Chiefs at Raiders - Week 7 - Record: 3-3
Why is Todd Haley continuing to torment us all? Why why WHY?
I still really truly believe in the depths of my heart that this guy just flat-out cannot run a professional football team. And yet now he goes out there and really puts the screws to a decent Raiders team in our fourth road game in the first six of the season.
Granted the Raiders had a completely wretched quarterback situation. Their starter, Kyle Boller, came in to start after Jason Campbell was injured last week. He played abysmally. They had picked up traditionally studly QB Carson Palmer during the week, but he had no time to become familiar with the Raiders offense. He still came in half-way through and predictably was just as bad.
So yeah, the Chiefs got six interceptions on the day (yay!) but was it us, or was it their quarterback? I'd really like to think that our D-backs are as good as I've always said they were, but I don't know.
Why is Todd Haley doing this to us?
In fact, the radio guy today said that Scott Pioli was a nanosecond away from firing Todd Haley in the middle of the Colts game when we were down 24-7.
Grreat. Then we came back.
Then we go and win the thing outright.
Now Todd Haley is doing his "good coach" impersonation.
I'm going crazy, I really am.
We're already fully out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Some half-dozen teams it seems are 0-6 or something as bad. Now we're amazingly a scant single game behind first-place San Diego, who we play next Monday night at home.
So what's it going to be Todd: a world championship (or at least for now, a splendidly inspired run at one), a 3-13 final record so that we may still get a remote shot at Andrew Luck, or -- are we going to end up with the worst of the worstest scenarios of all?...
A painfully underwhelming 8-8 record, a 17th pick in the draft to get someone who just can't help us (namely someone not Andrew Luck), and more absence from any playoff contention?
We still commit too many stupid penalties -- offsides, too many men on the field, excessive celebrations -- ergh these bug... are you paying attention Todd Haley? And Matt Cassel -- ergh. One minute he's doing something utterly spectacular, the next he's throwing a pass like the one where he had an eternity to throw the ball, and he lofts this balloon up for any of the 57 Raiders players, coaches, or fans to swoop under it and pick it off -- needless to say, one did.
Yes, I am quite cynical. That's just me. I only write because I'm a Chiefs fan and I want to see them win the Super Bowl. I know they do too. We all do, I'm saying nothing revolutionary here, I know. And hey, any time they beat the Raiders it is a cause for celebration.
I'm celebrating, I really am. I'm thrilled that we destroyed them in their yard.
But Todd Haley, sorry...
He's still driving me crazy...
_
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Chiefs at Colts - Week 5 - Record: 2-3
Yes, it's true. Todd Haley is driving me insane. Certifiably.
The guy should be fired, still, but he's now doing things that make it less and less likely that he'll be fired. Like:
Getting Matt Cassel and his wide receivers to work together to form a real passing offense. Haley's pick-up of Steve Breaston is now looking like an act of genius (aaagh!) because the guy has been such a stud for us. Yesterday both Bowe and Breaston had two TD catches apiece, and every time they've done their thing I've called them "beast," in the very positive sense quite often used these days. As I thought about it, it works on a different level, as in "B"-st, the letter "B" referring to the first letters of their names.
In fact yesterday Bowe had a catch in the endzone that'll be at the very top of the year's highlight reel, if it isn't already the catch of the year. He was running that patented out-pattern at the side of the endzone with Cassel tossing it up for him to grab. With the defender running into him (clear pass interference) he grappled for the ball behind the guy's back, juggled it a number of times, then snagged it as he fell to the turf.
Cassel himself showed yesterday his never-say-die approach to the game, bringing us back from a 17-0 and later 24-7 deficit. One play on our TD last drive exemplified his resolve. He ran out of the pocket, tucked the ball in, and didn't do the weinie QB slide -- instead he ducked his head and run forward for a couple more yards, getting hammered at the end of the play.
Our defense lit it up in the 2nd half as well, and this led my son to text me about something those close to what's going on with the Chiefs have started to point out. All that oppressive physical conditioning that Haley put the team through just before the season started is paying off now.
When we get to the second half, we are now dominating other teams that are tiring out. Come to think of it, yes, starting with the San Diego game, we've been playing very, very well in the 2nd half.
Now, can a 2nd half team be a contender? I still don't think so, not with this team. Remember, we still played a weak Colts team without Peyton Manning, and it was still very close.
And I still think Haley should go, except that he still did find a replacement for Jamaal Charles, for now anyway. Jackie Battle stepped in yesterday and played marvelously. And he is working out rearranging a defense that was designed around Eric Berry, and at least in the last three games it has played relatively decently.
Aaaagh! Todd Haley is making me crazy, that's all.
_
Yes, it's true. Todd Haley is driving me insane. Certifiably.
The guy should be fired, still, but he's now doing things that make it less and less likely that he'll be fired. Like:
Getting Matt Cassel and his wide receivers to work together to form a real passing offense. Haley's pick-up of Steve Breaston is now looking like an act of genius (aaagh!) because the guy has been such a stud for us. Yesterday both Bowe and Breaston had two TD catches apiece, and every time they've done their thing I've called them "beast," in the very positive sense quite often used these days. As I thought about it, it works on a different level, as in "B"-st, the letter "B" referring to the first letters of their names.
In fact yesterday Bowe had a catch in the endzone that'll be at the very top of the year's highlight reel, if it isn't already the catch of the year. He was running that patented out-pattern at the side of the endzone with Cassel tossing it up for him to grab. With the defender running into him (clear pass interference) he grappled for the ball behind the guy's back, juggled it a number of times, then snagged it as he fell to the turf.
Cassel himself showed yesterday his never-say-die approach to the game, bringing us back from a 17-0 and later 24-7 deficit. One play on our TD last drive exemplified his resolve. He ran out of the pocket, tucked the ball in, and didn't do the weinie QB slide -- instead he ducked his head and run forward for a couple more yards, getting hammered at the end of the play.
Our defense lit it up in the 2nd half as well, and this led my son to text me about something those close to what's going on with the Chiefs have started to point out. All that oppressive physical conditioning that Haley put the team through just before the season started is paying off now.
When we get to the second half, we are now dominating other teams that are tiring out. Come to think of it, yes, starting with the San Diego game, we've been playing very, very well in the 2nd half.
Now, can a 2nd half team be a contender? I still don't think so, not with this team. Remember, we still played a weak Colts team without Peyton Manning, and it was still very close.
And I still think Haley should go, except that he still did find a replacement for Jamaal Charles, for now anyway. Jackie Battle stepped in yesterday and played marvelously. And he is working out rearranging a defense that was designed around Eric Berry, and at least in the last three games it has played relatively decently.
Aaaagh! Todd Haley is making me crazy, that's all.
_
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Vikings at Chiefs - Week 4 - Record: 1-3
Okay, so let me get this straight. For Matt Cassel to have a fire lit under his rear end and play well, we need him to get into a sideline shouting match with Todd Haley after one of Haley's plays typically fails? Hey, I'm all in favor of the Bill Parcells style of kickin' player-ass to get them going, but I'm sorry.
I really think Haley has about three Super Bowl victories to go before he is in Parcells' class.
What got it done for the Chiefs today was a blending of all the things that got them into the playoffs last year.
They were, in no particular order:
- Cassel playing like the take-no-prisoners QB that he can be.
- Bowe having one of his patented phenomenal days, with his one beautifully wonderfully excellently touchdown play standing out (and it was indeed vintage Bowe because he bobbled the catch terribly before doing his geniusness on the field).
- Our defensive backs so in the face of the Vikings receivers that Flowers, Carr et al didn't have to take off their jerseys at the end of the game, they were already in the Vikings receivers mouths.
- Tamba Hali getting two clutch sacks and being all over Donovan McNabb like maggots on meat.
- Solid special teams play that included a long run-back on a punt from Gilbert Arenas, a booming 60+ punt from Dustin Colquitt, and five big-time field goals from Ryan Succup including two from 50 yards out.
What we also got were two bonuses that (gulp!) may give the Chiefs the ever-so slightest chance of being slightly competitive this year. (Oh I have no illusions about the slightest of slightosital nature of our chances -- they are still exceedingly slight...)
1. The fine play of another wide receiver. Steve Breaston has proven that he is not another Mark Bradley or Chris Chambers. He has been all over the field, making great plays (last week's catch against San Diego had to have been at the top of the highlight reel all week), and just being a very solid go-to guy when we need him.
2. Stalwart play from our defensive front. Can you believe it? I actually liked what I saw from Tyson Jackson today. And that was with Wallace Gilberry in there still doing better than Jackson. Our overall defensive scheme held super-back Adrian Peterson under 100 yards on the day, and that is really saying something.
Will I still give Todd Haley a break? Nah. Any team can beat any other team on any given Sunday. Today we got good performances from all our guys, at home, in a close contest, against a less-than-mediocre Minnesota team.
So the crusade still moves forward. We should still replace Haley with Jim Zorn (oh my -- don't get me wrong -- just for the rest of the season!) and find someone who'll
Get the job done every single week.
_
Okay, so let me get this straight. For Matt Cassel to have a fire lit under his rear end and play well, we need him to get into a sideline shouting match with Todd Haley after one of Haley's plays typically fails? Hey, I'm all in favor of the Bill Parcells style of kickin' player-ass to get them going, but I'm sorry.
I really think Haley has about three Super Bowl victories to go before he is in Parcells' class.
What got it done for the Chiefs today was a blending of all the things that got them into the playoffs last year.
They were, in no particular order:
- Cassel playing like the take-no-prisoners QB that he can be.
- Bowe having one of his patented phenomenal days, with his one beautifully wonderfully excellently touchdown play standing out (and it was indeed vintage Bowe because he bobbled the catch terribly before doing his geniusness on the field).
- Our defensive backs so in the face of the Vikings receivers that Flowers, Carr et al didn't have to take off their jerseys at the end of the game, they were already in the Vikings receivers mouths.
- Tamba Hali getting two clutch sacks and being all over Donovan McNabb like maggots on meat.
- Solid special teams play that included a long run-back on a punt from Gilbert Arenas, a booming 60+ punt from Dustin Colquitt, and five big-time field goals from Ryan Succup including two from 50 yards out.
What we also got were two bonuses that (gulp!) may give the Chiefs the ever-so slightest chance of being slightly competitive this year. (Oh I have no illusions about the slightest of slightosital nature of our chances -- they are still exceedingly slight...)
1. The fine play of another wide receiver. Steve Breaston has proven that he is not another Mark Bradley or Chris Chambers. He has been all over the field, making great plays (last week's catch against San Diego had to have been at the top of the highlight reel all week), and just being a very solid go-to guy when we need him.
2. Stalwart play from our defensive front. Can you believe it? I actually liked what I saw from Tyson Jackson today. And that was with Wallace Gilberry in there still doing better than Jackson. Our overall defensive scheme held super-back Adrian Peterson under 100 yards on the day, and that is really saying something.
Will I still give Todd Haley a break? Nah. Any team can beat any other team on any given Sunday. Today we got good performances from all our guys, at home, in a close contest, against a less-than-mediocre Minnesota team.
So the crusade still moves forward. We should still replace Haley with Jim Zorn (oh my -- don't get me wrong -- just for the rest of the season!) and find someone who'll
Get the job done every single week.
_
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