing) “Who’s going to step up in the locker room and say ENOUGH!”. I happen to agree.
Bob, I am interested to see who, if any, of the players get their backs up over this performance and take a leadership role in lighting a fire under their butts. LJ, TG, Brian Waters, Glenn Dorsey, DJ, Brody Croyle, some unknown? Who? That’s as important as the coaches performance. Oh, and I don’t mean who was maddest in the locker room yesterday. Who gets that fire in their eye today and keeps it there tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after,…..
Maybe we should see if we can trade for Ray Lewis.
I guess cleaning house may end up being the only solution….sooner or later. I want to give the plan & the people implementing it a chance but patience is running thin. Ultimately money will win out. If the Chiefs can’t fill the seats then they will do what is necessary to get back to filling the seats. I expect Carl to go before the start of next year….maybe Herm too….but at least Carl.
One good thing from the game….
Late in the 3rd or early in the 4th quarter, Steve Smith gave a hard/unnecessary (game was OVER)stiff-arm to the corner and Bernard Pollard came over and popped him good, best hit of the day!!!
Seems to me that too many times Bernard Pollard is the only player with any kind of fire in his belly.
Paul,
I like the fire in Bernard’s belly, but his tendency to abandon assignments in order to make the big play and to try to torpedo a guy rather than wrapping him up gives me heartburn.
Bernard could be a real leader on this defense; he needs to set a good example by playing with more discipline.
As for offensive leaders, I don’t see any on the horizon. Tony G. seems to have checked out emotionally; he’ll always play hard but it seems to have become just a job to him.
LJ? Forget about it. Tony G. sets the ALL-TIME receiving yards records for tight ends, sits down on the bench 2 feet away from LJ after the play and LJ doesn’t even look at him.
With a few exceptions, our team played with no heart. I think we’re looking at some serious leadership issues on the field and sideline.
Marty Schottenheimer for GM Bill Cower headcoach Lane kiffin off. cord….
Where do i start…………….Dam…ill keep it brief..they wanna compare us to the Titans..on the rebuilding block…well guess what ..it took 6 yrs for them to get it in tack…and they where very far behind ..of us…what’s my point..There do need to be a change made..herm tried..but ..his action with the press shows that he is in over his head..it’s ok to eat a meal..that’s been prepare FOR YOU..but i do you fair ..when you have t prepare it YOURSELF..herms no!! chef!!..eat his pastries..and something will be left out..he tried .and that was nice but it time for new blood at the TOP and all the way down..listen chiefs fans…I ASSURE YOU HELP IS COMING…AND HIS NAME IS COACH COWHER…HE WILL TAKE US TO THE PROMISE LAND
And by the way…LJ will be traded next year..Tony G too…we will have some good picks.. 1st Rd (OT) 1st Rd (QB) (2nd Rd OT) 3Rd(OT or OG) (4th MLB) (5th CB) (6th Rd CB) ..Change is a coming and it aint McClain We don not have six years to see a Change!!
Rob, the Panthers are doing well with Dellhome, However he has an awesome O-Line, great recievers and backs. We have no right line and that is where it starts
I liked the guy who noted “we didn’t quit”. Well duh. You can’t “quit” when you don’t bother to freaking show up.
The problem with this team is obvious. We simply CANNOT generate offense in the first half. Even the denver game, if you look inside the numbers, our longest drive was the first for 84 yards and the FG. Our next long 1st half drive was 23 yards. You simply cannot win in this league when you don’t generate points.
Bob noted we’ve played 19 road games with Herm in charge. We’ve scored 3 plus touchdowns only 3 times (although I think we’re 2-1 in those games, not 1-2). Of far greater concern, we’re 5-14 overall in those games … and have failed to score more than ONE touchdown 9 times! When your offense is as awful as our has been the last few years, you’re up a, uuh, creek with a, uuh, you know what for a paddle.
Until and unless the offensive side of the ball enters the modern era, or employs a head coach willing to let Chan Gailey do his thing (and yes, Gailey’s a solid coordinator. The man put Kordell Stewart and Jay Fielder in the Pro Bowl. He knows what he’s doing). Until we free the offense up, we’re screwed.
SPREAD THE NEWS COWHER IS COMING CHIEFS FANS..IT’S TRUE IT’S TRUE!!.. INSIDE SCOPE!!!SPREAD THE NEWS….YAYYYYYYY