Brodie Croyle Still Not Healthy?

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 10:46 AM CDT

[Ed. Note: Real life is intruding on my AP time today. Will be back this afternoon. -Primetime]

In another piece in the Kansas City Star about our changes at quarterback, Brodie Croyle bristled at accusations that he's too brittle to play the position in the NFL, despite a rather lengthy injury history. That's not really news, since Croyle seems like a guy who wants to compete and to try to lead (which I've never questioned, despite my criticisms of him), so you'd expect him to stand up for himself.

But then he dropped this quote that caught my eye:

“I won’t be 100 percent. I probably won’t be 100 percent the rest of the year. I’m close enough. It’s just one of those things that ain’t going to go away until you have a couple of months to sit there and rest it."

Which makes me ask a few questions. Just how badly was Croyle's shoulder injured in that New England game? Is there damage that's going to require surgery? Is the Chiefs staff rushing Croyle back into action? If so, does this mean that Herm Edwards is starting to feel pressure about losing his job? Does this mean that Damon Huard is more seriously injured than we were led to believe? And what does this bode for Croyle staying healthy for the rest of the year, even if the line gives him capable protection (which they've shown very little indication they can do)?

Croyle's obviously an adult, and he can decide for himself whether he wants to take his chances out there. But if Croyle's admitting that he's still injured, and if the coach is willing to toss him out there before he's recovered from the injury, it raises some very interesting questions about just how much pressure the coaching staff is getting (either from the front office or ownership) to start showing some return from their youth movement...and whether the coaching staff will be returning in 2009 if Croyle suffers another injury or continues to put forth subpar performances on the field.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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I wonder

if he is worried about getting resigned at the end of the year. If he is out much longer, he will have spent a third of the beginning of his career out. I will be the first to admit that I gave way more credit than he deserved and overlooked his injured past in being naive that we could have a good young qb. He may be trying to prove he is tough enough when it may be to late.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 10:58 AM CDT 0 recs

I Don't Doubt That His Contract Status Plays A Part

But then if Croyle wasn’t as effective as Huard when he was healthy, and he’s not healthy now, that makes me wonder if maybe a) Huard’s hurt a lot worse than we thought (Rich Gannon seemed to think so) and b) the coaching staff’s under a lot of pressure to start showing progress now.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 11:08 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed

That would make more sense. They must be under pressure, because they could play Thigpen and probably would if they weren’t under pressure.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 12:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

The PARADE doesn't believe it's either

The Hunt’s are a successful entrepreneurial family. We’d bet money that this Whitlock, media, and fanbase clamor to fire Carl (de facto Herm) does not effect the power structure at arrowhead one iota (except possibly in Carl and Herm’s own psyche, but they likely are more viscerally aware of these failures than us). This is not to say the Hunts don’t care, quite the opposite, but like any good business manager (I’m thinking Warren Buffet here) you make a well-reasoned investment and stick with it regardless of outside influence until (a) it completely collapses and has a zero value or (b) the next logical, incremental revaluation period (the end of each season). The last thing you do is micromanage what you have entrusted others to do (Al Davis, ehem).

Now, there’s always pressure, but I don’t think it’s from on high. Also, I don’t think Huard is injured beyond just general old age wear and tear(dizziness?), he was pulled because the game was over and he played terribly. Tyler Thigpen cannot get a first down in the NFL. Croyle is probably desperate for a lot of reasons.

This is how we’d set up the QB depth chart: Croyle, Martin, Huard, Thigpen.

Do we still have Hagans? The PARADE would also put him ahead of Thigpen.

Basically, the Croyle detractors should fire up the Ingle Martin fanboy bus, and as we’re still eager to see if Croyle can last 9 full NFL games, we’ve at least located the Inglapolypse Ticket booth.

by Official Arrowhead Pride Parade on Oct 7, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up 1 recs

Since we appreciate your outlook on things

and you do so well with the right picture at the right time, could you show us, in your thoughts, a side by side glimpse of the personalities of Clark Hunt vs. Al Davis?

Just for laughs of course.

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO" huh Angry?

by Lanier63 on Oct 7, 2008 1:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

Thank you Clark, now your thoughts Mr. Davis?:

by Official Arrowhead Pride Parade on Oct 7, 2008 1:38 PM CDT up 1 recs

There's a loop...

Where, after we’ve established it’s your fault, and you’re a poor idiot, all it does is iterate not being able to blame someone else with “poor idiot” until, well, you CAN blame someone else.

So always blame someone else.

by AngryJesus on Oct 7, 2008 1:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

I will never doubt your ability to do anything

I thought the Davis pic was funny, but the Hunt one brought the house down!

Thanks

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO" huh Angry?

by Lanier63 on Oct 7, 2008 1:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

Everything's Better With Muppets

Don’t know why, but it just is. :)

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 1:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

Somebody has to send this to the Raiders site

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO" huh Angry?

by Lanier63 on Oct 7, 2008 1:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

That's a Rec

If I’ve ever seen one.

by primetime 07 on Oct 7, 2008 2:26 PM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed

I think Ingle Martin probably deserves a look if Croyle goes down. I doubt he’ll be as bad as Thigpen. And if it’s at the point where we’ve lost Croyle and Huard’s ineffective, then what the hell…it’s not like Tyler Thigpen’s going to do anyone any good by playing more minutes.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 1:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

Why not

IF they put Hagans on the field you might as well give Martin a shot if or when Croyle goes down. If that doesn’t work let’s just run the wildcat :)

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 2:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

Chiefs' Wilcat???

by NJChiefsFan on Oct 7, 2008 2:25 PM CDT up 0 recs

LOL!!

That is the one!

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 2:26 PM CDT up 0 recs

I heard a bit on 610 this morning.

Croyle said he wanted to be out there before this, but the training staff and coaches felt better to keep him out. I hope the owners are putting pressure on Herm. This is horrible football we are witnessing. We are a young team, but other coaches in the league get their young guys ready to go each week, and be competitive, new coaches at that. Why can’t Herm?

by Eric Allen on Oct 7, 2008 11:01 AM CDT 0 recs

That's The Question

We are a young team, but other coaches in the league get their young guys ready to go each week, and be competitive, new coaches at that. Why can’t Herm?

More and more I understand why the New York press questioned his interest in winning football games.

The New York press may be a bunch of jackals, but I’ll say this about them…they expect results and they’re pretty merciless when those results aren’t provided. And I think they had a pretty accurate sense of what Herm’s about.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm still a little amazed that you guys haven't gone after Chris Simms or somebody like that.

And to be honest, Ingle Martin was the best QB on the Titans’ roster during the preseason. So, I mean, I’m not surprised the Chiefs are struggling—you’ve already noted the number of rookies on the squad—but it is sort of weird that they didn’t try to get some mid-level free agents to shore things up while the rest of the crew gets up to speed. And let’s face it, that’s what Simms (and a few others, maybe J. Harrington, etc.) are: mid-level FAs who could help the team face down what has become a crisis but doesn’t necessarily have to be.

BTW, when did Herm Edwards start to suck? I work in Manhattan and right now am actively missing him at the helm of the Jets.

Finally, this is a great site. I feel for the fans of this team.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Oct 7, 2008 11:47 AM CDT 0 recs

Missing Herm?

We’ll happily trade him back to you for a fourth round pick.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up 0 recs

or a 7th

and a couple of NY Pizzas!!!

by sad, sad, sad!!! on Oct 7, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agree on the mid-level FAs

I don’t want them to block anyone, but a few vets to fill holes and provide leadership probably would have been a good idea. Not sure how you can expect any young QB to succeed with Devard Darling as a primary target, and those offensive tackles allowing defenders to run roughshod.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Oct 7, 2008 11:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm not sure it would work, either, but at least you don't have to kill your supposed franchise QB...

…in order to field a competitive team.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Oct 7, 2008 12:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

If only there were some way

We could have known he would be injury prone before we drafted him. This is so unexpected!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Oct 7, 2008 11:57 AM CDT 1 recs

Sarcasm?

If so you ought to include the little smiley face at the end so we can tell :)

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 12:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

That

was the most blantant showing of sarcasm I have witnessed on here yet! :)

have you seen my baseball?

by IISaiNtII on Oct 7, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up 0 recs

And Well-Stated

It made me laugh…well put, Retro. :)

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 1:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

My opinion of Croyle

is that he will be the stop-gap QB.

By the time we get a team ready to play, we’re not going to have a QB to take control of the offense, and when one finally develops into actually being able to play in the NFL, the team will be old and we will be in the same boat we are now in a few years.

There is no reason to be this terrible. I saw something like this coming when they refused to get any [more] o-line through either FA, or the draft. I never imagined the defense would be this terrible though. They can’t seem to stop anything. It’s not like we have been playing all top-flight NFL franchises either. I know for a fact that there were better QB’s available than Ingle Martin. I know for a fact that there were FA’s out there who could have stopped I-435 Sackintosh’s wide open interstate to whoever might be holding onto the ball. I KNEW that it was ridiculous to hold onto BJ Sams for so friggin’ long when Savage was doing just as good or better at times.

It irks me to no end when people say they’re doing one thing, then do something completely opposite. If you’re going with a youth movement, you stay with Connor Barth over Novak, you cut BJ Sams before week 5, get, someone to protect your QB(s) and you get someone who can throw the ball to your wideouts. The Chiefs could have band-aided alot of thier problems while going through these growing pains, but someone refused to do that.

I would like to know who, and for what reason? Because they “believe” is not a reason. You can’t just “believe.” It doesn’t win games. It doesn’t create a warm atmosphere amongst the team. There comes a time when PRODUCTION needs to be accounted for, and that time is NOW.

have you seen my baseball?

by IISaiNtII on Oct 7, 2008 1:06 PM CDT 0 recs

Who Is Responsible...

is a question we’ll never really know the answer to. Maybe it’s Carl calling the shots, maybe it’s Herm who’s usurped him (like many suggested this offseason). Doesn’t really matter…what matters that they’re the ones at the top of the food chain, so they’re the ones most clearly responsible. Herm for the on-field performance, Carl for hiring Herm (regardless of who was making the player personnel decisions). That’s why they both need to go.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 1:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

Get back to work.

by AngryJesus on Oct 7, 2008 1:11 PM CDT up 0 recs

Lunch Break :)

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

You know

we have never really looked behind the curtain to see if the Wizard left OZ and has been in Kansas City these last few years? Where’s Toto when you need him?

(i sure hope someone gets that point, it is an “old” movie after all)

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO" huh Angry?

by Lanier63 on Oct 7, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

Someone could step up

be a man, and take the blame. Not say “I don’t know how this happened,” or whatever Herm said. That is friggin’ ridiculous. You know what happened you craptastic excuse of a coach… YOU SUCKED in every facet of the game of football, save for punting. Hell, we might as well snap the ball into the opposing defenses and tackle them so our defense can stay on the field the whole game if we’re only going to have a handful of plays that net any sort of positive yardage.

I keep waiting to see the chiefs circus car drving around town and see the whole team get out in clown costumes.

have you seen my baseball?

by IISaiNtII on Oct 7, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

I can't believe

this team would have been this bad under Al Saunders.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 2:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

Why Not?

The Rams are…Saunders is running the offense there. And they’ve got a lot of the same problems we do.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 2:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

This is his first year back in St. Louis.

That team was bad when he showed up.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 2:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

This team is bad too

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Oct 7, 2008 2:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed

but there would be an offense and our defense isn’t any different now than when Herm got here.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 2:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

Their Offensive Output Is About As Bad As Ours

And they actually like to pass.

Although their problems on offense stem from the same that ours do…a terrible offensive line.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 3:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

They're actually in worse shape

We understand why our front line sucks at least (save the left side), but STL has 2 1st round tackles in Pace & Barron. And neither one of them are good now. I guess with all these negatives we take for granted some positives. For instance – having a healthy, consistent Brian Waters

by KansasCityShuffle on Oct 7, 2008 6:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

Not as bad as us

Steven Jackson appears to have at least a couple years left in the tank (unlike LJ).

Marc Bulger has shown he is capable of being an NFL caliber QB (unlike Croyle).

Orlando Pace is possibly in the last year of his career so I wouldn’t worry about him struggling.

by primetime 07 on Oct 7, 2008 6:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

They Needed Jake Long As Bad As We Did

Chris Long wasn’t a bad consolation prize, though.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 6:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

LJ will be good for the remainder of his contract

and to maximize his output we should invest in the line. Really, no other topic is more of a hot button issue w/ me than LJ. He’s clearly demonstrated what he’s capable of yet if he’s not rushing for over 150 yds every game everyone wants him traded or is saying he’s washed up! Dude, LJ is one of the best running backs in the game of football. You want someone without a few years left in the tank look in San Diego, not in KC

I would rather being 1-4 without a franchise QB than 1-4 WITH a franchise QB. Because if you have a “franchise QB” and you’re 1-4, he aint doing his job

Man, it just seems like yesterday Orlando was talked about being top pick…

by KansasCityShuffle on Oct 7, 2008 10:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

Isn't Pace

Coming off a season ender last year along with being up there in age.

by cmpotter on Oct 7, 2008 11:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

His Shoulder's Still A Problem

Apparently it’s not fully recovered. I think Pace is probably about done.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 11:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

And He's Had Two Season Enders

The last two years.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 7, 2008 11:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

We talking about the same LJ?

He’ll turn 30 before he’s even halfway through his contract. Unless he plans on bucking a pretty darn accurate historical trend in the NFL (huge regression for RBs after 30), he’ll be a big disappointment.

And the argument that fans will knock him if he’s not rushing for 150 yards every game isn’t valid here. He should and is getting criticism for 2 yards on 7 carries.

by primetime 07 on Oct 8, 2008 8:13 AM CDT up 0 recs

Actually

The regression point is after 31 (although a lot do fade at 30). The age 31 season is the point at which almost no running back gets a full complement of carries while putting up 4 ypc (except Walter Payton, who was the only exception I could find).

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Oct 8, 2008 9:03 AM CDT up 0 recs