Herm Speaks 11/11
Injuries topped the discussion topics as Herm Edwards met with the media horde for his weekly Tuesday press conference.
Here are the passages of importance, with analysis, commentary and translation.
ON THE INJURIES THAT HAVE COME DOWN ON HIS TEAM AND THE EFFECT ON GAME PREPARATION
“The backup guys are going to have to go in and play. What gets you a little bit when you get down to these numbers is practice. It’s not the games so much as it’s practicing because the guys have to take more reps in practice. That can have something to do with it too. You have guys that are wounded and you have only so many guys on your roster and to get through practice guys are taking double reps and that always puts a strain on guys, especially this time of year. There are some things we will have to do to adjust during practice.
“When you go through a practice on a Wednesday there are probably about 120 plays run, being split both ways, 60 on offense, 60 on defense and then there are the special teams. Well, when you lose a group of guys at a certain position all of a sudden the guys that were the look team are not available because the first string guys are gone and all the sudden the look guy is now the first string guy. So instead of taking 60 reps he might take 80 or 90 reps; that’s what happens to you in practice. You have got to be careful. That can sometimes affect guys if they have to play a lot in the football game. So we have to look at that a little bit.”
Analysis: Edwards and his coaching staff are in a bind here. Unlike a veteran team that has been through football wars, this team is dominated by young and inexperienced players. Practice is very important and gearing things back at this point in the season is counter-productive. But the Chiefs may not have a choice because of the injuries. For instance, last week in preparation for the Chargers, the Chiefs needed to use two tight ends quite a bit in practice because San Diego’s offense generally has two tight ends on the field. That meant rookie TE Brad Cottam not only got plenty of snaps with the first team offense, but he had to take quite a few snaps with the scout team. In September, that’s not such a big deal. In November, the number of plays adds up and pushes some players closer to injury. It’s a vicious circle the Chiefs are in right now.
IS THERE A REASON FOR THIS RASH OF INJURIES?
“It’s a little bit of bad luck, I guess. It happens and you don’t why. You always research and wonder why other teams they have no one hurt. I’ve gone through some seasons where no one gets hurt. This is just one of those years right now. These guys want to play. I think if you see the guys that are hurt you know they’re professionals and want to come back and play. A lot of these guys are rookies; they just happen to be starters. They’ll get back. It’s just part of it. We don’t talk about it a whole lot. We just have to get the next guy ready to play.”
Commentary: Here’s the way it is in pro football: teams that win generally are healthier than the teams that lose. Is it cause and effect? Sure, but what direction it goes is the question. A healthier team has a better chance to win because players have had the chance to practice and play together and that helps on-field chemistry. Looking at it from the other direction, and teams that win generally have players who don’t want to be left out of that feeling and fight their way through some nagging bumps and bruises. All that works in the opposite direction for teams that lose.
ON LARRY JOHNSON’S RETURN AND PARTICIPATION IN AN OFFENSE THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE HE’S BEEN GONE
“He’ll be part of it. I think he understands that. He knows that is what we do now. It’s nothing against him, nothing against anybody. I think you adjust to what your players do well. I think what we had to learn, and what we knew all the time even in the pre-season, is that the quarterback felt comfortable in that situation. If it’s about the system and not the players you end up going down the wrong road. You start out with a system but the system has to be adjusted to the players you have. I’ve always felt that. Tyler (Thigpen) feels very comfortable in what he’s doing and I think has given us the best opportunity to move the ball, get first downs and score. We’re rolling that way and not turning back. (Larry) will be fine. He’s a good runner and we’ll do some things with him in the backfield. He’s another offensive weapon for him. We’re not going to change what we do for the next seven weeks and hopefully we’ll improve on it.”
Translation: If L.J. wants to become a factor again in the Chiefs offense, he had better make the adjustment to the spread. Right now, the Chiefs are struggling to run the ball in the spread and that’s where Johnson could help. But he’d also better be able to handle some pass blocking and catching a few passes. Both are duties he can and has handled, but he needs to make sure his enthusiasm level remains high or he’ll watch while Dantrell Savage plays. Against San Diego, Savage did a great job picking up pass rushers. His ferocity in blocking belies his size.
Sir Bob,
Wanted to take a moment and compliment you on this web site. You are a real pro and your commentary and reporting has kept me a Chiefs fan even in their darkest hour (2008 game against the Raiders or the Panthers, pick one, they were both frustrating to watch).
For several years I’ve followed the Chiefs web site and I can’t tell you how aggravating it is to go to NFL.com or some other web site and find out new information about the Chief’s even after I had just visited the Chiefs web site.
With your web site, you’ve taken that agravation away and provided a “calmness” to the storm.
THANKS A LOT!
I’ll echo that…good read Bob.
Adam Schefter , NFL in general . Bob Gretz KC in detail. Who & where else , be sides Rich Eisen , and thats a whole show. Dallas has some things going, but I dont know what all . The interest is high , Over 100 comments on one commentary . For my part , I have one question , how many guys are having to get help from thier wifes on spelling . ITs a new thing , except for the KC Star guys .
Larry has learned how to do pass protection blocking? That’s a flash.
Always like to hear (read) herm’s comments. He is very good at it and positive and you need that in a head coach.
LJ does not block for anyone. I doubt that during his recent vacation he took many classes in blocking or even looked at a tackling dummy. At least the offense is looking better recently, remember Denver every year just plugged in an different guy at RB.
I was just glad to hear Herm say that LJ would have to fit into the new offense and not the other way around. Hope he sticks to his guns, but I expect Larry to be complaining within a week. Can’t he go on IR for something? Maybe a sore hand from hitting women? Fat lip from spitting? Tonsilitis from complaining? Hip injury from a fat wallet?
This LJ doesn’t pass block nonsense is just that. He is willing to pass block, and usually able. It’s not a strength of his, and he’s missed some blocks, like EVERY RB DOES, but it’s just part of the KC media totally poisoning the fans against him, which started when DV started it. He’ll be fine, and I look forward to them using him as a receiever extensively. He’s very good at it.
Mark I agree that LJ isn’t bad at pass blocking, don’t necessarily agree that he has been willing. I for one am more than willing to give LJ that chance to “turn over a new leaf” though for the next 7 games. He comes from a solid family and is perfectly capable of getting this straightened out. I don’t like the attitude when things don’t go right, but can appreciate the frustration. We should see more disappointment from players and fans. It is unacceptable to be 1-17. No excuses, completely unacceptable.
A solid family of racists.