Chiefs 0, Panthers 34
After last weeks dominating win over the Broncos, the “Forever Herms” made their first appearance of the season around the Chiefs community. I’m sure they’ll be a little less adventurous after we were embarrassed by the Panthers, but this past week brought out some “oldie but goodie” Herm excuses by his most stubborn of supporters. This week I’ll review some of the falsehoods and lies that have recently re-emerged from the Herm apologists.
The Claim: Vermeil’s “circus” offense scored “too quickly” and put too much pressure on the defense. Herm’s “ball control” offense is the only way to win consistently.
The Reality: Vermeil’s teams had a much BETTER time-of-possession (TOP) average than Herm’s teams. Vermeil’s Chiefs were one of the best in time-of-possession in the NFL, especially in 2004-2005 when they averaged 32:11 minutes a game. In all, in five years of Vermeil, we averaged a TOP of 30:30 a game. Herm’s Jets in those same five years averaged 29:09. Herm’s average TOP with the Chiefs is a little better than that with the Jets, but still below average at 29:55.
VLTC: This may be Herm’s boldest lie, or worst bout of ignorance, of all time. It is also his most successful lie in that most of the Chiefs community thinks this is true. It’s hard to believe no one in the mainstream media called him on these blatant lies.
The Claim: I’m sick of just being slightly above mediocre. Herm’s the man to take us all the way.
The Reality: Based on what? This claim is often given by someone who quotes Herm’s four “playoff” teams as proof of his ability. All four of those teams were wild card teams with only nine or ten wins and often “lucked” into the playoffs. They also never won a divisional playoff game.
VLTC: If that’s not just “slightly above mediocre”, then what is? Didn’t Vermeil go to the Super Bowl twice? Yet somehow his philosophy is wrong to some of these people compared to Herm’s?
The Claim: Herm hasn’t had enough time to build his team.
The Reality: After three years of Herm, we’re still heading DOWNWARD. Three years is plenty of time to at least be heading in the right direction. Vermeil re-made the Chiefs in one year and they were almost immediately competitive. The Dolphins gutted management this off-season and they’re already improving.
VLTC: How long does it take to start improving? Or how long until we at least stop getting worse? For Herm, I think he needs to hit rock bottom and then they’ll have nowhere but up and he’ll “improve” by default. Oh, and if these aren’t “his teams”, then you better stop spouting his playoff appearances, because three of the four came within his first two years with a team.
The Claim: Herm can develop players and isn’t afraid to play young players.
The Reality: Yes, Herm gives jobs to young players. That doesn’t mean they deserved it. That doesn’t mean they’d be starting for ANYONE else in the league. Removing competition doesn’t make them better.
VLTC: As pointed out in a previous article (“The Value of ‘Earned’”), giving players a job too early can stunt their development as much as it helps them to have playing time. Just because a draft pick is starting doesn’t necessarily make that pick a success. Besides, even if Herm can draft well, that doesn’t make him a good head coach: That makes him a good scout.
The Claim: Herm inherited an old team; there was nothing he could do.
The Reality: The Chiefs were old, but not unusually old. As pointed out in the commentary “The Blame Game Continues”, Vermeil inherited just as old of a team as Herm did, yet he was able to rebuild and be competitive within one year.
VLTC: This is a lame “cover all” excuse. This was not an unusual situation. If anything, Herm was blessed to inherit a good team that took him to the playoffs in his first year. Oh, and as I’ve also written about before, Vermeil also inherited just as “bad” of drafts as Herm did. Again, nothing unusual there.
The Claim: Herm has a plan. Have patience.
The Reality: Herm’s plan is to never act surprised and pretend it was all expected and pretend it was the plan all along. Herm’s plan is to be stubborn on things that don’t work (e.g. game planning) and frivolous on others (week to week philosophy change on QBs).
VLTC: If Herm actually has a plan, he sure doesn’t seem to care to tell anyone about it. The only thing he’s willing to tell you is that he has one. I guess that allows him to always claim things retroactively and cover his behind. He spends an equal amount of time telling us to “get over it”.
The Claim: Rebuilding through the draft takes time.
The Reality: Most draft picks are eligible to become free agents after four years. If your plan is significantly longer than that, you have a problem as there’s no end to the “rebuilding”. See: Lions. Considering we are in year three and still heading downward, I don’t think we’re going to suddenly win the Super Bowl in year four.
VLTC: Rebuilding JUST through the draft is not a plan… that’s the default minimum for every team in the NFL. You have to build a team using all means: draft, free agency, and trades. Anything short of that and you’re just waiting to get lucky.
VLTC’s Off-The-Cuff Grades
Warning: Being the disaster it was, it was hard to concentrate on individual positions and I don’t think I want to watch it again. So take the grades for what they’re worth.
QBs: F
- Huard had possibly the worst game of his career.
- Looked much less comfortable/brave in the pocket this week.
RBs: F
- Not entirely their fault, but didn’t step up either.
WR/TE: D
- Hard to grade in a game like this, but didn’t get a lot of separation.
- Bowe/Huard miscommunication was especially embarrassing.
OL: F in neon
- All started with the right side forfeiting the first drive and downhill from there.
DL: F in blinking neon
- Again, absolutely no pressure from the front four, despite playing against TWO backup offensive tackles.
- Gutted by the run.
LB/DB: D
- Was hard to concentrate on everyone in such a horrible game. D for participation.
ST: C+
- Colquitt’s leg might fall off by the end of the year.
- Novak could have gone home after the initial kickoff.
- Coverage/returns were acceptable.
Coaching: F as in Fired
- Credit where credit is due.
I think you hit the nail right on the head here… this game was pathetic! Herm can barely lead this team out of the locker room. How is he ever going to lead them to success?
We need to tear management down, and pull a Bill Parcels here. We need Marty or Bill Cowher to come in, tear it all up, and start fresh. If that takes 3 or 4 more pathetic years, let’s do it! What do we have to lose? Pride? I think that’s been gone for a few years now. Ever since Dickey V left. Ohhhh the good ole’ years.
Comment by Fr0sty — October 6, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
I couldnt have said it better. Especially about the Special Teams and Coaching. That was classic.
Comment by J-Rock in Texas — October 6, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
I think those are pretty fair grades…..this is ridiculous
Comment by Stu — October 6, 2008 @ 6:38 pm
I’m one of the old Herm supporters and I’m here to say Herm must go. I agree with almost every thing you said. What I disagree with is what it sound like you are saying that DV was a good coach while he was in KC. He wasn’t his defences sucked and you can’t push it off on the DC it all comes back on the head coach,yes the offenses were great but they still only went to the play offs once and lost in the frist round.That to me dosen’t make you a good coach. I could be wrong but he only drafted one good player LJ. So in my life time I can only think of one great head coach Hank Stram and one OK coach Marty for the chiefs. So Please do not compare any coaches DV while he was in KC.
By the way could you tell me what head coach you would like to see in KC VLTC and why?
Comment by Steve — October 6, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Steve,
I’ll admit that sometimes I may come off as too glowing towards Vermeil. However, it is usually because I get so frustrated by Herm and his supporters always trying to pass blame to Vermeil for their own mess.
Vermeil’s teams were definitely a defensive failure. However, they did make huge strides towards the end of his tenure, raising the defense to a respectable ranking, something like 15th in the NFL in 2005. It’s too bad things aligned to keep us from the playoffs in 2005, in many ways I think that may have been the best (and most rounded) Vermeil team.
Its not accurate to say LJ was the only good draft pick under Vermeil. We also drafted DJ, Jared Allen, Dustin Colquitt, just to name the top crust. We also used draft picks to get Willie Roaf, Trent Green, Patrick Surtain, Welbourne, Vermeil etc.
Comment by VLTC — October 6, 2008 @ 7:15 pm
Oh and my off-the-cuff picks for a new coach would be
(a) Bill Cowher – Proven winner, experienced, extremely credible, tough, no-nonsense, etc.
(b) Jason Garrett – Big risk vs. big reward kind of guy. Little experience, but highly valued and respected. No defensive experience, but a smart guy and my gut says it wouldn’t be too big for him. Would have to see how the interview went.
Of course, it’s not clear if either of these guys are available. Cowher is retired, but I think people are expecting him to get the itch back. Garrett turned down head coaching jobs last year and may be willing to wait for the Dallas job to open.
But in the end, I’d take almost any “qualified” coach over Herm at this point. Did you catch Herm saying after the Panther’s game that he “thought we started off well”? Can you believe that? That’s just another clue that he pays NO attention to the offense at all. He merely noticed we made them punt on the first drive, so that’s all he sees. So frustrating.
Comment by VLTC — October 6, 2008 @ 7:25 pm
My vote would be Garrett, because he would have a chance of being here for many years (if he worked out). Cowher would probably bring immediate relief but probably not be here for more that 5-6 years before wanting to retire again. I was hoping for Garrett last year!!
Dennis
Comment by dennis — October 7, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
I don’t think that I’ve ever seen an NFL team look as bad as the Chiefs have. Sure we had one good game against Denver but that must have been a fluke. I saw a fan ask the experts on ESPN the other day, “when will Herm and Carl be fired for the unbelievably terrible job that they’ve done?” The so called expert said that ownership and management are on the same page in this rebuilding process and we should be patient as fans. Now I think that we have shown patience, putting up with one lead in a game since last December, one win in the last 15 games and no offensive progress at all. Hell, no defensive progress either. I think that anyone who thinks that Herm is a better coach than Dick Vermeil is either a moron or a racist. You could give Herm the 2007 New England team and I guarantee that he would turn them into a 5 win team. Herm the Destroyer takes extraordinary talent and moulds them into his vision of what a football team or player should be. He wouldn’t like Brady to Moss scoring all those TD’s. He’d want his usual 13-10 game, only problem is his defense on most days couldn’t stop a good high school team. Please Clark Hunt, wake up and realize that the fans that fill the seats at Arrowhead are totally fed up with this regime. Time to make a change and the sooner the better. How many 3 and outs are we gonna have to put up with this year? Will LJ ever run with determination again? Looked like he almost fell over before getting hit last week at Carolina. He used to run the defender over, now he looks like Tory Holt, folding up like a dead dove before the defense has a chance to put a good hit on him. Man I’m sick of this crap!!!!!!!!
Comment by Mark — October 7, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
VLTC
I like Cowher but it took him 15 years to win a super bowl.Plus he comes from CP regime just like Herm.That is not to say Cowher is anything like Herm because hes not hes a thousnd times better.But we haven’t had much luck with friends of CP. My choice is the DC of the NY Gaints the game plan he developed against the Patriots was fantastic. As you can tell I’m a defensive man. Having a grate offence looks grate is very exciting but dosen’t win super bowls defens dose.
Comment by Steve — October 7, 2008 @ 9:22 pm
I agree 100% in regards to Herm not paying attention to the offense. DV was the opposite, but it wasn’t neccessarily a bad thing, we could OUTSCORE the other teams alot of the time with our mediocre defense. But Herm, all he watches is the defense… he’s wired that way and he will never change.
Comment by Johnny 5 — October 8, 2008 @ 11:50 am
I MUST FINALLY agree that Herm Edwards has got to go !! And I was talking with someone the other day and said that I would like to see Bill Cower come in and take over. We look pitiful, and it’s Herm’s fault. He just can’t seem to get the job done.
Comment by Argin Henry — October 14, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
st louis is proof IT IS OFTEN THE COACH and in our case “Herm the Team Destroyer” has got to go.
Comment by ed f — October 19, 2008 @ 9:59 pm