Chiefs, Injuries and the Prepared Presence of Todd Haley
by Matt Conner on Aug 25, 2009 10:02 AM CDT
in 2009 Training Camp
22 comments
Knock on wood with this one.
Two preseason games in, and some things don't look so pretty - namely, the win-loss column. However the Chiefs are scoring "victories" of some type compared to some other clubs when comparing something that matters a lot more than preseason records once the regular season starts: injuries.
Club after club seems affected by a new setback every other day. Yet the Chiefs remain, by and large, quite healthy. There's been no major injury news and while some personnel like Zach Thomas have yet to really make their presence known, it's also not a significant injury that should keep him out. Guys like Thomas are gamers and they know what they have to do when they need to do it.
Perhaps it's sheer luck. Then again, perhaps this is an early testament to the conditioning drills and training intensity of Camp Haley. When you're in better shape, you can withstand the rigors of an NFL game better. When practice is organized, there's a proper structure to avoid careless mishaps. And when the intensity is too strong, you can dial it back if you're better prepared.
My dad told me one time that "the more prepared you are, the more spontaneous you can be." So if Haley has each and every practice carefully detailed, then he can make some changes on the fly when necessary. Thus, when the Chiefs take a practice off or leave a bit early, it's because he's thoughtfully planned out exactly what he wants and needs to see from his players. Thus when he gets it, they've earned a breather.
So while the Panthers figure out what to do about Jon Beason's injury and the Buccaneers try to provide an answer for the loss of Angelo Crowell, the Chiefs get a chance to keep entire units together on field - building chemistry, camaraderie and confidence. And part of me believes we have Todd Haley & Co. to thank for that.
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Oh Matt
If Matt Cassel goes down this weekend, I’m coming after you.
And so, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap, will be the leap home.
by craig in calgary on Aug 25, 2009 10:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'll bring
the Pace Picante sauce.
Put this in your pipe and smoke it:
1. Chiefs will be at least 8-8 and vie for division champs
2. DJ will break out and finally have his year
3. LJ returns to form
4. DBowe drops will reduce
by kcchiefsfan72 on Aug 25, 2009 7:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Stretching at the end of practice
I’ll milk my one day at camp for another observation. :) The team did stretches not only at the beginning, but also some toward the end of practice. Personally, I did triathlon training this past year, and the value of stretching at the END of a workout made a lot more sense to me than it ever has before. I haven’t been to Chiefs training camp for many years, so I don’t know if end-of-practice stretches have been part of the routine over that time. But we’re not seeing the hamstring injuries like we did last year. The added running and conditioning are obviously an important part of the mix, as well.
So I suspect the reduced injuries are more than luck. Still, I knocked on wood right now just in case.
by sunny D on Aug 25, 2009 10:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No question
With Herm’s grab-ass practices players were dropping like flies and our roster was having more turnover than a Las Vegas brothel
Thank You Carl Peterson for drafting Dustin Colquitt
by KansasCityShuffle on Aug 25, 2009 10:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
yep.
As I recall on “Hard Knocks” two years ago, some of the players were more interested in putting their efforts into dancing in the locker room than putting it into anywhere one the field. My, how things have changed.
by jbj8609 on Aug 25, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
*on the field
…still campaigning for that “delete post” button.
by jbj8609 on Aug 25, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How about an edit button....
or are we going for baby steps that lead up to that.
by chicks_love_chiefs on Aug 25, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fail to prepare
prepare to fail
Blame my wife!
Waiting until August!
by sir eccles on Aug 25, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Sure conditioning is a huge factor....
But Tom Brady’s injury last year wasn’t a product of bad conditioning of his coaches. There is a lot of luck involved as well.
by chicks_love_chiefs on Aug 25, 2009 10:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey Matt...
What is the official injury report on Thomas anyway at this point? Do we know? What are they calling it now?? How serious is it? When do they expect him to play?
by krayfish on Aug 25, 2009 11:02 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No clue
The Chiefs aren’t required to release any injury information during the preseason. So, they don’t.
by Joel Thorman on Aug 25, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I for one don't care at all about preseason wins or losses
Either way they are completely worthless games..Haley may preach he wants to win them, but if that were really the case, he’d throw LJ in there on the last play of the game at the goal line.
The first team Defense and Offense I’m pretty pleased with (except for O Line) and really believe the chiefs are going to surprise a lot of people this year..
Here’s to going 9-7!
by CALIFAN1986 on Aug 25, 2009 11:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think I speak for everyone...
When I say, WTF? Are you trying to put the Kabash on us? Take your giant Jinx of a post and get off the ship Jonah. :)
Love the site
Speaking of Hard knocks. This looks nothing like Herm did during that show. Basically glad handing the whole time. This is how I like my coach to sound
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/09000d5d8121f627/Todd-Haley-wired
I like this guy more and more every time he opens his mouth. Telling Charles “You better protect MY football”…Warms my heart.
by BucktheFroncos on Aug 25, 2009 11:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Look what you did
O’Connell jus went down with a left leg injury!
by mcclanahanman on Aug 25, 2009 12:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What is up with the Panthers injury history?
I think that the Panthers have historically had the worst luck when it comes to injuries. It seems that every year, they’re plagued with a rash of injuries in some position group. I remember several years ago they went through every one of their running backs. Then their defensive line. Then their offensive line. Quarterback. You name it, and it seems that they’ve spent a season patching together a 4th string position group somewhere.
I have to wonder what their conditioning is like. or if their practices are unnecessarily physical. Who knows, but it just seems to me like they’ve had the worst luck when it comes to injuries.
I wonder what a report would look like where you take the number of games all players missed due to injury for each team for the past 10 years? For instance, if a team’s starting QB, #2 RB and 3rd string SS all missed a game, that’s 3 games missed. I’d be curious to see which team has had the most games missed due to injury in the past decade. I’d have to think that Carolina would be right up there.
by Tadpui on Aug 25, 2009 1:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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