Where 2-3 Is Worse than 0-5 … Friday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
There are four teams around the NFL without a victory right now.
But nowhere is the caldron of discontent bubbling more than in our nation’s capital.
What would be the situation around the Chiefs right now if they were 2-3, instead of 0-5? Even without a victory on the season, and the apparent demotion of an assistant coach in the past week, there is not the feeling of desperation and negativity hanging over the team or the locker room. Nobody is happy, but they continue to put their head down, handle the work they’ve been given and hope to earn their first victory this Sunday when they play the Washington Redskins.
Now, the Skins are 2-3 and the kettle is boiling around the franchise. If you thought the Chiefs might be catching Washington at the right time, think again based on the comments of QB Jason Campbell.
“It’s not just another game,” Campbell told the media this week. “It’s a big game for us, for a lot of ways and a lot of reasons. We’re in a tough division. You can’t afford to fall too behind in your division. And for the morale of our team, to get confidence going back in the right direction, you got to do everything you can to get the win.”
There has been a lot of talking going on in our nation’s capital revolving around the Redskins. It comes from inside the locker room, and from outside, from former Redskins players who are not shy about expressing their opinion of what’s gone on there with managing owner Daniel Snyder (above), GM Vinny Cerrato and head coach Jim Zorn.
This isn’t just a bunch of ink-stained wretches, hairdos and tin throats beating up the Redskins. It’s coming from guys who wore the burgundy and gold. Here’s just a little bit of the scuttle that’s splashed out of the bucket in just the past seven days.
Not So Sunny Sonny
Hall of Fame QB Sonny Jurgensen works the radio broadcasts for the team, but he’s not shy about his feelings on some of what he’s seen. When Snyder and Cerrato brought in former NFL coordinator Sherman Lewis to help Zorn with the offense, Jurgensen said, “If I was Zorn, I’d quit.”
Sonny also said before last Sunday’s loss to Carolina that if backup QB and former member of the Chiefs Todd Collins had started this season, the team would 4-0. Jurgensen said he would have benched Campbell for sure at half-time of the game against the Buccaneers
DeAngelo Has Panic Button Ready
Always talkative CB DeAngelo Hall says the problems aren’t with Zorn, but with the players and the talent of the players provided by Snyder and Cerrato. “If you want to blame someone, look at the film. Look at the guys who are out there trying to play,” Hall said. “We haven’t been doing a great job. Bottom line, we haven’t been doing a great job. I think the blame lies with us. I think we’re the ones out there playing every day, practicing, trying to do the right thing, but I don’t know if we’ve got the right personnel here to do it.
Hall didn’t stop there as he talked about playing the Chiefs on Sunday.
“I don’t think it’s panic,” Hall said. “For us it’s obviously, for me, a little bit of desperation. I feel like we need this win bad. It’s not panic yet, but we’re a couple steps from there. We’re a couple steps from getting ready to panic right now. You’re facing teams that ain’t won a game, and we gave Detroit their first win, we gave Carolina their first win. We can’t give Kansas City their first win — that’s the bottom line. We got to go out here, we got to get 3-3, bottom line. If we want to compete in our division and look forward to the playoffs and look forward to all these other things, we need a win.”
Players Want Management To Say Something
Three veteran members of the team told the Washington Post under the condition they not be publicly identified that they want the front office to issue a statement of support for Zorn (right). They are tired of having to constantly address the future of their second-year head coach.
One guy who would comment on the record was RB Rock Cartwright: “Guys have been kind of on eggshells walking around here for the last couple of weeks. But we don’t make any decisions. Mr. Snyder and Vinny, those guys make the decisions. We leave it up to them guys, but we’re still behind Coach Zorn. We’re still going to fight for him.”
Zorn said Thursday a vote of confidence from management was not needed.
“I don’t think that that has to be done for me to feel better about myself and what we’re doing,” Zorn told the D.C. media. “I think Mr. Snyder, he’s tried to help in every way he can to get this team the way it needs to be. And sometimes, you know, it’s a process.”
Where have we heard that before?
Joey Sunshine Is Cloudy
At times Joe Theismann can come across like he’s living in lollipop land, where the skies are always blue and the breeze is warm. But even Joey Sunshine can’t make the Redskins current situation sound good.
“It’s the little things that bother the living daylights out of me more than anything, they waste timeouts at an astounding rate,” Theismann said on his D.C. radio show. “To me, that’s disgraceful. That’s Football 101. Ultimately, where does it have to fall on? It has to fall on coaching and teaching.”
He went on to say that the team was “fundamentally not sound at all,” calling the offense “inept” and he added, “What is unacceptable is the lack of effort to do more than just what is required.”
Ouch!
Riggo Always Has Something To Say
Hall of Fame RB John Riggins posted a video on YouTube. His comments weren’t very complimentary of the Redskins.
On Cerrato, Riggins said: “You’re a great guy, Vin, but you’re no GM.”
On Zorn, Riggins said: “You’re out of your league, Jim … you are not a head football coach in the NFL. High school? Definitely. You can coach in high school. You can coach my son in high school any time.”
Double Ouch!
Wondering Why Snyder Hired Sherm Lewis
The decision to bring in Lewis last week has left everybody scratching their heads and wondering what’s up. It’s not a very good position for the head coach to be in, when the owner is bringing another set of eyes. Who does Lewis report to? Nobody seems to know.
But another former player, offensive lineman Tre Johnson says he’s seen this before with Snyder.
“It’s something that he’s done ever since I’ve been here, you know what I mean? There’s always been some kind of sideways way of getting to the point of where he ultimately wants it to be,” Johnson said this week on a Washington radio show. “To bring a Sherm Lewis into a Jim Zorn and whoever his offensive coordinator is, it’s like bringing in another man to help teach you how to make better love to your wife or something.
“It doesn’t work. What are you gonna do with that after he’s done? I don’t see where you can go from here, so it’s a bad taste in everybody’s mouth, I think no matter how it turns out. Because what role would he play next year or the following year? I don’t see any positives to it.”
Triple Ouch!
While the Chiefs facility is not party central these days, it’s a walk in the park compared to what’s going on with the Redskins. Whether that helps or hurts the Chiefs when they face the Skins on Sunday doesn’t really matter once the game starts.
Quite frankly, if the Chiefs aren’t as desperate as the Redskins, then they have no chance of winning and it will be another long flight home.
SIGNINGS, INJURIES & MOVEMENT AROUND THE LEAGUE
- TITANS – signed CB Rod Hood.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On October 16, 1960, the Dallas Texans lost to the Oilers 20-10 in front of 19,026 fans at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston. More details later today.
On October 16, 1966, the Chiefs lost to the Oakland Raiders 34-13 in front of 33,057 fans at Municipal Stadium. The stars of the game were Raiders QB Tom Flores and RB Hewritt Dixon. Flores threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns passes, including a pair to Dixon for 76 and 10 yards. Flores other TD pass went for 75 yards to TE Billy Cannon. Dixon also scored on a 1-yard run. He finished with 171 yards in total offense. The Chiefs only TD came on a 7-yard fumble return by LB Bobby Bell.
On October 16, 1977, the Chiefs lost to the Baltimore Colts 17-6 before a crowd of 63,076 at Arrowhead Stadium. Four turnovers (two INTs and two fumbles) sunk any chance the Chiefs had to win this game. The Colts grabbed control in the first quarter, when they ran off 151 yards of offense compared to minus-six yards for the Chiefs. Touchdown runs by Ron lee and Don McCauley gave Baltimore all the points they needed. The Chiefs only score was a one-yard run by RB John Brockington. Jan Stenerud missed the PAT kick. Colts safety Lyle Blackwood had both interceptions and a fumble recovery..
On October 16, 1988, the Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Raiders 27-17 as a crowd of 77,078 watched at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders jumped to a 14-0 lead on a pair of 1-yard TD runs by Marcus Allen and Steve Smith. L.A. also got a 1-yard TD run by Bo Jackson. The Chiefs got a pair of TD passes from QB Steve DeBerg, who threw 48 yards to RB Paul Palmer and 25 yards to WR Stephone Paige. Two of DeBerg’s passes were picked off by Raiders safety Vann McElroy. Palmer finished with five catches for 103 yards.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …
Born on October 16, 1953 in Dorking, England was DT Mike Dawson. He joined the Chiefs in 1984 after playing eight previous seasons with the Cardinals and Lions. Dawson played in nine games with the Chiefs and was credited with one sack. It was the last season of his nine-year career for the Arizona product.
Dan Snyder seems to be good at generating a clusterf***.
In addition to the locker room turmoil, there is a hotbed of hostility in the Redskin Nation about the way the front office is handling season ticket defections.
Largely due to an economy that is in the toilet, a number of ticket holders have chosen to not go forward on their ticket purchase commitment. The problem is that when they bought the tickets, they signed up for fairly long term–5 year–periods. When they notify the Redskins about their desire to quit, they are sued for the current season and every other season to which they have committed. Of course this amounts to many thousands of dollars.
The galling part is that the ‘Skins can sell the seats without a lot of trouble, either as a package or game by game, because there is a solid ongoing demand for them; however, those who have been sued do not receive any set off for monies realized by the club if the tickets are re-sold.
Maybe the Chiefs treat their season ticket holders the same way;if so, it has not had much publicity.
In any case, the ‘Skins fans must be feeling a lot of angst and loathing about their team both on the field and in the front office.
I hope the Chiefs blow them away.
If there ever was a game the Chiefs are going to get its this one. I picked us to win this one if we didn’t beat the Boys. When the schedule first came out I said Raiders, Cowboys and Skins would be the games we would win. Should’ve beat the Boys and the Raiders. Now we get the Skins got to close the deal on Sunday. This team is in turmoil and their offense is in flux. This is a team that is not well coached and definately not mentally tough much like the Boys.
Haley has to just out coach this guy on Sunday. Zorn isn’t a true NFL head coach. Redskins are underachieving in the worst way. Got to get this Haley bottom line.
GOT to love the outspoken cats like Sonny and Riggo in just (Howard Cosell intonation) “Telling it like it is”. I love the guys who don’t BS and let it loose.
Lenny is close to this but unlike Sonny or Riggo, he holds back a bit but still good. Nice story.
It doesn’t matter who we play, or what BS or drama that other team is going through. Doesn’t matter at all.
Until the Chiefs can take care of THEIR business, and play THEIR game…they will remain winless.
Not sure what the Chief’s game is. They have tried to establish the run and a hurry up offense and do not forget the wildcat with LJ. Just what is their game? Try to keep it close and lose in the end?
To win sunday the Chiefs must/have to/pray for a running game. Unfortunately the redskins look like the guys at the Alamo, pretty desparate.
The Chief’s have a very, very good deffence going together , 3 QB’s that are showing a lot of growth , WR’s that have come a long way’s ——–First year for a lot ,from the top down , I don’t like it when you think you can FIX everything overnight by fireing everyone . That’s not the answer , maybe by not handing the football to someone that want’s to get to the ground before he git’s hurt .
Example LT in San Deigo . These RB’s contract’s are Killer’s .
To all that believe you can buy happiness ( wins) with high price free agents the Skins should be ( how not to) >Time after time the Skins have signed big name worn out free agents .So the next time some on here say we should sign some worn out big name ……just think of the skins. PnS
Praying for a running game is like going out to the GRAVEYARD at midnight and blowing a horn as loud as you can !
GUESS WHAT— aint nobody gona jump up out of the ground and come running —-same thing when your OL and RB died , letem R.I.P.
SORRY
Question guys: If we happen 2 lose this game would u say that Haley was out coached,did the Redskins have better players?
Another team that comes to mind Raiders …..worn out free agents/ Seymour/Hall/Walker/put name here/ even Moss as a Raider. Money can’t buy you love… Beatles…. PnS
Alexthe”GREAT”,
I would say that the Redskins definitely have more talent on their roster than the Chiefs do. That doesn’t mean a less “talented” team can’t win…because it happens every Sunday.
Being “out coached” is pretty broad definition…meaning a lot of different things to different people. Personally, the only way I can measure it would be in wins and losses. It’s the Head Coaches responsibility to win games. All the things that go into that ultimately fall under that bottom line.
The curse of Haley stikes again. WR coach changed jobs. Not sure why but the fear travels on.
Over all the Skins have a better team …..coach not included . Its the QB play of the Skins – add any other losing teams that you want!!!!! PnS
PnS says:
“Over all the Skins have a better team …..coach not included.”
Just curious. What makes you say Haley is a better coach than Zorn? Haley has yet to win a game.
Better talent ….should equal more wins if coaching is the same.
After our loss to the Cowboys, we raised a few eyebrows in both the league & the sports media puppets. Perhaps… even a little respect. We played better than most expected or predicted.
I can understand why the DC media & fans are very leary of playing the Chiefs. We are one of the better, worse teams in the league right now.
Our offense is getting better. Had it not been for the offensive coordinator change late in preseason we would have beat the Raiders & the Cowboys, we simply were 4 or 5 weeks behind in our Haley offensive play change. Our offense is starting to “get it”. This will be the game that Todd Haley & Co. gets it right.
Bob makes a good point. It is probably tougher being a Redskin fan right now than a Chiefs fan.
In my opinion…0-5 will beat 2-3 come Sunday.
Go Chiefs.
good question Alex..
el cid, looks like the WR coach was demoted, i guess Haley is going to take that on as well… I dont know if the chiefs are the better of any of the unbeatens, they are giving up way to much on defense.
arrowhead1978 says:
“el cid, looks like the WR coach was demoted, i guess Haley is going to take that on as well”
Haley is not taking that on. He simply replced Dedric Ward with Richie Anderson.
I don’t like the constant changes, either. But, is it better to go ahead and try something else now…or stick with something/someone that isn’t getting it done and hope it magically gets better?
Now, if only Haley would replce LJ…
Got to love guys like jimbo. “Our offense is getting better” One stinking drive for a TD and they are better? In case you did not notice our offense did nothing in OT, like nada, bumpkus, zip, and zero. This offense is bad personnel wise and looks like we have bad coaching to accompany it. A lot is Haley is a first year HC but there is something missing with this team.
By the by, the problem in WASH besides the HC is the owner. A young version of AL Davis, but not as smart. Will the Chiefs win, gosh, I hope so but would not bet a dollar on it.
el cid says:
“Got to love guys like jimbo.”
Yeah! Damn that positive attitude of his. What’s he thinking?
What we REALLY need here is some more pissing and moaning about how bad the Chiefs suck…and how bleak the future looks.
el cid says……..there is something missing with the chiefs.Yes its call talent in the most basic areas . 09 draft isn’t showing much so far on a team void of talent……shouldn’t . We have went through 3yrs of waste…… I want to believe we have not started 3 more yrs of the same. PnS
Thanks for watching my back Mad Chief.
Times are tough all over, especially in Chiefs nation. I’m not one to criticize or critique others opinions. So I won’t.
But, I am of the opinion that we as fans are a collective group of scholars, misfits, dreamers, procrastinators & doers. We come from diverse backgrounds & colorful pasts. Some of us had great parents, or lousy parents or no parents.
Some of us have been Chiefs fans for 5 or 10 years. Some, like myself have been a Chiefs fan for 43 years. I’ve seen alot of miserable games, some of them I was truly embarrassed (internally)to be a Chiefs fan. I want you all to know that some of my best times & moments in my life (except family things)have been watching the Chiefs play. They have given me that “proud” feeling that you can’t get anywhere else. (except my family). Granted those moments have been slim to none lately. I will always believe on any given Sunday that the next “Proud moment” could be just one play away.
Thats why I’m a Chiefs fan…
Paul Simon wrote a song many years ago titled “Still crazy after all these years”. That’s me…
Go Chiefs.
jimbo says:
“Thanks for watching my back Mad Chief.”
No problem, Jimbo. Thank YOU for being positive in these “tough times” you speak of. Seems not many have much of anything good to say about the Chiefs lately. I have been guilty of it myself, and should reaaly try to watch that. Thanks for the reminder.
Does Todd know that you can leave LJ at home and it dose’nt bother him , he’s used to it , Herm did it more than a couple time .
Todd ——-It’s not your fault he got that goofy contract —–> Carl.
Take everyone you can use .
Does Todd know that you can leave LJ at home and it dose’nt bother him , he’s used to it , Herm did it more than a couple time’s.
Todd ——-It’s not your fault he got that goofy contract —–> Carl.
Take everyone you can use .
What running back in the history of the NFL could run behind our O-Line??????
Whenever, LJ gets the slightest crease he makes the most of it.
The same with Cassel, he is a magician whenever he gets anything done behind our pathetic O-Line.
CK says:
“What running back in the history of the NFL could run behind our O-Line??????”
Well…let’s find out, I say. Only one single player has had the chance, LJ. And he’s not getting it done. So let’s give someone else a shot. They may not do any better, but I don’t see how they could do much worse. What is there to lose?
CK , Barry Sanders –LT when he played the first 2-3 year’s .
Running back’s that are really good maybe .
Knowing this , would it now be the time to to carefully not wast a play , knowing that this is a tryed and ture waste of time .
I’m simpley repeating what has been written .
20 try’s in one game with less than a 2 yard / per.
There was 2 runs around the R. outside or it be?
It’s hard enough , with the Reffere’s calling Game changeing penatlies that are ” MISS CALLS “