Last week, after the 7th worst defeat in Kansas City Chiefs history, Clark “I Expect Us to Compete for a Playoff Spot” Hunt said Herm Edwards was doing a good job. To show his appreciation for the owner’s vote of confidence, the great talent evaluator/motivator Herm Edwards effectively motivated his talent to another record-setting loss.

Last week I said Herm had 11 games left to try and get the top spot in “Worst Chiefs Losses of All Time” list. Well, Herm couldn’t wait to get started.

Chiefs 10, Titans 34

It’s getting harder and harder to come up with new and creative ways to say the same things because Chiefs games pretty much have the same weekly themes:

1) Len Dawson complains about the Chiefs not throwing deep.
2) The Chiefs set a new record in losing.
3) Herm is perplexed by the loss and says something stupid.

This week was no different. Len Dawson talks AGAIN how the Chiefs don’t throw it deep. What is this, the 22nd week in a row he’s said this?

4th & 1 at the Titans 21, and Herm trots out the kicker. You are 1-13 in your last 14 games, what do you have to lose by going for it on 4th & 1? Well, Herm is rewarded for not having any guts as the kicker promptly misses.

For all the people that think blowing up the team and rebuilding it with all rookies is the way to go, you should really watch the last two Chiefs games. All of the young players Herm selected are failing badly. Gutting the team of all it’s veterans not only frees up cap room, but it also deprives the team of leadership, and leaves the rookies with no one to learn from.

Signing free agents is not evil, but like all things, should be done in moderation. The best way to build a team is to use ALL options, by drafting AND signing free agents. We are seeing what happens when you only do one.

The Chiefs miss another field goal and close out yet another scoreless first half. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Herm had now gone seven straight quarters with no points. And another streak is started. They may have to start keeping track of how many scoreless streaks he’s had.

At halftime, former Chief Emmitt Thomas was honored at Arrowhead for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only way the Chiefs could’ve made this moment more unmemorable was if they did it in Carolina.

Herm wanted to challenge the missed field goal, but field goals can’t be challenged when the ball goes over the upright.

EDWARDS: “You can’t challenge that. You can, but they’re going to rule no good.”

JD: Classic Edwards. Completely contradicts himself in the very next sentence. Again.

KC has never been shutout in two straight games, and Herm narrowly avoided that with a gutless 4th quarter field goal. Still think Herm is doing a good job, Clark?

HUNT: “I think he is. Certainly, competing in the NFL with as many rookies as we have on our team and as many rookies as we have in our starting lineup is difficult. But Herm is doing the right thing. He’s giving those players experience.”

JD: What a joke. Clark said this last week after the Panther train wreck. The only experience the players are getting is LOSING.

HUNT: “I’m sure to some degree, some of those decisions are very tough. But he knows where he wants to go and what he needs to do to get there.”

JD: This is what I don’t get about Herm supporters. Exactly WHAT are you basing this on? What has Herm done to show you that he knows “what he needs to do to get there”?

Herm has won exactly TWO playoff games. And they were with ANOTHER TEAM, with the last one in 2004. I’m sorry, but two playoff wins with another team four years ago, is not enough to keep your job after going 1-14 in your last 15 games.

Great, Dustin Colquitt is injured. Thanks Herm for running our punter into the ground with the rest of the team.

DAWSON: “Why would you have motion on the goal line?”

Len continues to provide common sense insight into the Chiefs offensive woes.

The Titans followed up a 66 yard touchdown run with an 80 yard touchdown run. Where were all those youthful speedy energetic rookies to catch either Titan?

The Titans had 335 total rushing yards, and Herm breaks yet another Chiefs record. The single-game rushing record against the Chiefs was 330, set by Pittsburgh in 1976. By the end of this year, I believe Herm may break several more records before he is through. Way to go Herm!

The most rushing yards given up at home by ANY team in the NFL in the last 20 years is, you guessed it, 335 by the Chiefs. #5 on that list is also this year’s Chiefs with 300 yards allowed against Oakland. The NFL Network ran that stat all day. How do feel about the direction of the team again, Clark?

HUNT: “Five games into the season, I feel equally good about it. The staff, including the coaching staff, did a great job of identifying the type of players they felt would be a good fit, the type of players they felt could become starting players in the NFL, the type of players they felt would become good Chiefs. The coordination and the sharing of a common perspective between the scouting department and the coaching staff is as good as I can remember it in the last ten years.”

JD: Clark said this last week after the Panther debacle. I’d hate to hear what he has to say now, he might give Herm an extension.

Some of the players are starting to speak out on what’s wrong and what can be done to improve things.

Who’s responsible for this mess that Herm created and how can it be fixed?

DERRICK JOHNSON: “It’s the coaches’ job to figure that out.”

JD: What do you think Herm?

EDWARDS: “Players didn’t quite do what they were supposed to do.”

JD: I’m glad to see after two years of Herm throwing the players under the bus, someone on the team is finally standing up and firing back. Derrick should be careful, since he was a Dick Vermeil pick, and we know Herm likes to blame/cut/trade DV picks.

DERRICK JOHNSON: “We had good practices. We were all fresh. We had a good attitude coming out. For some reason, it died quick. Real quick.”

JD: Of course they had good practices, they’re going against the Chiefs offense! Hoooaa!

Could the Jared Allen trade have been a deal that actually hurt BOTH teams? JA only has a couple of sacks and the Viking defense is not playing well, and the Chiefs have yet to get a sack by a starting defensive lineman.

From the “How Sad Department”

On the Chiefs website, they posted this on the Post-Game Notes section:

“Defensive end Tamba Hali started his 38th consecutive game, overtaking safety Greg Wesley for the third-longest streak by a player to start his career with Kansas City.”

That’s pretty sad when the only thing to hang our hats on is the fact that one of our players is celebrated not for on-the-field play, but for just showing up.

Also on the Chiefs official site, Pete Moris wrote this:

“Herm Edwards makes his second appearance against his former squad. Edwards patrolled the Jets sidelines for five seasons (2001-05) and led that club to the playoffs three times, the highest total of any coach in that franchise’s history.”

While leading the Jets to the playoffs three times is the highest total ever in Jets history, that stat is a little misleading. That’s like saying I’m the best looking Oak Ridge Boy.

Herm also has a losing playoff record with the Jets, while two other coaches do not. Walt Michaels went to an AFC Championship Game, and oh yea, Weeb Ewbank won a Super Bowl. But who gives a crap, Herm has the highest total of playoff APPEARANCES of any coach in Jet’s history!

Jets playoff history:

2006 10-6-0 2nd — AFC East 0-1 – Lost Wild Card Playoffs Eric Mangini
2004 10-6-0 2nd — AFC East 1-1 – Lost Divisional Playoffs Herman Edwards
2002 9-7-0 1st — AFC East 1-1 – Lost Divisional Playoffs Herman Edwards
2001 10-6-0 3rd — AFC East 0-1 – Lost Wild Card Playoffs Herman Edwards
1998 12-4-0 1st — AFC East 1-1 – Lost Conference Championship Bill Parcells
1991 8-8-0 T2nd — AFC East 0-1 – Lost Wild Card Playoffs Bruce Coslet
1986 10-6-0 2nd — AFC East 1-1 – Lost Divisional Playoffs Joe Walton
1985 11-5-0 T2nd — AFC East 0-1 – Lost Wild Card Playoffs Joe Walton
1982 6-3-0 T4th — AFC 2-1 – Lost Conference Championship Walt Michaels
1981 10-5-1 2nd — AFC East 0-1 – Lost Wild Card Playoffs Walt Michaels
1969 10-4-0 1st — AFL East 0-1 – Lost Divisional Playoffs Weeb Ewbank
1968 11-3-0 1st — AFL East 2-0 – Won Superbowl Weeb Ewbank

Maybe it was the Head Coach

I guess sometimes firing a coach mid-season does make a difference. The Raiders new coach won on Sunday. The new Rams coach is 2-0, beating two of the NFC’s top teams. Before anyone says that Tony Romo didn’t play, I don’t believe he would’ve played defense if he was healthy.

I saw Monty Beisel score the winning touchdown for Arizona last week. Would he now be leading the Chiefs in touchdowns scored if he were still on the team? The last two weeks he would be tied for the lead.

Gregg Easterbrook

ESPN Page 2 columnist Gregg Easterbrook said this about the Great Herm Edwards.

“That’s why Herm “I Honor My Contract When I’m in the Mood” Edwards’ decision against Tennessee on Sunday ranks among the worst in the annals of sports. Undefeated Tennessee led 27-0 with five minutes remaining; Kansas City had fourth-and-goal on the Titans’ 8; rather than try for a touchdown and maintain some tiny hope of a comeback, or at least salvage the Chiefs’ dignity, Edwards sent in the field goal unit. Herm wasn’t even trying to protect his team’s interest; instead he was protecting his own by keeping a shutout off his resume. The football gods, disgusted, granted Tennessee another touchdown in just two snaps, putting the visitors ahead 34-3. What a shame Tony Gonzalez, a consummate max-effort professional, was denied his trade request and is now trapped on this team whose coach will not even go through the motions of attempting to win.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/081021

Trading Tony G

EDWARDS: “It doesn’t say anything about me. It doesn’t say one thing about me. It has nothing to do with me. You need to ask the player that. That’s not for me to answer. I’m not going to answer for a football player. I don’t have to do that. I answer for the decisions that I make, what comes out of my mouth. You’re asking the wrong guy. You need to ask him. I have enough problems.”

JD: Herm the Liar’s “Three Speak” returns! I have highlighted Herm’s habit of repeating the same point three times in consecutive sentences almost every week. When he does this, it sounds like “Me thinks thou protests too much”, like he’s trying to convince us of what he is saying is true because it really isn’t.

And here he is doing it again concerning Tony G, and coming one week after Tony was upset that Herm was too spineless to attempt a three-yard pass. If I was on this team, I would want out too.

EDWARDS: “I answer for the decisions that I make, what comes out of my mouth.”

JD: When have you EVER answered for ANY of the crap that comes out of your mouth?

Hermisms

Oct 14, 2008, 5:02:22 PM

EDWARDS: “(Tennessee) is a very good defense. Not giving up a lot of points, about 11 points a game.”

JD: Good thing you can only score ten.

EDWARDS: “They really dominate teams all through the games. They get a lead early in the game, second quarter keep it; in the fourth quarter they put it on.”

JD: Sounds like a typical Herm Chiefs game.

EDWARDS: “At one point they had rebuilt. I can remember when they were 4-12 and 5-11 and now they’ve come together. Jeff (Fisher) has done a good job down there.”

JD: Pointing out other teams’ bad seasons does not excuse yours.

Q: Has Tony Gonzalez been traded?

EDWARDS: “Not that I know of.”

Q: Do you expect him to be traded?

EDWARDS: “3:03 (looks at clock). Nope.”

JD: Is it that hard for Herm to show a little professionalism? Just come out and start the conference by saying Tony has not been traded. Why do we have to go through your little tap dance?

Q: Have you talked to Carl about it and what the sticking points were and why it did or did not happen?

EDWARDS: “No. I’ve been watching Tennessee. I’ve got enough problems trying to figure out how to make a first down against Tennessee on offense.”

JD: Yep, Clark, Herm definitely knows what it takes to win.

Q: Would you really have had a chance to evaluate what Brodie could do if you had taken away one of his offensive weapons? Is that a factor?

EDWARDS: “No, the factor is he’s here and Brodie’s going to play this week. I’m glad you mentioned that. He’s actually well and going to play again and, hopefully, he can stay healthy for us for 11 weeks and do what we anticipate he can do.”

JD: Elevein weeks? Did he even last eleven plays?

Q: Speaking about Brodie, how has he looked in practice?

EDWARDS: “He’s been good. Been throwing every day, stayed extra actually yesterday throwing to the receivers.”

JD: Of course he looked good, he’s playing the Chiefs defense!

Q: Not talking to Tony sounds like a conscious effort to control what you can control and leave alone what you can’t.

EDWARDS: “True statement. Exactly. We’re so young as a group you can’t worry about those things. You have to concentrate on the whole that is the team.”

JD: I love how Herm has to always bring up the word “true” every week. Maybe he doesn’t execute its meaning very often, who knows?

Q: Speaking of distractions, is the team taking an approach that the alleged off the field problem with Larry Johnson is a distraction?

EDWARDS: “That is a distraction. That’s another one. That’s an in-house situation. We’re looking at it and it’s something that will be dealt with.”

Q: But Larry will play this week right?

EDWARDS: “It’s a distraction. You deal with distractions the way you deal with them. It’s where it’s at.”

JD: We get it, it’s a distraction. Just answer the F’N question.

Q: Have you talked to Larry about this particular incident?

EDWARDS: “No I have not.”

JD: It’s a distraction, you will deal with it, but you haven’t talked to the player in question? You also didn’t talk to Tony G about the trade. What, do you say, you DO here?

Q: Just to make clear, you are or you are not 100% confident that Larry will play this week?

EDWARDS: “I haven’t made a decision on anybody right now. All our players who are available to play are going to play.”

JD: This isn’t a Congressional hearing about issues that affect the planet, like steriods in baseball, why is it so hard for Herm to give a definitive answer. Holy crap!

Q: Do you plan on talking to Tony tomorrow about this or that he requested a trade?

EDWARDS: “He’s a Chief. What is there to talk about?”

Q: That he maybe didn’t want to be a Chief?

JD: About freakin’ time reporters stop accepting Herms bullshit.

EDWARDS: “No, he’s a Chief. This is what we’re going to ask you do in the game. Get open, score some touchdowns. That’s the most important thing.”

Q: Is it fair to say that in a rebuilding program you need some veteran presence here or there?

EDWARDS: “Absolutely, yeah, and we have some.”

JD: What, four?

Q: You mentioned the Titans have rebuilt. What do you take from their experience?

EDWARDS: “They were in cap jail a while back. I can remember that when (head coach) Jeff (Fisher) was down there.”

JD: Yea, the Titans had no choice to dump players because of the cap. Herm did this intentionally. What a dick.

Q: How much harder has this week been for you?

EDWARDS: “It’s been interesting, to say the least but you juggle balls as a head coach and you have to deal with that. That’s part of the process of being a head coach.”

JD: What balls did you juggle? You just said you DIDN’T talk to LJ and you DIDN’T talk to Tony. Again, what, do you say, you DO here?

EDWARDS: “The good thing for us is we’re so young our players are more in tune with what we’re trying to do. They were very good the bye week. They were very good yesterday.”

JD: Uh Herm, it only counts if they are good on Sunday. Good during the bye week? That’s the funniest thing you’ve said in at least two sentences.

Q: Did you take a day or two off?

EDWARDS: “No, I was here. I stayed here and watched all our games again on offense, defense and special teams. I really evaluated the players above everything else to see how we could help them get better.”

JD: Really? You re-watched all your games? Since you couldn’t help them the first time, what makes you think you can help them now?

Q: What did you learn?

EDWARDS: “A very inconsistent football team. Not confident at times, our emotional level goes up and down. That’s kind of how we play. And with that many guys playing there has been a lot of errors made. I think we can help them.”

JD: Inconsistent play, no confidence, inconsistent emotional levels, that sounds like the problem is COACHING.

Q: Did you watch any of the screwy finishes around the league this past week. What kind of message can you give to a young team based on the crazy finishes?

JD: Why should the Chiefs be worried about crazy finishes? Their games are over by halftime.

EDWARDS: “I think what you know about this league is it’s not who you play but how you play the day you play. The teams you think are real good all of a sudden – Carolina was a pretty good football team and they go to Tampa and get beat 27-3. It’s how you play that week. That’s how this league is. Teams can sneak up on you. All it takes is you to turn the ball over a couple of times and get some bad field position and, all of a sudden, the other team gets going. It makes for a long day.”

JD: There was no “all of a sudden” against the Titans. It was an embarrassing beating. Just like Carolina.

Q: You said something interesting about Brian Waters saying that this (rebuilding) is something that should have happened three years ago. Is that an opinion you share that you should have been rebuilding a couple of years ago?

EDWARDS: “I just think you know your team and there are some decisions you make along the way that are not one person decisions. It’s collective. There are some things you could have done a little bit different but you didn’t because there are some weighing factors where you couldn’t do it at that point in time. But I’m glad we’re doing it now. I know we’re going in the right direction.”

JD: And what direction is 1-14? Granted I’m not a professional coach, so I’m not really sure if 1-14 is good or bad.

EDWARDS: “We are what we are. We have some young players who are getting better. You can’t look back. We’ll continue to try and improve. This will be a good test for us against an undefeated football team.”

JD: Yep, 34-0 and 34-10 is definitely an improvement. We scored ten more points! Look out Super Bowl!

Press Conference 10/21/08

Q: What could you expect from the third (QB) at this point in the season?

EDWARDS: “Hold the clip board, basically. Chart down the plays. That’s what he’d have to do. That’s going to take a couple weeks. If it’s a veteran guy, maybe shorter, but it’s going to take a couple weeks to learn the system, you just can’t throw the guy in there.”

JD: Uh, didn’t you just throw Tyler Thigpen in there against Oakland and Atlanta just to see what he could do? I think you did.

Q: The names are QB Daunte Culpepper and QB Bruce Gradkowski. Are those the two players?

EDWARDS: “We’ve talked to Daunte. Daunte has not been on campus. The other kid has been on campus, with another guy. But we’ll decide what we want to do.”

JD: I would hope you would be the one deciding what you will do.

Q: Would Culpepper be the starter the rest of the way if you signed him?

EDWARDS: “Well, the conversation that we’ve had with him was more that, he would have no problems competing to be a starter, wherever that was. But he wanted it to be open competition. And obviously if that should happen here, transpire, that would be the situation here. There’s no doubt about that at this point.”

JD: I had to read that four times. Yep, Clark, this is certainly a guy you want to pin your hopes to.

Q: Is it possible to stabilize the quarterback position by the end of the season?

EDWARDS: “I sure hope so. That’d be kind of fun to see a guy play two games in a row for us instead of the merry-go-round that we’re dealing with right now. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just the cards that have been dealt.”

JD: No Herm, it’s all YOUR fault. How many offensive lineman have you drafted? You and Carl have done nothing to repair the great line that Dick Vermeil put together, and now you are puzzled that your quarterbacks are taking a beating? Moron. You sure know how to blame DV for the deterioration of the offensive line, don’t you? I guess DV should’ve drafted players that never age and live forever?

Q: Are you planning on RB Larry Johnson being in the starting lineup?

EDWARDS: “Right now, Larry will come to work tomorrow. The decision on that will take place when it has to be made.”

JD: You think?

EDWARDS: “I don’t have to make the decision on who’s starting and who’s not starting. So that’s kind of where that’s at.”

JD: You’re the head coach aren’t you? Who else besides the head coach decides on who is starting?

EDWARDS: “Whatever I do, I think hopefully you know me by now, people know me by now, I’m going to do the right thing for the football team, and that’s where it stands with me. So that’s where we’re at.”

JD: Which is where? You said absolutely nothing. Either LJ is starting, or he’s not. Make a decision on something, will you?

Q: Has the organization been contacted?

EDWARDS: “I won’t comment because I’m not involved in that part of it. I’m pretty sure the National Football League will get involved in it because that’s what they do.”

JD: Herm doesn’t really do anything does he? It almost seems like he is asking the NFL to come in and make the decision so he doesn’t have to.

Q: Do you believe your players believe in the scheme?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, I believe that. Just haven’t executed. And you can ask the players. They’ll tell you the truth.”

JD: And once again, Herm has to talk about telling the truth. Again.