Herm Speaks 11/4
From Arrowhead Stadium
By the time that Herm Edwards got done going over the Chiefs roster moves with the media horde at the start of his weekly Tuesday press conference, he was almost out of energy. That’s the type of season it has been for this team.
But as always, Edwards had enough left in his tank to answer questions and here are some of the important passages and our commentary, translation and analysis.
ON MOBILE QUARTERBACKS LIKE TYLER THIGPEN
“If you get a quarterback who just drops back or is a pocket passer, he’s easy to rush because he’s always in the same spot. If he can move, then you are worried about containing the guy, about him getting outside and throwing on the move. That’s when the train is delayed. It’s the quarterback that can make the play when the train is delayed, who can run around, buying himself some time … that’s what the guy from the Bucs (Jeff) Garcia did. He bought some time, got outside the pocket; he threw it here, threw it there and made some big plays. That’s what Tyler can do. He has the ability to do that. Now that being said, he can also throw it to the other guy doing that. There is some risk and some reward in that.”
Translation: The reason Thigpen is still the Chiefs starter comes down to one thing in the head coach’s mind and that’s his lack of interceptions in the last two games. The moment that Thigpen starts throwing the ball to the other team, we will see Quinn Gray taking snaps and running the Chiefs offense.
ON THIGPEN’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE TEAM THE LAST TWO WEEKS
“The quarterback helps the whole team, the defense, he helps everybody. We have played more consistent on defense the last two weeks because the quarterback has played consistent. Our offense has played and moved the ball. It’s always that way and he hasn’t turned it over. If you do that, you have a chance to be competitive. If you look at the games where we had our troubles, we gave up some big plays on defense and we turned the ball over on offense. Right now, we are plus-seven in the last two games in turnover ratio … and we lost two games. That doesn’t compute but we have to continue to play that way.”
Analysis: Settling the quarterback position is the No. 1 priority for the franchise from this point until the start of the 2009 season. Not establishing a quarterback, whether a youngster or a veteran, creates too much uncertainty that filters down and affects the rest of the roster. It’s too early to make Thigpen the guy, but right now he’s in the driver’s seat. If he can keep the car on the road, his opportunity improves every week.
ON LARRY JOHNSON AND HIS FUTURE
“Once he comes back, he’s eligible to play. We’ll go from there … I would assume he’s working out and preparing himself.”
Translation: Some people have speculated that Johnson has played his last game for the Chiefs. That’s not the case. He’ll be back in the building this coming Monday and is expected to be part of the team for the final seven games of the season baring an injury. All that could change with the Chiefs and the NFL based on the outcome of the legal proceedings that Johnson faces in the first week of December. Until then he’s wearing No. 27.
ON WHERE HIS TEAM IS RIGHT NOW
“We are getting better. We still have to learn how to finish the game and learn how to make plays in certain periods of the game. I think that will come with experience and I think we are gaining that as we play. The team to me is coming together a lot more now because of what they’ve gone through. Sometimes you travel this road and it’s tough. You have two tough losses in a row. But they had an opportunity and that’s what you have to keep preaching to them. If you keep playing this way, eventually the ball is going to bounce your way. You are going to get that bounce and you are going to win that kind of game. They believe that, they understand that and that’s where we are right now.”
Commentary: The Chiefs are getting better on a weekly basis, but until they start winning games the improvement is not going to really take off. If this team can do what Edwards said – find a way to win, find a bounce, find a play when it’s called for – it might really take off. OK, it might really take off if the injuries do not continue to sap them of talent.
ON INJURIES EFFECTING HIS SPECIAL TEAMS
“You are talking about your core guys on special teams and then all the sudden you are down to your backup guys and one thing about special teams is your seconds do not get a lot of reps in practice. You only have a certain amount of time. They get some, but they do not get the quality reps that the starters do … when you get linebackers injured and defensive backs injured it’s always going to affect your special teams. Those are generally the core o f your special teams … it’s going to affect us this week (against San Diego.) We can only dress 46 guys; that’s 22 on defense. You get three players in that number hurt, it’s going to affect you. You’ve got to find a way to still get it done.”
Analysis: Oh, oh. The Chargers happen to have a return guy named Darren Sproles. You may remember him, kid from Olathe and K-State. He already has a kick return for a touchdown and is averaging 27.2 yards on kickoff returns and 12.5 on punt returns. That ranks him fourth and sixth in the league in those categories.
Our pathetic special teams and mounting injuries are a direct result of Herm’s 70-90 practices.
He doesn’t prepare this team for a 4 quarter game.
Sorry…I meant 70-90 minute practices. (as reported on this site by Bob).
I totally agree with you Craig! Herm doesn’t prepare our team at the begining of the year, and he doesn’t prepare them for the 4th quarter, and he refuses to change that.
No wonder all but one team of Harms I’m aware of have started out slow. Imagine what we could do if we actually banged out a 2 hour practice here and there and smoked some of those millionaires during practice, once in a while.
ur a dumbass its a young team with a qb who out played a hall of fammer brett favre 1 week and a good vet jeff garcia last sunday they stopped 1 of the best run teams in the league and we ran for almost 200 yards on a great run d we just had a few things that didnt go our way youth mainly but were light years ahead of where we were about 3 weeks ago were gonnawin more games this year i promise herm knows what hes doing hes a great coach been a head coach for 6or7 years and been to the playoffs 3 of thos years and this years not over as bad as our division is so its not cause our practices our too short were just learning some new things when were in the playoffs every year a year or 2 from now well look back and be like man were we ever that bad cause the whole cheifs organization really knows what their doing were gonna be great were going through the same thing that the titans went throughe a few years agowell be great pretty soon
Jeremy,
You might try a period once in a while. It makes it easier to follow what you’re saying.
The year that we BACKED into the play offs because the planets were aligned right and the 3 teams we needed to lose lost doesn’t make a great HC. He’s drafted fairly well, but sucks in game time decisions. He and his coaching staff don’t make too many game time adjustments, although I’d give Chan some credit for last week. That wasn’t game time though, they came into the game with that practiced.
Yes, they have a young team and we needed to go through this, but it doesn’t excuse his stubborness to adapt to the ever changing NFL.
Observations. On offense, keep playing to the strengths of Thigpen. He has to continue to show good control; throw it away when the pass isn’t there, go down when the run isn’t. Just keep mixing it up, tinkering with incorporating more run game. Receivers have to keep working to get open when Thiggy is running around buying more time. This offense really helps the OL, and it appears they are gaining confidence. Be smart. For example, you’re deep in your end of the field after a turnover. Think about running the ball with a more stout RB like Battle. Charles had a very good game, but that fumble was a cardinal sin. Hopefully, the refs will start turning some of those PI penalties in the Chiefs favor, along with the roughing the passer plays on Thigpen.
Defense. If this defense doesn’t make some bigger strides, this team may not win another game this year. Maybe you start fining players, I don’t know. Pollard, who should be becoming one of the leaders, trying to make an explosive hit on Clayton rather than just tackling him-very disappointing. Mcbride, with his roughing the passer penalty-bonehead. All these whiff tackles-gotta stop. Mcgraw, the kick return and the two-point conversion-please, he has to be more capable than that. Run D improved somewhat in the Tampa game. Not enough pressure on the QB, especially with Leggett in and DJ out. They looked like they were in a prevent defense for most of the 4th quarter. They ran more line stunts in that game, but still not nearly enough. If the front four aren’t getting there, you’ve got to blitz. Just don’t stand directly in front of the QB and hand him a telegram you’re the one who will be blitzing him. Leggett might be pretty good in the future, but it’s more helpful to him if you hurry the QB or drop him, than trying to “hide” him back there. One thing this D is getting good at is causing turnovers. That has to be part of there identity. If he doesn’t have major health issues, giving KGB a try couldn’t hurt. If only a solid LB were out there somewhere. In any case, I still like the defensive talent. They’re just so young, and so frustrating. The defensive coaches frustrate me more, though, I think.
Will be fun to see what Robinson can do on returns. Barth looks like a more relaxed kicker, so far so good. Walden has to step it back up. He was becoming a special teams ace. Got hurt. Hopefully, he’s better now.
No offense, Bob, but that’s kind of ridiculous that (paraphrasing) the moment Thigpen starts turning the ball over, he’ll get benched. Whether that’s just your opinion or the actual mindset of Herm Edwards, I can’t say. But it’s ridiculous nonetheless.
Thigpen has put together the two best back to back starts from a Chiefs QB since… I don’t know when. Huard in 2006 when he filled in for Green, I suppose, but Huard mostly managed those games. Thigpen has shown the ability to make plays.
Barring a complete collapse where he reverts back to the Thigpen we saw in Atlanta, and that collapse lasts for more than one game, by now should have earned the right to be the starter for the rest of the season. Even if he makes some mistakes.
Well put Dave,
Thigpen has shown incredible strides the last couple of games. His head is in the game. He takes the sack when needed. He throws it away when needed. He played Barber like a fiddle the way he jogged down the field. And he’s not a piece of glass. I hope he keeps on growing, I like his swagger.
Herm’s The Man!
Oh Yeah! Herm is definitely the MAN!!
Two things I noticed this last game.
Thigpin can not get comfortable relying on his legs. He needs to start right now, IMO developing his pocket presence. Learn to move forward not laterally unless the play calls for it or he’s got no other choice. Too many times he left the pocket too early. It’s good that he’s mobile but don’t abuse it. The line needs to learn how to make a pocket and a QB that runs too much doesn’t help any.
Just as I say all that now I’m going to contradict myself. I thought the Chiefs should have done a better job containing Garcia in the pocket. He was able to get outside with no one around. It allowed him to see the entire field. The younger Garia could have been the leading ball carrier and scored a TD or two.
I think, defensively, you want to contain a mobile QB but on the same token if that QB is any good at all he’s only going to run when he has to. He’s going to give the play called a chance to work first before extending the play. I’m just saying that Thigpin should try doing the same. Learn to use his mobility to move around in the pocket. It’s much better that way for many reasons.
I know he could be a locker room cancer but have we looked into Deangelo Hall? What do you think about him Bob?
I can’t believe we sit and listen to the same crap from this man week after week. He doesn’t have a clue, and it’s obvious from the way he talks. There are no defninitive answers, ever…”well you know we MIGHT do ‘x’…” or “well sometimes when you ‘x’, you might get ‘y’, but then sometimes you might get ‘z’…” I don’t like his work ethic when it comes to practices (agreeing with you, Craig), I don’t think he preps his team or gets them pumped up for the start of a game, and we know he is completely inept at getting them adjusted to the game after half time. His clock management is atrocious and his loyalty to poor performers (i.e. Croyle, Pat Thomas, Pollard) for no justifiable reason other than “he likes them” shows just how lost and confused this man really is. It’s sad really.