At Least They Can Punt … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs
Last Sunday was a tough afternoon for Dustin Colquitt.
The Chiefs punter is one of the most overworked members of the 53-man roster, given his 26 punts in four games. That’s the second most punts in the league at the quarter pole; only San Francisco’s Andy Lee with 30 has more kicks.
And at this point Colquitt and the Chiefs are the No. 1 team in the NFL in net punting average, at 44.5 yards. That includes Colquitt’s day against the Giants, when he kicked seven times and averaged 48.4 yards per punt, with a net average of 45.7 yards.
Nice numbers. So why were Colquitt and Todd Haley snapping at each other on the sidelines after one of his punts late in the third quarter? When Colquitt came off the field, Haley said something to him, and the punter made a bee-line to his head coach to give his two cents worth on the situation. This went back and forth for a few seconds before Haley moved on and one of the folks on the Chiefs sideline walked Colquitt in the other direction.
“I thought that was a private conversation,” Haley said when asked what was going on. “I guess I was probably too loud.”
He was definitely loud enough for Colquitt to hear.
“Yeah, we had a discussion,” Colquitt said. “It happens. Sometimes you walk away, and sometimes you have to make your point.”
Haley was unhappy with how his punter picked up those very good numbers last week. Colquitt was not at his best and shanked two punts. But because of friendly rolls once they hit the Arrowhead Stadium turf, they turned into acceptable plays when it came to field position.
“He needs to be better too,” Haley said. “A couple of those weren’t so pretty.”
Colquitt wouldn’t argue that point.
“I got some good rolls,” he said. “I looked at tape today and it’s mechanical. It’s fixable. That’s what I’ll be working on this week.”
Punting a football has many correlations to swinging a golf club. If you played with a duffer like me, you would often see me not keep my head and torso stable. I’d come through on the down swing and start raising my upper body. That would make hitting the ball squarely – the way the game is supposed to be played – physically impossible; instead it would fly short and to the right.
That’s what Colquitt was doing. The Giants put a big rush on him several times and that pressure coming up the middle had the punter raising his upper body too quickly and not hitting the ball square. Throughout the game, he picked up some 40-45 yards from the punter’s best friend, the roll.
Even with that, it was a good day for Colquitt because the Giants punt return was non-existent. New York’s Sinorce Moss returned just three of the seven punts for a total of 19 yards.
“I know what was happening,” Colquitt said. “You look at the tape and it’s obvious and you’re like ‘you idiot.’ We’ll get it taken care of.”
After four games, Colquitt’s performance is the best on the Chiefs roster; he ranks 11th in the league in gross punting average and No. 1 in net average. Nine of his punts had the opponent’s offense starting inside their 20-yard line. He’s only had one touchback, and that one was the punt where several Chiefs had the opportunity to down the ball before it bounced into the end zone but couldn’t get it done.
The AFC West is the league’s most competitive punting division. Colquitt leads the NFL in net average, just a hair ahead of Oakland’s Shane Lechler and they are almost two yards ahead of Mike Scifres of San Diego who ranks third.
SIGNINGS, INJURIES & MOVEMENT AROUND THE LEAGUE
- NFC – named Packers QB Brett Favre offensive player of the week; named Saints safety Darren Sharper defensive player of the week.
- BROWNS – WR Braylon Edwards is under investigation by the NFL over an incident that happened early Monday morning in Cleveland where he allegedly punched a friend of basketball star LeBron James.
- COLTS – released LB Jordan Senn; signed RB Chad Simpson.
- REDSKINS – have brought in Sherman Lewis as an offensive assistant coach.
- TEXANS – placed LB Khary Campbell on the injured-reserve list (knee); promoted DE Tim Jamison from the practice squad.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On October 7, 1962, the Dallas Texans lost 32-28 to the Chargers at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. The Texans 3-0 start came to a halt when they were unable to slow down the Chargers offense. Dallas got touchdowns on a one-yard run by Frank Jackson and three TD passes by QB Len Dawson, with two going to RB Abner Haynes for 14 and 46 yards. The other scoring throw was Dawson to WR Chris Burford for 12 yards. Overall, Dawson was 12 of 24 for 156 yards, three TDs, but two interceptions. Haynes had five catches for 92 yards. The star of the Chargers was QB John Hadl, who threw a pair of TD passes and scored another on a four-yard run.
On October 7, 1973, the Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos 15-14 in front of 71,414 fans at Arrowhead Stadium. The winning points came on a Jan Stenerud 39-yard field goal with just over 6 minutes, 30 seconds to play. Stenerud had kicked field goals earlier in the game of 30 and 40 yards. Kansas City’s only TD was a 20-yard pass from QB Len Dawson to WR Otis Taylor. Chiefs RB Ed Podolak had 72 yards rushing on 16 carries and 84 yards receiving on 12 catches.
On October 7, 1984, the Chiefs lost to the New York Jets 17-16 in front of a crowd of 51,843 at Arrowhead Stadium. The toe of K Nick Lowery provided the first nine points of the game. Then the Jets scored the next 17 points before the Chiefs wrapped it up with a late touchdown in a failed comeback attempt. KC’s only TD was a one-yard pass from QB Todd Blackledge to TE Willie Scott. On the day, Blackledge was 15 of 25 for 150 yards. RB Theotis Brown had 90 yards rushing on 13 carries. Rookie CB Kevin Ross had an interception for the Chiefs defense.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …
Born on October 7, 1973 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas was RB Priest Holmes. He joined the Chiefs in 2001 as an unrestricted free agent from the Baltimore Ravens. Holmes spent six seasons playing for the Chiefs (2001-05, 2007), appearing in 65 games with 63 starts. He finished his career with the club as the team’s leading all-time rusher with 6,070 yards on 1,321 carries and 76 rushing TDs. Holmes also caught 251 passes for 2,377 yards and seven touchdowns. Over his 10 seasons in the NFL, Holmes ran for 8,172 yards, caught passes for 2,963 yards and scored 94 touchdowns.
Born on October 7, 1968 in Long Beach, California was LB Erick Anderson. He was a seventh-round selection in the 1992 NFL Draft out of Michigan. Anderson spent that rookie season on the team’s injured reserve list with an ankle injury. He played one season with the Chiefs (1993), appearing in eight games with one start and 10 total tackles. He also had seven special teams tackles, plus five more in the ‘93 playoffs. The next season Anderson played two games with the Washington Redskins.
Born on October 7, 1971 in Torrance, California was WR Johnnie Morton. He joined the Chiefs in 2002 as an unrestricted free agent from the Lions where he played eight seasons. Morton spent three years with the Chiefs (2001-04), appearing in 43 games with 42 starts. He caught 134 passes for 1,932 yards and eight Tds in a KC uniform. He also ran 25 times for 261 yards. Morton wrapped up his 12-season NFL career with 13 games in San Francisco in ‘05. Overall, he played in 182 games, caught 624 passes for 8,710 yards and 43 TD catches.
I think Haley has bigger problems than worrying about the punter….
Uniform code of conduct fo Mr. Haley is he don’t miss anyone———> not preduice
I bet we go out and sign a veteran and bench the league’s best punter next. Haley can call it competition.
Non-story. Two guys jawwing at each other in the heat of battle. Big deal. The way the Chiefs are playing top to bottom, I’d be more concerned if guys WEREN’T getting pissed.
I’m sure all you Haley bashers will make something of it, though. My question is, why is it that so many of you seem to WANT Haley to fail? So you can be “right” in your gloomy predictions for the Chiefs? So you can say “I told you so?” Lame. Very lame. Same goes for our QB. Too many of you WANT him to fail. I can’t for the life of me understand that.
Favre plays for the Vikings now. Unfortunately.
No1 is bashing Haley but the guy is full of himself and horsesh**t. Haley has not made any adjustments in 4 games..he doesnt know what he’s doing out there period. When Vermiel was here atleast we understood what would happen game in and game out(15 yrd comeback routes, Priest off takle, slant routes and then he would hit u with the HB screen for 40 yrds). Haley is so desperate that he has experimented with the wildcat. Thats not personnel problems thats just a “YO-YO” coach!
Alexthe”GREAT” says:
“No1 is bashing Haley”
Well, maybe not yet. Today. So far.
Alexthe”GREAT” says:
“When Vermiel was here”
I would say that was because Dick was a veteran coach, who had been around a long time. Haley is a Rookie, making Rookie mistakes.
I hated that “Wilcat” BS too, for the record. Especially since they were snapping it to LJ. What’s the element of surprise there? Did anyone really think for a second that he was going to do something other than run the ball? It was a wasted Offensive series, and it’s not like the Chiefs can afford that. You might catch some D’s off guard with something like that, but not the Giants.
LOL……Haley screaming at Colquitt is a joke, if u notice he only screams at players who played last year for the Chiefs never at Cassel. If he throws an interception or checks down when he has a reciver wide open, the only thing Haley says is “Cassel has alot of guts and is a tough son of a gun and I wish we had 52 players like that guy”. Get the f*** out of here! Haley and Pioli need 2 stop playing patty-cake in the sandbox telling every1 this is the “patriot way” b/c us fans r starting 2 get tired of this crap!
Yes Alexthe”Great”, KCs football swiss-army knife aka mr do, be & know-it-all has set double standards, ca$$el & Colquitt providing 2 examples of said.
Exhibit ‘A’ is KC’s $63 million dollar version of the Titanic on its maiden voyage (or, alternately known as s Boondoggle.)
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mutt “where seldom is heard a discouraging word & the skies are not cloudy all day” ca$$ell, QB, is the 20th ranked passer in the entire NFL – ‘Money Pit’ sharing stat if not win similarities w/names Jamarcus Russell, Shaun Hill & Seneca Wallace.
Haven’t heard our former golf teacher now novice football guru say much of anything beyond our KC Masterpiece’s play being “not good enough to win”… he’s said it multiple times now.
Ya think? How many more chances does he get to stink up the gridiron? Perhaps an intensive one on one yelling session and a nice collection of splinters would be of assistance.
‘check’ has said “not good enough to win”, yet, “he wasn’t the reason we lost the game” (plural extended out being ‘games’ as in every to date.)
So to summarize $63 mil, ranked #20 in the NFL, winless & not good enough to win…mutt ca$$el.
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Now, we turn our attention toward (one of) the (many) REAL culprits appears, our punter:
“He has to get better” says the guru regarding Colquitt, and to add emphasis he goes into his ‘Tommy Boy’ being stung by bees routine on the sideline for Dust’s viewing/listening pleasure.
Dustin doesn’t find it so entertaining however, so indicates to where he’ll plant left foot his next time he’s ‘ass’aulted as such.
Yes ‘check’ when you’re the #1 ranked player at your position like Dustin, you really stand out like a sore thumb…unlike that fine 0-8 record yours career, math being 63 divided by 20 = 0
Try “fixing” all of that before you delve into those other things which you’ve no demonstrable expertise in (beside coaching losing football.)
daddy-o
‘Tommy Boy’being stung by bees routine on the sideline for Dust’s viewing/listening pleasure. LMFAO….nice 1 Rin.
Rin said: “Ya think? How many more chances does he get to stink up the gridiron?”
Anybody with a reasonable personality would give him 3 years to do what he may with this team. That is what the former coach had. And look how well he progressed…9-7, 4-12, 2-14…wow! Now that is some impressive numbers to base other’s performances on!
As for holding people accountable. It’s like this see. If you have someone that is very talented and you know that person can and has performed consistently at a high level but starts to backslide (which if you look at Dustins punts, the technique has started to slide up to this point) then you get on them.
If you have someone that you don’t expect to perform and they don’t, well you dump them.
Again, people, it is four games into a season. Is that all you will allow for a coach and his team to have to come together and start winning? Really? High expectations. I mean if that was the case, then by those standards, Bob would have to no longer allow Alexthe”GREAT” to post any more comments until he learns how to spell and use puntuation correctly. I mean really, if you are going to be so negatively judgemental best you either 1) throw no stones in your glass house or 2) do some soul searching in the mirror because I would venture to bet that no one here on this site is perfect, nor is this team, nor is the management.
No one is. Expect greatness. Attempt perfection. KNOW that only one is achievable and with time (1-2 years) our chiefs will be great and still attempting perfection.
Alexthe”GREAT” said: “When Vermiel was here atleast we understood what would happen game in and game out(15 yrd comeback routes, Priest off takle, slant routes and then he would hit u with the HB screen for 40 yrds).”
Yes, and while Vermiel had some success, we didn’t make it to the SB under that process. Also, nothing like giving the opposing team the playbook. If you are good enough in technique, basics, and performance of your duties then you will beat your opponents 9 out of 10 times, even with them knowing what is coming.
We are not at this point so it does no good to let the opposing team know what we are going to do. One area that I was glad to see is we didn’t fall into the run, run, pass, punt category. Haley was switching things up, trying to get things going. Unfortunately we still were having difficulties moving the ball.
O’Callaghan is proving to be a huge step in the right direction at RT. Due to this, our performance on the offensive side of the ball is going to improve. One thing that this did is highlighted how poorly Goff has been performing. Hopefully, the coaches will note this and put Ndukwe in at Guard (where he is more natural at) and then see if Niswanger is still hurting at the Center position.
Again, the O-line isn’t were it needs to be, but steps in the right direction.
Oh and one last little tidbit of info…and why people on this site is so hard to deal with…
Coming from a military background, it is unacceptable to just say that something sucks. At least have a means of correcting it to go along with what is messed up.
Now some of you might come right back and say…”ok, your right, this team sucks and I recommend improving it by firing the head coach.”
Like that is really what would fix our problems at this point. So lets be a little more realistic, shall we. More in line of the discussion from my last post as in how the O-line could possibly continue to improve.
Have a great Marine Corps day! Semper Fidelis!
Rodeo John says:
“Anybody with a reasonable personality would give him 3 years to do what he may with this team. That is what the former coach had. And look how well he progressed…9-7, 4-12, 2-14…wow! Now that is some impressive numbers to base other’s performances on!”
Oh no, here comes another “Herm was the greatest coach ever” speech coutesy of Rin HermstheMan Tin Tin. I can hardly wait. Its a rerun, just in case you didn’t already know.
Rodeo John,
Seems there are are those here who simply do not want the Chiefs to succeed. They wish failure on Haley, Pioli, Cassel, and the team in general…so they can say “See? I told you so.”
My question to all of you is: Why do you respond to people you know are not fans????
Whether what they say is true or not isn’t the point. You think they are going to hear your response and say, “Oh, okay, I get it now. Thank you for that stat line, I can support Haley/pioli and the Chiefs.” Laughable.
They want to get a rise out of you and annoy you. Isn’t the process of change annoying enough???
Get with it Chiefs fans! Do not respond to these idiots! If you don’t respond, then they don’t exist.
Go Chiefs 2009
RDO ….That’s the way to attack anyone that doesn’t share your opinion .While a lot of us lack the writing skills of a great literary …..I’m reminded of the saying…. everyone has one, some just smell.Chiefs fans are looking for answers, just like the GM/coaches.If that rubs some….. the wrong way , get over it!!!!PnS
(It’s obviously his first) Rodeo John said
“Rin”
- yes, what is it now?
“Anybody with a reasonable personality would give him 3 years to do what he may with this team.”
- so many ways excoriate said but this case via your own device an ‘time element’ enlist George Santayana, who said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, i.e., to follow in another coaches timeline as it were, losses trumping any fairness doctrine.
Or Al Einstein: “Insanity: doing the same thing over & over again & expecting different results.”
0-8 as “doing the same thing over & over again” – losing – circa 2009.
“Any 22 from off the street” too suggests present as in timeliness, rather a Wimpy “I’ll gladly pay you back 3 years from Tuesday for free hamburgers the next 1095 days.”
“That is what the former coach had.”
- no; Herm was given a promise become buyer’s remor$e: 1 year, wallet trumping resolve.
“with time (1-2 years) our chiefs will be great and still attempting perfection.”
- ‘will be’… based on… what? Your fervent hopes, nothing more. 0-8 is the only evidence that we have to go on to date…anything else but wishful thinking, so many Wiggin’s afore.
Come 2010 at latest will be history here in Kaycee; Rin will not be surprised if in fact he resigns before he is fired…
&
Rin says:
“Or Al Einstein: “Insanity: doing the same thing over & over again & expecting different results.””
Isn’t that exactly what YOU do here every single day? Thought so.
“The AFC West is the league’s most competitive punting division”
That’s hilarious!
The ‘insanity’ be not in the fixation on said but comes by way an ‘expectation’ said will change… ne’er will: 0-8 portends 0-20
heh heh heh!
Congrats Rin on showcasing your skills of cut and paste. Very well done.
Now can you discuss actual football knowledge, such as how O’Callaghan was an improvement at the RT position?
Oh and PnS…I wasn’t attacking Alexthe”GREAT”, merely pointing out that by his own logic and OPINION, he too could be banished and negatively looked upon by his own actions.
And no Rin, not my first Rodeo…as a matter of fact, you remind me of a few bulls I have been on…crafty, but very thick in the head.
While most believe the chiefs are void of talent, including me. Haley/Pioli deserve time to improve this team ….. which I believe they have/well.That said…..it hasn’t showed on the field…..yet. In fact some of our bright spots have regress…..DFbacks/LT/play calling….. plus the QB play ( to me) has Suck.I read a post yesterday that said he wasn’t brought in to be Favre …….just what are you suppose to get for 63 mil….Allen that got 4 sacks in the game Monday night isn’t he around that kind of money????? To me that is what I expect for 63 mil …..just call be stupid or illiterate . That seems to be the answer one gets from some >PnS
Hey Rin, here’s a question for you…you pointed out the 1st season win-loss for every coach that the Chiefs have had. What was the records for the second and third season?
You provide the qoute “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. One could ponder that Mr Hunt, whilst looking at the 3 seasons that Coach Edwards had been given and say, well, definitely don’t want to continue repeating this history of losing more and more each year. Course by that pretext, it could have only gotten worse one to two more years…Coach Edwards would have been able to LEAD the team to a 1-15 year and then an 0-16 year. Once there it can’t get no worse. Just repetitive.
Would you care to make a wager? Are you a betting man?
0-16, our Chiefs will not be at the end of this season. They will more than likely be 5-11 or 6-10.
Of course I can’t prove this, no more than you can prove that they will be 0-16.
Now, we will sit back and way for your twisted stats that only prove what you want them to. Biased information…shoot you could go work for one of the local media outlets with the way you provide information. Coure be careful, Whitlock might see you as competition and have you ran out of town.
PnS
Haley has made some mistakes with his playcalling. That I will not refute. I do suspect that there have been times that due to the way the game was progressing, he had to change his intended course of action that had been preplanned. Just like war, the perfect plan goes out the window as soon as the first bullet flies, because that bullet wasn’t in the plan at that time and situation)
I believe we do have some talent on this team. Some of it is a little rough around the edges and needs some polishing, but there is some talent. Tamba Hali has been a pleasant surprise. Shoot our D has 5 sacks through 4 games. Half of what they got all of last season. That is an improvement. Not perfect by no means and lots of areas to shore up, but still an improvement.
We will soon be facing the stretch of games that we should and will win. Any given Sunday. And once we do start winning, and win we will (yes I am talking about this season Rin) everyone will start looking at the glass as half full vice half empty.
Its rough people, but you have to believe in something, might as well be objective in your believing by assessing both the good and the bad and not just damning everything.
Anonymous/PnS,
I still don’t understand the fascination with how much Cassel is paid. That’s Clark Hunt’s problem. Would Cassel’s play be acceptable to you if he were making less money?
I think it was me who had Favre discussion with you. My point, I believe, was that Favre has a little more to work with in Minnesota than Cassel does here.
Give Cassel some time. His O-line stinks, the running game stinks, the receiving has been spotty at best, and the play calling is suspect a lot of the time. And yes, Cassel has been pretty mediocre so far. But, to pin all the Offensive woes on his back is nothing short of crazy. Give them some time. Okay, give them some MORE time!
Punting a lot = a lot of 3 and out’s
NO punting = a lot of first down’s
a lot of first down’s =__________________ ?
If you punt a lot , that =_______________?
I was brought up believing you are paid by your worth. That is why some of us are questing that amount . That’s the only way I/others can go by ….show me the money …..Jerry McGuire. So far the amount of money ….isn’t showing up on the field.PnS
WINNER-WINNER
LOST AND YOU CAN’T FIND THE SIDE OF THE FIELD YOUR TEAM IS ON
PnS,
I can understand your point. I just disagree. Of course I want Cassel to start kicking ass. I just couldn’t care less how much money he makes. Every single athlete is the world is grossly overpaid in my opinion. You want to pay somebody millions of dollars? Then how about our Troops overseas? Paying these athletes that kind of money to play a game is insane. But then again…it’s not MY money.
MD———I told you to go ahead and pay our tab and leave if I did’nt git back by three ~
Rodeo John said
“Hey Rin”
- yes, what is it now?
“What was the records for the second and third season?”
- is your Google in for repairs? Speaking of such an irrational and transcendent request yours, Rin will get on that just as soon as you complete pi.
“0-16, our Chiefs will not be at the end of this season. They will more than likely be 5-11 or 6-10.”
- rather, 0-20; already 0-8, only 12 chances left to avert greater disaster…
“you remind me of a few bulls I have been on…crafty”
- and you John remind me of a visit to the rodeo… clown
&
GO CHIEFS LETS BEAT DALLAS THIS SUNDAY