Chiefs Receivers Say Drops Are "Contagious"
by Joel Thorman on Dec 21, 2009 9:14 AM CST
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintDepending on who's count you use, the Kansas City Chiefs dropped around nine balls on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Coming into the game, they were hovering just below 40 for the season, well above the NFL average. If you take Todd Haley's count, who is admittedly a tougher judge on the receivers, the Chiefs were over 50 for the season.
Simply put, the drops on Sunday were inexcusable. The frustration was clearly manifested in Haley's demeanor after the game. Livid. Frustrated. Pissed. All words that could be used to describe Haley in his post-game press conference.
"Nine dropped balls, I believe it is - five for first downs and five or six in the third quarter which were critical plays for us," an obviously upset Haley said after the game.
On several occasions, he held back and declined comment for fear of saying something he might regret.
"You convert half of those drops or a reasonable amount and that makes a difference," Haley said.
"It's contagious," Dwayne Bowe said of the problem. "Once one guy does it, the next guy's going to do it."
"It's contagious," Mark Bradley said echoing Bowe. "When you have a group of guys out there fighting everyday and one guy drops a ball, it's very contagious. Very streaky."
Haley said he's known this was a problem all season and that the coaching staff has been working with them before practice, after practice, on the jug machine - everything. Yet, the problem appears to be getting worse as the season goes on and the lack of tangible results appeared to be confusing for Haley.
Like he has in other games marred with drops, Haley defended his quarterback. Cassel completed over 50% of his passes but, according to Chris Chambers, put the receivers in a position to make plays.
"Matt, to me, played an excellent game," he said. "He gave us opportunities to make plays."
"As a quarterback," Cassel told reporters after the game, "you just keep pushing forward. I’m going to have throws that I want back and that I’m going to miss. That’s just part of football.
"The receivers know when they don’t catch the ball when they’re supposed to and it’s part of football and you just keep moving on."
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Who do you blame?
The Head Coach? The Offensive Coordinator? Or do you blame the Wide Receivers Coach?
Don't Fuccop Succop
by chicks_love_chiefs on Dec 21, 2009 9:20 AM CST reply actions
I blame the receivers
Predictions:
Kansas City will not win more than four games in 2009
Kansas City will have a new OC and DC in 2010
Kansas City will win at least seven games in 2010
Definately receivers
coaching staff, or in our case haley, have a week to get the players ready to go but come game day its up to the players to show up and perform. There is nothing a coach can do during game time to make his players acually catch the damn ball. Its all on the players.
What do you think the coaches could do to prevent the drops?
I don’t see what a coach can do for an NFL receiver who is dropping balls that hit him squarely in his hands…other than cut him and find someone else. Maybe they need a hypnotist?
Predictions:
Kansas City will not win more than four games in 2009
Kansas City will have a new OC and DC in 2010
Kansas City will win at least seven games in 2010
Or More Time On The JUGS Machine
Last I heard, problems with fundamentals were something to be addressed in practice…repeatedly. Until those problems with fundamentals improve.
At least that’s the way it goes on teams with coaches who actually know how to coach. Haley seems to have some problems with doing that once the level of coaching ability requires more than telling your players to run more laps.
Moderator - Arrowhead Pride
I don't think practice is going to be much fun this week
Predictions:
Kansas City will not win more than four games in 2009
Kansas City will have a new OC and DC in 2010
Kansas City will win at least seven games in 2010
Contagious = Excuse!
Contagious? Whatever, they are professional athletes and if they drop one because someone else does then that is the dumbest excuse ever. Forget H1N1 because the dropsies must be the most contagious disease ever. Pardon me I am getting over a case of the dropsies, I can’t make it into work today.
In response to Chicks, I blame the head coach! Musical chairs with the wide receivers is just plain dumb. If it worked then you would see every team doing it. I am assuming this is Haley’s thought process; “Who’s that guy over there, put him in as a receiver.”
Pick people up off the street, start them. Have people on the roster and randomly demote or promote them. Does Cassell even know who he is throwing to?
I donno man...
Yesterday my car wouldn’t start because the battery was dead, then later in the day my neighbors car wouldn’t start either…..it much be contagious.
Don't Fuccop Succop
by chicks_love_chiefs on Dec 21, 2009 9:28 AM CST up reply actions
Contagious my ass.
Those people out there are suppose to professionals. from the way it sounds , it was more like a circus. like my coach used to say in pee wee football "if your hands can touch it, you can catch it ". Excuses are contagious, not dropping perfect passes.
Toby J. Neal
Inexcusable performance by the Chiefs wideouts
I will agree that Matt C played very well though. Better than good enough to win if our defense would just get a freaking stop.
There will be major changes at the receiver position.
I believe Haley will blow up the receiver core. I won’t be suprised if Bowe is traded if they can get value for him. He was on Haley’s hot seat, and I don’t think he has done a thing to help himself. Suspension, dropping touchdowns. He has all the tools but his head is not in it. He makes an unbelievable catch one play and drops and easy touchdown the next. Wade, Bradley will both be gone. Chambers will probably get an offer from us, but I think he will sign with a better team.
I've been wondering
Has there been a Chiefs team that dropped more passes than this one? Even during the days of Herm we didn’t see this many drops from WRs. Granted..we weren’t passing as much..but I just don’t see how every guy on the team drops passes (Cottam actually looks decent..as does Pope.)
I watched Bobby Wade in Minnesota..he didn’t drop this many passes. When Bradley was healthy last season he was a dynamic guy to watch..making some big catches. Bowe has always had an issue..but nothing that kept me from cheering for the guy.
So what’s the deal this season? I’m not blaming the HC..but he has been a career WR coach and the problems this team has at that position is very curious. Herm was a CB..he had/drafted good CBs. If Haley is a WR coach..wouldn’t you just think that they should be performing better?
So what’s the deal this season?
I think #7 put’s too much heat on the shorter passes which makes them harder to catch. He’s throwing lasers on 5 yard routes and the WRs are having a hard time holding on. I’m NOT blaming Cassel, I just think these WRs are not used to that kind of heat on the passes. I think they are the ones who need to adjust, NOT Cassel.
He needs to keep doing what he is doing and these guys nees to learn how to catch them.
by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 21, 2009 9:51 AM CST up reply actions
Cassel
I think he’s actually played well the past few weeks. However, I don’t think his passes have been the easiest to catch at times. Rich Gannon pointed that out a couple of times yesterday. Matt should be able to improve that.
Still doesn’t speak to the voodoo on the WRs who are running crossing routes or in single coverage and drop catchable passes. Chambers made two excellent catches yesterday..but then Bradley just drops one that he hit him in both hands. The rookie TE dropped both of his passes yesterday and both were plainly in his hands. Doesn’t make sense.
O'Connell should be gone!
I never want to see him on the field again…EVER!
Cottam should be our TE of the future. If Pope can work on his blocking and we have Cottam as a receiving TE, that should do us pretty well going into 2010.
by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 21, 2009 9:59 AM CST up reply actions
Cottam
I’ve been impressed with him. He’s played well the past couple of weeks. He does need to work on his blocking, but I’m glad Haley finally let him on the field after Ryan proved that he isn’t an answer at TE.
I guess we’ll have to suffer through two more games with what we got and hope the off-season moves go our way.
by Knocknheads on Dec 21, 2009 10:07 AM CST up reply actions
Well how freaking long should it take to adjust?
We’re going into week 16. Cassel’s been throwing to most of these guys for 14 (Bowe, Bradley) games. Chambers is dropping the least (as far as I can tell), and he’s only been with the team for about 6 weeks. These receivers are just awful.
My sentiments are likely to be summed up with one of these 2 quotes:
"Shut the f--- up."
-Matt Cassel
"WHAT THE F---?!?!"
-Todd Haley
R.I.P. C.H., #15
by Red N Gold Beast on Dec 21, 2009 9:59 AM CST up reply actions
I can tolerate a
lot of things with the state of this team, being that the lack of proper management for years has led us to this condition. But the dropped passes piss me off to no end. There is absolutely no way these guys should’ve dropped some of the balls they did. I am really hoping we draft a WR and get a proven one this offseason to go along with Chambers (and we should pay him to stay). I’m really not sure how to feel about Bowe after that TD pass that should have been. Chambers is our #1………..I like Bowe most Sundays…….fire everybody else if we have viable replacements.
Yes...
cause we won how many games with him here last year?
by RA_ChiefsFan on Dec 21, 2009 9:59 AM CST up reply actions
Did you see.....
the last play of the Atlanta / Jets game. No, its only cuz he did that all the time while he was here. Thats called catching the ball. He did it all last year too. He was Thiggys favorite receiver Im pretty sure the stats will back that up.
Toby J. Neal
yeah but 22 guys off the street...blah blah blah...
So basically Todd Haley is responsible for 1 win.
Don't Fuccop Succop
by chicks_love_chiefs on Dec 21, 2009 1:34 PM CST up reply actions
Tony wasnt going to stay
he wanted a chance on a winning team, there was no way in my mind that Pioli could have got him to stay.
Just wishing.
I just wonder where we would be with him, compared to without. Its hard to believe he made that much of a diff. I bet he would have.
Toby J. Neal
How would keeping Tony help other receivers catch the ball
by badassz1987 on Dec 21, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions
Chiefs Receivers Say Drops Are "Contagious"
Apparently so are excuses among players.
It’s not the fricking flu…it’s a lack of concentration. That’s on the player and coaching staff, not some magical disease.
Moderator - Arrowhead Pride
It's on the players!
Winners make plays; Losers make excuses! Our receivers are making excuses. The only thing I blame on Haley yesterday is playing O’Connell in the 3rd Quarter. That should have been Cottam or Pope playing. Now maybe they would have dropped passes as well, but Cottam was having a good day. Maybe Haley was doing doing what others here have said he needed to do, which is evaluate the players he has. In my opinion, that was a bad time to evaluate O’Connell.
WTF?!!?
This isn’t the fucking flu. It’s not even yawns. This is professional football. Contagious my ass. If it’s contagious then Bowe is the freaking cause for it. He’s been here dropping passes longer than anyone.
My sentiments are likely to be summed up with one of these 2 quotes:
"Shut the f--- up."
-Matt Cassel
"WHAT THE F---?!?!"
-Todd Haley
R.I.P. C.H., #15
by Red N Gold Beast on Dec 21, 2009 9:55 AM CST reply actions
omg the drops
were relentless. There was one drive where I think every pass was dropped. Cassel threw and beautiful pass to Bowe in the end zone, right in the hands, an inch outside of the defender’s reach, and Bowezo dropped it.
Bradley was catching like a blind man all game
The only forgivable one was by Pope. He basically got assaulted in the back of the end zone as the ball was en route and the ref’s didn’t make the call. The crowd was furious
"Bradley was catching like a blind man all game."
Ha Ha, our receivers are as good as Helen Keller.
I call B.S. on Bowe's comment and his mindset
Everyone is comparing this to the flu and it was the first thought in my head as well.
Dropsies aren’t contagious…there are MANY players that have had a short lived career due to their inability to play at the NFL level.
Honestly, if you can’t learn (and even more so) execute the fundamental of catching the ball, then you’re one of the many that will have a very short career.
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
I think Haley should make the receivers
stay at practice until they catch 1000 passes each in a row without a drop, maybe then they will learn to catch.
Good idea...
But I think they should scale it down to 10 to start. That will still keep them there several hours after practice.
My sentiments are likely to be summed up with one of these 2 quotes:
"Shut the f--- up."
-Matt Cassel
"WHAT THE F---?!?!"
-Todd Haley
R.I.P. C.H., #15
by Red N Gold Beast on Dec 21, 2009 11:37 AM CST up reply actions
Hell
1 catch would keep them there for several hours
by badassz1987 on Dec 21, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions
for every dropped pass a receiver has in a game
they should tie his hands behind his back and Cassel should beable to throw the ball and hit them in the head. Maybe then they will learn to catch or have a hell of a headache.
Im normally a Bowe supporter but...
I was at the game yesterday and he clearly gave up on that long pass to him if he wouldnt of slowed up he could of made the catch.
drops???
Yeah that doesnt help, but how bout the 300 + yards in rushing. Thats ridiculous, one week we give up the long bombs for TD’s and the next we give up huge gut-busting runs for TD’s. Its getting way to old, this is like the 4 year of this junk. We dont need Kool-aid or any of that junk to make it feel better….maybe thats the problem anyway, everyone wants to find the one good in anything, instead of accepting what it is…JUNK! We are no better than the Lions and Rams, and thats sad.
Being outof position and missing tackles
is contagious
This is my signature line. It is full of awesome and win.
by KCSatchmo on Dec 21, 2009 12:13 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
So is throwing in the towel 3/4 through a losing season
I really have to wonder how many of these guys have turned their thoughts to the offseason. Injuries or not, the front seven of the D didn’t show up yesterday.
Did DJ even play??? I don’t recall seeing him at all during the game.
Predictions:
Kansas City will not win more than four games in 2009
Kansas City will have a new OC and DC in 2010
Kansas City will win at least seven games in 2010
What has this become, the Kansas City excuChiefs?
Winning begins with Attitude - Haley and Pioli will be winners in KC!
I'll forever be a Chiefs fan! Only God himself could take that away from me, but when I get to my great reward, I'll rejoin two bigger fans, my Mom and Dad.
lmao
hes like a one man cold, hes the only 1 catching it, hes the only 1 coming down with it. What a great movie.
I think fans not wanting to spend their hard earned money
in times like this to watch this team keep sucking every week is CONTAGIOUS
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