Why Was The Chiefs Offense So Efficient Against The Packers?

Todd Haley is known as a bright offensive mind but he really only had one good offensive season in his nearly-three-years as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach. And the first game the Chiefs played without Haley, their offensive looked terrific.

So what gives?

I was talking about this topic with Jay Binkley of 810 WHB on Thursday night and we happened to be in the same studio where Kevin Kietzmann was talking to Mitch Holthus, who had a good explanation for this very topic.

"[Romeo] allowed the freedom of, 'You guys call the game. Jim Zorn, Bill Muir, you game plan and call it.' I gotta be careful about what I'm saying probably but they didn't have Todd vetoing at the 11th hour, whether it's the game plan or the play call."

The idea of who was actually calling the plays for the Chiefs is something we talked about all season and never really got a straight answer on. Haley continually said it was Muir calling the plays but then TV cameras would show Haley with a call sheet talking into the headset so it made you wonder.

"Todd's sometimes impetuous nature would come back to haunt him," Holthus continued. "It would be like, 'That's not the best play call right here' but you jump in and veto everything. It's like you trying to do the show and Steven St. John comes in right before you're about to say a comment and he says, 'You know, Kevin, I don't think that's right.'

"I think that Romeo said, 'Here's the freedom to call [plays].' Romeo wants to know what they're calling -- it's not like he's walking away from it -- but he's not walking in and saying, 'No, no that stinks.'"

Who knows how much Haley's influence in the play calling really played a role but it is interesting to note that in the game these guys were apparently allowed more freedom, the offense looked great.

Interesting stuff to keep in mind as we review the offense pre- and post-Haley.