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The Problems/The Solutions

By cthorman on | From arrowheadpride.com

From the diaries. Thanks Parade!

Alright let's start with the Problems:

I guess after this week the place to start is...

Rayner - Everyone hates the kicker, but when you're constantly sucking the life out of drives early in the game by shanking gimme kicks, well you deserve it.

Rayner via Medlock - Someone in the recruiting office should be fired/demoted/slapped for this decision. A) The left-footed thing [not an excuse in my opinion but whatever, why'd we take the chance then?] B) As a coach who loves kicking field goals and "keeping it close" why did we screw this one up? Get a kicker who can consistently make 30 yd. kicks.

Drummond - Like Medlock at this point I suspect, but seriously, is someone going to explain why we thought he would do well if he's an unknown veteran "return guy" (note to most coaches this isn't a good sign at this position if the guys a veteran and being released). I was suspect when we got him, and I despise him now, someone in personnel gots to get a slappin' for that one.

Special Teams in general - our field position has been terrible, especially for being one of Herm's talking points...pfire pfieffer [like how I did that?]. Furthermore, while I would consider myself generally dissatisfied with the decision to play Huard for so long, I'll say that after our O-line the second biggest reason Huard never stood a chance was our field position.

Coaching:

Defense gets a free pass for last week, Gun's done an incredible job and should be considered a KC institution.

Special teams - see above

Offense - I'd say this goes 50/50 on Herm and Solari, because I don't view Solari as a true offensive coordinator in his own right, he's like the president of Vichy France, he's a puppet coordinator. That said we need a true offensive coordinator, we need to also lose this "keep it close" mentality. I'm fine with a conservative run-happy offense, but right now we have a schizophrenic set-up. We run until we get scared and then throw and have a line poorly set up for either (but especially poor at pass protection). Herm needs to take a page from Bellichek, hell take a page from Marty last year, play to your strength sure, but know your opponent and go for the jugular. This isn't 1985 anymore Herm, you can't line up tell the other team your play and expect to beat them anyway. Even Marty opened it up a little with Rivers last year, and Croyle could be explosive (that's meant in both the good and the bad way for the Croyle detractors). So, let' start blowing stuff up and see what happens, we might gasp burn some defenses, disorient them, score some touchdowns, and the real goal: open up the running game.

Last note on coaching - quit playing to win in the fourth quarter. That's the real reason we lost yesterday, that and the Raiders came to play while our veterans and D must have ate too much turkey or something. Regardless, they're the Raiders, they're terrible this year, we should have played them like we planned to blow them out. We had very little trouble driving, I mean we got Mt. Rayner'd while sea bass was sinking kicks like they were threes, but still. The attitude and the aggressive plan were lacking. Also, we were clearly fatigued which for a "fourth quarter team" is inexcusable.

Alright some player problems:

Kyle Turley: doesn't care, continues to wear a Chiefs jersey/exist.

Chris Terry: Sucks, is tired, wants to go home.

Ty Law: doesn't care but says he does, is tired of this young guy tackling stuff, would like to play deep coverage in a berka-lounger. We badly need a "shut down" corner to complete this defense and Ty isn't it.

Larry Johnson: Likes being misunderstood and is succeeding, does Jay-Z have any Roca-Passblockers, needs to be a tremendous back next season, otherwise if Kolby can keep it up L.J. contract is all to tempting to dump on the Giants, that said - this seasons play and conduct hasn't been too impressive L.J. at some point put up or shut up needs to happen.

Eddie Kennison: See Ty Law, also this is just after last week but still, you're a veteran you're supposed to run an 8 yd. route, you know you need 5 yd.s for a first down, but you run a 4 yd. route???? Thank you for training D. Bowe, I hope you make it into the Chief's hall of fame.

Tony Gonzalex/Dunn: Whoa, whoa, calm down people. First, Tony is the best player on the team, hands down, he is having an excellent season and deserves all the credit in the world. That said, where's the leadership, where's some sort of guiding force here, and less so but still importantly (this is why I included Dunn) what's up with the stupid penalties? It's clear Tony is pissed because he feels the play calling is holding us back. He's right. However, he doesn't seem to be fixing it by complaining, he's pissed because he knows he's playing excellent and can't stay around forever, and is taking a beating in the meantime. I say go make it happen Tony, talk to Herm talk to Carl demand a more aggressive west coast offense.

Tamba Hali: Much like Gonzo falls in the to whom much is given even more is expected. Is playing well, but could be playing great. Needs to step up his rush and shut down the run game completely.

Ahh, now a much needed part, The Solution:

Herm (Maybe): Herm's a great motivator and I think it's really foolish for KC to start jumping ship on him now. The problem I see with him lies in preparation and support. I feel like we've been under-prepared for situations like last week, and I think Herm is yet to master the concept of offensive and defensive domination. He seems bent on the plan of break their will with defense and score 24 points (which we can't seem to do right now). Herm needs to start prepping the offense for all hurry up situations, he needs to get a new true offensive coordinator, and last he needs to develop Brodie Croyle into an effective no huddle quarterback.

Brodie Croyle (maybe): The dynamite, could go either way still. I really like what I've seen so far, he's a competent gunslinger, and can bounce back from adversity. This was the first week of real Chiefs' O-line pain for him, so we'll see how he bounces back. See what I said about Herm developing him into a no huddle quarterback, but undeniably he has the talent and the targets to make KC a scary passing offense, we just need a scheme now to make it work. Also, Croyle's future is totally based on his ability to learn how to not just be okay but to read defenses and take it to the next level. Well that, and assuming that he doesn't still get mentally crushed by the non existent KC pass block.

Kolby Smith (maybe): Okay, this was the Raiders, but if he can keep that up, wow. I mean L.J. tenure in KC is inverse to how well Kolby can keep doing this. Keep in mind this is the home of Greg the real deal Hill, we're suspect of rookie running phenoms, but Smith looked very legitimate. Wait and see, but I'm kind of excited at this point.

D. Bowe - Awesome. Simply awesome.

Jared Allen - Pay thye mahn his moaney -K.G.B.

Gun: the man deserves a shrine, I really think this defense has no where to go but up. Herm's got some serious in house problems on special teams and our offensive framework of coordinator and line are in a shambles, but the D WILL continue to improve, and should hopefully be scary next year.

So there you go, Herm's got to reevaluate his own mindset, slash and burn the special teams, hire a west coast offensive coordinator, refurbish the O-line, some veterans need to step up or retire, and we need to start winning games in the first quarter rather than trying not to lose them in the fourth.