I know the Chiefs are bad on defense, but they were not this bad last year. For all the changes in...

I know the Chiefs are bad on defense, but they were not this bad last year. For all the changes in K.C., things have gotten worse, much worse – on both sides of the ball. If there’s been progress toward a brighter future, I’m not seeing it.

Mike Lombardi on the Chiefs

about 2 years ago Matt Conner 21 comments 0 recs |

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ouch

My long, drawn-out predictions that no one cares about, nor will bother to remember:

1. Todd Haley will still be the Chiefs Head Coach up to the 2011 season.
2. Clancy Pendergast won't make it to the 2010 season and was never intended to. Last-minute hire for a position that needed to be filled.
3. Todd Haley will not be the OC at the start of the 2010 season.

by jbj8609 on Dec 21, 2009 11:33 AM CST reply actions

Why is it...

That every week we look like a bloopers highlight reel. And what about D. Johnson, he jogged behind the guy letting the clock run out with him…..you have to punish that guy, take the penalty, youve gave up anyway…

by Sea of RED on Dec 21, 2009 11:38 AM CST reply actions

cause that's what happens when you kick the ball right back to the greatest

return man ever and then try a Hail mary from the 24!! BLLLLLOOOPPPPEERRRSS!

also…hello sea

by krayfish on Dec 21, 2009 2:56 PM CST up reply actions

How can Lombardi see over his double chin to type?

Toby is in HR, which technically means he works for corporate, so he's really not a part of our family. Also, he's divorced, so he's really not a part of his family.

by Rev. Slappy on Dec 21, 2009 11:40 AM CST reply actions

This kind of stuff is expected.

Makes a turn around (when it happens) much sweeter!

by worc on Dec 21, 2009 11:56 AM CST reply actions

It's like the football gods said...

We will show you people who thinks the team overall is better by taking the Browns and beat you over the head with them. We will tease you by allowing the offense to somewhat work, but we will exploit your defense for what it is and what it always will be. This is your punishment, hope followed by despair.

by WannabeChief_83 on Dec 21, 2009 12:04 PM CST via mobile reply actions

I think Mike Lombardi dislikes Pioli on a personal level

He seems to take shots at Pioli at every opportunity. Of course, the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs haven’t done much to garner praise for Pioli either…

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

by jmcgoblue on Dec 21, 2009 12:27 PM CST reply actions

Re Lombardi's stupid column

Lombardi’s been on an anti-Haley/anti-Pioli crusade for most of this season. He denigrates both men pretty much every chance he gets. It’s not my business, if that’s what he wants to use his national blog to do, it’s up to him. But I think most of his points are simple-minded truisms ("Winning lies in the execution, not in the venue.") and often obviously contradictory. As this season has gone on, his writing has been less and less interesting or informative.

Regarding today’s AM Lombardi post, he writes that Josh Cribbs now has his vote for NFL MVP, which is incredibly stupid on the face of it: a 10-15 touches-a-game guy on a 3-win team beats out Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Donovan McNabb, Phillip Rivers and about two dozen other players who have carried their teams to high seedings in the playoffs? Maybe he thought it was a tremendously original and insightful joke to write that.

Lombardi’s just reaching for bad things to write about the current KC management and team. One day after an NFL Sunday that had several close games, interesting upsets, changes in the playoff landscape and compelling story lines, he ignores pretty much all of that and takes three paragraphs to run down the Chiefs.

Which is an easy thing to do in their current state…. but at least he could post insights that wouldn’t rank as borderline idiotic on some long-lost, forlorn basement blog, much less a top-flight platform like AP. For example, Lombardi writes that "For all the changes in K.C., things have gotten worse, much worse – on both sides of the ball." Let’s see here…. JCharles is running wild for several games now and the ground attack is productive, the RT slot is being manned effectively at least, if not in an All-Pro fashion, and he thinks our running game has gotten "much" worse than when it was in the capable hands of Larry Johnson, Mr. 2.7? Hmmmmm… D Bowe is dropping passes at an alarming rate, that never happened last year, things in 2008 were much better when they had a stellar corps of WR’s? Oh yeah, the Chiefs commit way more penalties this year than last…. well, OK, maybe not, but that doesn’t count re coaching, team improvement, etc. Matt Cassel is "much worse" than their QB last year, Tyler Thigpen….let’s see, who is Tyler starting for now, he must be coming close to an 11-5 record, or was traded for a high draft pick, I’m sure!?

OK, enough sarcasm. I suppose that Lombardi has some kind of personal axe to grind. Poor form for it to show up as juvenile writing on NFP this morning, but increasingly that seems to be his trademark.

by Wheatboy74 on Dec 21, 2009 12:30 PM CST reply actions 4 recs

Wow, Wheatboy

I guess you and Lombardi don’t exchange Christmas cards, huh? :-)

Sure… specific players are an upgrade over the guys from last season – but in the big picture, Lombardi is right. The offensive point production ranking is just where it was last season: ranked 26th in the league. Yet last season, they averaged 18.2 points a game. This season, it’s 17.1. In yards gained, the Chiefs have fallen from 24th to 27th. On defense, the ranking in points allowed has fallen from 29th to 31st, although they have improved from 31st to 30th in yards allowed. That said… I don’t believe you can find a Chiefs team that ever gave up 796 yards rushing over three consecutive games.

But to me, the most telling stat is this: last season’s team – with the worst record in franchise history – had a point differential of -149. That’s -9.3 points a game. The previous low mark was -8.9 points a game, set in 1977. The 2009 Chiefs are -10.2 points a game. Unless they pull off an upset in one of these last two road games – and avoid a blowout in one or both of them – they’ll have the worst point differential in franchise history.

I appreciate your optimism, Wheatboy. Faith is a good thing. But the unvarnished truth is that W/L record aside, this Chiefs team ranks as one of – if not the worst – in franchise history. Whether Lombardi has some personal issue with Pioli and/or Haley is unknown to me. But the facts are on his side.

John

"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"

by RDOGuy on Dec 21, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions

Good responce RDO...

Appriciate the facts to back up what you are getting at, and I agree. We do have once more victory than we did last year…..but Lombardi is right…we really do not look any better, and we probably look worse.

Don't Fuccop Succop

by chicks_love_chiefs on Dec 21, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions

You are what your record says you are

Undue pessimism is just as wrong-headed as undue optimism. If, in your book, one more win and grossly similar rankings in points and yardage produced/allowed are fairly treated as "much worse" then what would you call ‘not appreciably any different’?

To me, the most telling statistic you present is that last year’s team had the worst point differential in history, and now this year’s team will likely have a differential that’s close to one point worse per game. In my book, that’s not "much worse" in 2009, it’s just bad overall.

Lombardi wrote that the 2009 Chiefs are "much worse" than the 2008 team on both offense and defense. The current KC team has 50% more victories than the previous regime. Offensive points— what the offense is paid to do— has the same league-wide rank as last year. So much for statistics.

by Wheatboy74 on Dec 21, 2009 1:23 PM CST up reply actions

Undue pessimism? Please.

I’m on record today with a post saying that Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel, Flowers, Carr, Mike Richardson and the offensive line – without two starters – played very well yesterday, and should be counted as bright spots in yesterday’s game. You’re getting worked up about the meaning of a single adjective, and throwing around unfounded accusations about a guy you don’t know from Adam – as far as I can see, just because you don’t like what he says.

Here’s what the Chiefs record says we are: worse than the freaking Cleveland Browns – a team that’s desperately trying to hire Mike Holmgren to save the franchise. If the season ended today, we’d be drafting before them – and in all probablity, that’s the way it’s going to play out. I think that maybe just a little pessimism might be in order.

John

"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"

by RDOGuy on Dec 21, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions

This team sucks.

Plain and simple. The sign of a good team is that they improve as the season wears on, and watching the Chiefs yesterday, they looked worse than they did against Baltimore Week 1. Dwayne Bowe is awful, the defense is awful, the coaching is atrocious, Matt Cassel overthrows way too many receivers and Todd Haley is in over his head. I’m tired of everyone making excuses for this team, blaming Herm and Carl Peterson – yeah, they sucked too, but replacing bad players from that regime with bad players from the Patriots and Cardinals is driving me nuts. I’ve heard enough of changing the “culture” and bringing in “football” players from Pioli – it’s like Whitlock said this morning – bring in some talent.

www.coachesaid.com/mo

by FredThreezy on Dec 21, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions

I don't AGREE with what he wrote

Like’s got nothing to do with it. I don’t think Lombardi is being fair or accurate.

Re not knowing Lombardi from Adam…. guilty as charged. For all I know he’s a prince of a man, kisses his wife, loves his kids, takes his dog for a walk every day, etc.

But I’ve read posts where Lombardi speculates about Haley’s volcanic temperament and calls his behavior inappropriate and ineffective, whereas some other first-year coaches who also appear to have some occasional rude sideline behavior (JMcD) that goes without comment….and ALSO just lost a home game to JR and the Raiders…. well, Lombardi calls Josh “brilliant” and promoted JMcD to sure-fire Super-Bowl coach last week in his column, you may have noticed.

I think JMcD may actually be a terrific coach, but from what he’s written, I think Lombardi’s clearly biased against Pioli and Haley…. for reasons unknown.

FWIW, I’d agree that an astute mixture of optimism and pessimism is definitely in order.

by Wheatboy74 on Dec 21, 2009 2:16 PM CST up reply actions

it doesn't matter what you think of lombardi

or if you think he is harder on us then the broncos. You have to look at this team and ask yourself. In the over all picture do I feel this team is playing better football right now then they did in week one? And I got to tell you I don’t know how you can say yes.

by kevroc12 on Dec 21, 2009 2:59 PM CST up reply actions

Couldn't agree more

The only place where we have taken a step back has been at TE. Which did hurt our receivers. Sure we only have 1 more win than last year, but I think we’re in a much better place than last year. I think this team is being taken in the right direction. Sure, we still need a lot of help, but we’re better off than last year.

by Jawookie on Dec 21, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

I know right?? It's like we suck or something.

You would think with his rhetoric that we had only won 3 games or something…it’s not like we let a lifetime backup RB break Jim Browns rushing record or anything. Or like we kicked the ball right back to Cribbs after he just finished stuffing a TD in our stocking. Or it’s not like we tried a Hail mary from the 24 is it? Cuz that would be dumb. But we’re better than that..

on a lighter note…Cassel finally showed up..big time…good for him…I was proud of him..he had a hell of a game.

by krayfish on Dec 21, 2009 2:58 PM CST up reply actions

Agree

On defense I have seen little if any improvement. But I have been encouraged by the offense and think Lombardi is a total idiot.

by DLChiefs on Dec 21, 2009 1:12 PM CST reply actions

I agree about the offense

That is one area where I do see alot of improvement from earlier this season and last year. This offense is built like a REAL NFL offense with a kick ass young RB and a better WR tandem. If they will start catching the passes that Cassel is throwing to them, this offense will be pretty damn potent.

The Arrowspread was a nice gimmick but, wouldn’t have worked over the long haul. This is definitely a much better system and will be harder for other teams to stop later in the game. Arrowspread got shut down after one half every single week. This offense seems to play BETTER late in the game.

Now the defense on the other hand…..

by Chiefsfan1970 on Dec 21, 2009 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

very concerned

I can name 5 players on offense and 5 on defense that deserve to stay! That’s 12 new starters! Not going to happen in 1 year! But 3 new players on each side of the ball can make a big difference. Imagine a new safety,nose tackle and linebacker. On offense 2 o-linemen and wr or te. These are doable next season. 7-9 or 8-8 is doable. So there is hope. But God it is hard to watch players like wr austin and rb harrison embarrasing us!

Mr J
KC Chiefs Fan

by Mr J on Dec 21, 2009 2:01 PM CST via mobile reply actions

yes, but we all must remember this is due to vermeil and herm and their staff not drafting well...now we have new scouts, a new GM...it will take time to fix the mistake smade

by SDChief on Dec 21, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions

You guys are argueing over which pile of shit is worse

reguardless of what position you feel have been up graded and which you thing are worse or whether you think we are a little better off then last year or worse then last year. We just lost to Cleveland let up two hundred plus kick off return allowed a bum running back run for 286 yards . We deserve all the criticism we get. There are college teams that could be the chiefs easily and thats sad..

by kevroc12 on Dec 21, 2009 2:52 PM CST reply actions

Still...

…Why is it that every week it seems someone else is breaking this record or that record or haveing a new personal best against the Chiefs? It has been happening year after year.

Joy….at least the broncos lost.

by Phalz212 on Dec 21, 2009 3:06 PM CST reply actions