Romeo Crennel On The Blocked Kicks That Ended The Chiefs Season

by Joel Thorman on Dec 26, 2011 7:27 AM CST

We took yesterday off with it being Christmas and all and that was actually a nice distraction from what happened at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday. The Oakland Raiders topped the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, ending any playoff talk for the Chiefs.

And the Raiders did that thanks in large part to two -- yes, two -- blocked kicks from Richard Seymour. (That trade for a first round pick doesn't look so bad now.) Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel explained the block kicks following the game and in case any of you haven't seen it, here's what he said:

"They use a double push technique and they were coming over our left side and our guys were trying to stay low so they wouldn't get pushed. But by being low they were able to get a little push over the top. Seymour is a long, tall guy and he used his length to get his hands up and block the kicks."

My only problem with the explanation is that this happened twice, which means the special teams coach (Steve Hoffman) was unable to or simply didn't make an adjustment after the first block kick.

This, plus the 91-yard kick return to start the day and it was hardly a banner day for special teams.

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This sucked terribly but I'm happy I guess

Happy it took 16 weeks for the Chiefs to be eliminated.
In 2009, we were pretty much done by week 5.
In 2008, we didn’t have a prayer. We were eliminated by the time preseason ended.

So, I think the darkest times may be behind us finally. That enough is reason to rejoice.

When you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

Jamaal above all. #25 ftw.

CHIEFS WILL!

by NJChieffan16 on Dec 26, 2011 7:34 AM CST via mobile reply actions

totally agree...16 weeks...I mean seriously I wasnt as upset as I normally would be at this point because

I had basically written them off so many times, and thats as a POSITIVE fan of this team, bordering on homer.

Definitely headed in the right direction

now its up to pioli to handle carr/bowe/colquitt/mcclain the right way….and have a kick butt draft, if he does that…..watch out NFL

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:12 PM CST up reply actions

It took til week 16

because our division is shitty, not because we were good. We were/are in last place in division. To be in last place at the start of week 15 and still be in playoff talk is not something that happens a lot.

Not to piss on your parade but kinda a distorted thought

by TheScreenName on Dec 26, 2011 1:20 PM CST up reply actions

not to piss on your downs here, but

we were in first place for two weeks this year around the middle of the season then our former head coach started throwing our games. we could have won the division fairly easily this year had Haley not been so damn thick headed to prove a point that he was given salami to make a turkey dinner out of…….. Not saying we are great, but we are teh best team in our division.

by chiefsisit!!! on Dec 27, 2011 8:53 AM CST up reply actions

Once again

we were only in first because our division is shitty… If we had a team that actually had a record with a lot more wins then losses, not only would we of never been in first but we would of never even been in playoff talk this late in the year. So to talk as if it was our play and not the fact that our division didnt have any TOP tier teams is absurd.

I agree , Haley made dumb choices, but he was our head coach so we cant make excuses. We hired him. And until there is proof of him “throwing games”, we cant really stand by that statement. Our defense did look wayyyy better this year then I have seen in a long time though. So yea, there is some positives to take from this year.

by TheScreenName on Dec 27, 2011 1:54 PM CST up reply actions

Been a bad couple weeks for STs

Don’t really know what’s up, last week was penalties and this week its long returns and blocked kicks.

Our STs have been decent to very good all year so this is a weird stretch. Hoffman better have a damn near perfect game this week, otherwise he might not be back next season.

Me and Matt Cassel just - you up, dog!

by ChiefWarPaint on Dec 26, 2011 7:38 AM CST reply actions

I was ready to fire him right after the game

ST cost us that game and a chance for the playoffs.

by chiefsrule! on Dec 26, 2011 7:44 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

Ive never seen a very good special teams unit in KC...at least I havent since Gansz and Vermeil left

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:09 PM CST up reply actions

well we can't have everything we want

I’m fine with an average special teams, I mean any Special Teams looks good with Dante Hall running back kicks and punts.

Me and Matt Cassel just - you up, dog!

by ChiefWarPaint on Dec 26, 2011 7:52 PM CST up reply actions

Two blocked kicks.

Both by Richard Seymour. What is wrong with this picture? Arrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhh!

"The Hammer"

by G.L. on Dec 26, 2011 7:47 AM CST reply actions

Maybe Al knew what was up when he traded for him

Standing on the corner in a white Godfather hat. He drives a long black gangster Cadillac. He can steal a broads mind, man, in three or four minutes. It’s not how long you talk, brother, it’s what you put in it.

by HIV 2 Elway on Dec 26, 2011 11:28 AM CST up reply actions

Special Teams were not so special in 2012

Two great kickers. Would we have scored any points minus field goals?
Haley managed to avoided getting burned by some first-rate returners with Succop doing weird stuff. Some near-misses with onside kick attempts.

Above average punt returner. No points from the return game to win games or change momentum. Per the NFL, kickoffs no longer part of football.

Besides the Raider’s fake field goal, I think we were caught off guard a couple other times this year. I’m ready to find another special teams coach with some imagination and fire.

"An atheist is a man who watches a Notre Dame - Southern Methodist University game and doesn't care who wins." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

by electriclight on Dec 26, 2011 9:44 AM CST reply actions

2012?

Thinking ahead are we ? lol

Winner of the 2010 Arrowhead Pride, "Beat The Insiders"
Start Stanzi! Palko is terrible. Orton started, close enough. CHECK
Sign Orton to an extension!
No to RG3
Haley needs Fired! CHECK

by KC Nate on Dec 26, 2011 10:11 AM CST up reply actions

I woke up in the wrong year. Second time I did that today.

"An atheist is a man who watches a Notre Dame - Southern Methodist University game and doesn't care who wins." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

by electriclight on Dec 26, 2011 11:03 AM CST up reply actions

they werent so special in 2010 either(using ur 12, as 11)

we had greatly overrated special teams because of that mccluster punt return on MNF

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:08 PM CST up reply actions

Seymour's illegal tactic did not help us

Jumping on his teammates back, which was explained as illegal.

Winner of the 2010 Arrowhead Pride, "Beat The Insiders"
Start Stanzi! Palko is terrible. Orton started, close enough. CHECK
Sign Orton to an extension!
No to RG3
Haley needs Fired! CHECK

by KC Nate on Dec 26, 2011 10:11 AM CST reply actions

What happened to our Special teams??

My only problem with the explanation is that this happened twice, which means the special teams coach (Steve Hoffman) was unable to or simply didn’t make an adjustment after the first block kick.

This, plus the 91-yard kick return to start the day and it was hardly a banner day for special teams.

Take away any of those three plays and we win this game. Had Oakland not been in the red zone after the kickoff they likely would have gone 3 & out, so that 3 points on the first drive or the 6 we left on the field really would have made all the difference. I’m starting to wonder if Haley was managing special teams because they have cost us big in the past two games.

by Spiderwomn69 on Dec 26, 2011 10:22 AM CST reply actions

IMO, I think this is the wake up call we needed

Ive been saying this over and over and over again.

we have GREAT specialists…Succop, Colquitt….Fantastic at what they do both in kicking/punting and kicking off(succop) holder(colquitt, a darn good one at that)

however..

cant judge a ST coach by his kicker and punter. Even with Arenas and Mccluster, who should be tough to stop on returns, we have had a very pathetic return unit. Last season, mccluster took one house on the punt, and arenas had some called back on holds, but overall they still had TERRIBLE kick return averages near 20. Arenas has made up for poor blocking with exceptional punt returning.

our coverage units are weak at best, but some of that is roster turnover due to injuries etc.

However hoffman should be fired, the talent is there, he just has not produced

the idea that we have a good special teams unit is a complete myth

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:06 PM CST up reply actions

Hmmm....why don't we just over look

that those kicks had to be at a lower trajectory, that one of them was spotted about two yards closer to the line than normal, that the defense gave up a big pass play for a TD, that penalties were a factor.

by BCRavenJHawkfan on Dec 26, 2011 10:45 AM CST reply actions

Lower trajectory?

So the whole year he kicks it good and twice in this game he doesnt? If it was spotted 2 yards closer to the line then normal, doesnt that fall on special teams coach for not preventing that?

Big pass plays happen. Penalties happen. Though not excusable, they are to be somewhat expected. To have 2 blocked field goals is not to be expected, especially by same guy. The Raiders ran back a return for 91 yards and resulted in only a field goal. Our defense saved the special teams on that stand.

Ortons interceptions, shitty play calling, not being able to convert on 4th and a C*** hair, all these things contributed to the loss. But Special teams play sticks out the most …Well that and not being able to score in the redzone.

by TheScreenName on Dec 26, 2011 1:30 PM CST up reply actions

ok, yeah disappointing...

This whole season was nothing but a big disappointment, i would rather be out of the playoff race in week 5, cause at least i don’t have to wait till the end of the season to know that this team sucks… next fire Muir and Hoffman, sorry but you also have to consider the whole Raiders TD that got called back also if you’re talking about ST… we got lucky on that play… Hoffman couldn’t ST kick himself out of a paper bag so he needs to get the boot along with muir for calling such horrible plays (still the same weak ass plays, just a better QB leading the charge…) also how the hell do we run it on 4th and inches, sorry but everybody saw that we were running it, had a friend over and he said it was a QB sneak before the play i looked at her and said you’re crazy that’s actually smart we will just run it right up the middle and look at what we did (also if you are going to run that play, why would you run battle who does nothing but run forward and not TJ who was showing vision and actually cutting…) so yeah, i’m about done with the Chiefs, every year we just looked pathetic… even when we were winning the division with Trent Green and such we still just looked pathetic…

by BlackDoom on Dec 26, 2011 3:12 PM CST up reply actions

Hoffman has sucked since he's been here, he should be changed.

Insert witty yet thought provoking phrase here.

by Fozzyboyd on Dec 26, 2011 10:50 AM CST reply actions

yes. 100 percent agree. hoffman....as well as our offensive staff, needs serious evaluation

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:08 PM CST up reply actions

Was that Rodney Hudson against Seymour? A lot of Chiefs nation has Hudson as a lock on the OL but not sure why?

Special teams cost us the Raiders game.

by NFL season ticket holder on Dec 26, 2011 10:56 AM CST reply actions

really? well I can help if you want.

Rodney Hudson is one of the most intelligent, well decorated OL to come out of florida state in a long long time. hes the perfect fit for a ZB scheme….he may be a guard and not a center, I dont know, but when you spend a 2nd rd pick on a guy who fits your system perfectly, at great value, and its a guy who looked like a young will shields with his lack of penalties and mental mistakes…Id say you have reason to think he has a darn good chance to start alongside asamoah

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

And with that potential ...it's too bad he could not get on the field. Maybe he should have been playing in the SEC this year..

by NFL season ticket holder on Dec 27, 2011 12:34 AM CST up reply actions

Wasn't it Maneri

That was plowed over both times? (Maybe I’m wrong on this, but correct me if I am…game wasn’t televised where I live.) Sure, his TE versatility is great, but maybe we should get someone a little bigger on the line for FGs/PATs.

by K_Karsten on Dec 26, 2011 11:33 AM CST reply actions

it looked like a real "team" effort by the chiefs offensve line

Pay Brandon Carr/Romeo
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 26, 2011 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

Could you imagine if their fake filed goal wasnt called back?

That would of been 2 blocked field goals, 91 yard return, and a fake filed goal for a touchdown….Special teams lost the game for us on several plays, not just one. So I cant say Id miss Hoffman if they shit canned him. This wasnt week one of the season. This game was OUR season.

by TheScreenName on Dec 26, 2011 1:24 PM CST reply actions

don't get to excited about next year

nobody get to excited about next year, Pioli can still mess up a bunch in the offseason… think the only person i like on this coach staff/ just the staff… is Romeo (of course Zorn, carthon, and Thomas) Pioli, Clark, Hoffman, Muir, and pretty much everybody else i’m starting to really dislike them..

by BlackDoom on Dec 26, 2011 3:17 PM CST reply actions

Steve Hoffman sucks

or prove me different. The last 2 weeks….. really this whole season have been so bad its cause for dismissal. Succop had a slow start but has been really good since week 4, Javier has been sold at return but most the time it seems like he has to make a few moves an there is NEVER a return for a TD. Kickoff too me is what has hurt us the most. The entire year we have given up huge chunks, an taken it out from the back of the end zone an only gotten to the 10 at best. Gotta get rid of this guy. He stands next to Romeo always explaining how his guys are in the wrong spot or explaining some other dumbass thing.

Rodney Hudson will play Guard.
Jon Asamoah will be starting center by week 5

by Jazzy Megalodon on Dec 26, 2011 4:01 PM CST reply actions

I am not happy to be right.

I said last week that if we lost to the Raiders, it would be on special teams. That unit has been a slow train wreck for several weks, redeemed only by a good kicker, a good punter and a good return man, If Hoffman knows anything about special teams blocking, he hasn’t proved it all year. Dump him—quick. Anyone know if Vermiel would like a part-time job?

Ancora imparo.

by midcalchief on Dec 26, 2011 5:42 PM CST reply actions