LOL! Well, Todd and the Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs yesterday by handing the Chiefs their seventh loss of the season. I suppose thats sort of appropriate considering how Succop's missed FG was what kept the Steelers out of the playoffs last season don't you think? No? Aww...Let's try not to have any hard feelings about this now ok? I mean, give them their due.
The truth is, the Steelers WHIPPED the Chiefs yesterday. It wasn't close, It wasn't well done and it sure as hell wasn't something Andy Reid should be proud of. Good 'ol Andy. Predictable as daylight. Charles got 9 carries for 29 yards. Did somebody say Andy throws too much? Lol. Ya think the Steelers KNEW we were unable to throw the ball effectively? Ya think that this game epitomized the problem with the Andy Reid lead Chiefs right now, namely that we don't have a WR corps worth spit? Ya see folks, you cannot field part of an offense and try to game plan to make up for the part you leave out (or worse, don't think is necessary).
Now, some will point to Alex completing 31 of 45 passes for 311 yds as evidence that my statement is incorrect. I shall not be swayed however, to that kind of homeristic, Alex Smith fan boi style thinking. Did anyone notice that there were no TD's among those passes? I said the Steelers knew we couldn't throw the ball EFFECTIVELY. I don't care if you throw the ball down the field all day for 1000 yds. If you can't score, you are wasting your time. The seriously disgusting part was the dropped TD pass by Bowe.
Don't get me wrong, I don't blame Bowe, I blame Alex. Matt Cassel and Bowe made that throw and catch multiple times as Chiefs. Alex can't make that throw and you saw the truth of that yesterday. Bowe had it in his hands but it was not put in a spot that only Bowe could get to. The defender merely pulled his arm through Bowe's as he closed the circle on the ball and the ball hit the ground. Matty used to put that ball where the defender had to reach for it, across Bowe's body. That's when Bowe works his magic. Alex can't make that throw. Alex needs to go.
The truth is that Andy Reid's offense is designed to hold the ball FOREVER. Dink, Dunk, Thunk. You see, Andy thinks that if you win Time of Possession, you just automatically win the game. What Andy forgets is that if you can't score a TD at the end of those 8-9 minute drives, you won't win anything. You might want to ask Donovan McNabb how well that works. He watched it fail in the Super Bowl for crying out loud.
Don't get me wrong, I don't blame Bowe, I blame Alex. Matt Cassel and Bowe made that throw and catch multiple times as Chiefs. Alex can't make that throw and you saw the truth of that yesterday. Bowe had it in his hands but it was not put in a spot that only Bowe could get to. The defender merely pulled his arm through Bowe's as he closed the circle on the ball and the ball hit the ground. Matty used to put that ball where the defender had to reach for it, across Bowe's body. That's when Bowe works his magic. Alex can't make that throw. Alex needs to go.
The truth is that Andy Reid's offense is designed to hold the ball FOREVER. Dink, Dunk, Thunk. You see, Andy thinks that if you win Time of Possession, you just automatically win the game. What Andy forgets is that if you can't score a TD at the end of those 8-9 minute drives, you won't win anything. You might want to ask Donovan McNabb how well that works. He watched it fail in the Super Bowl for crying out loud.
The Steelers were paying attention to Reid's shenanigans and shut the Chiefs down. Ya see what happens when your offense can't throw the ball into the end zone and you rely solely on your DST to score points? FGs just don't feed the bulldog. Not only did the Chiefs WR's not score a TD yesterday, NO Chief scored a TD yesterday. To add insult to injury, Reid called a fake FG on a short attempt and it worked, well, sort of. The Chiefs couldn't get the ball in the end zone, even on a play that they oh so cleverly perceived as a Steelers DST flaw, leaving them first and goal from the 1/2 yard line. What happened? They still couldn't score! How many NFL teams worth their salt can't score a TD from the 1/2 yard line with a first and goal? Crickets. The answer (you know, the one you find on your tongue right now) is none. That was embarrassing.
Oh yeaahh hell. This guy is wasting the franchises time people. His insistence on Alex Smith as the QB savior, coupled with his dogged belief that wide receivers and offensive lineman are not important to winning football games is going to keep this Chiefs team right where it is. Out of contention.
For those who want to throw up a finger now and exclaim, "but wait! The Chiefs can still make the playoffs!", I ask but one question: So What? Even if the planetary convergence happens and Houston and Baltimore lose to Jacksonville and Cleveland respectively (one of two, maybe. Both? Not likely), and the Chiefs can somehow find a way to beat Phyllis and the boltz in KC next Sunday (with Phyllis on the warpath and a playoff spot in the balance? If the boltz lose they are done), what is the point? All that being said, it would not surprise me one bit if the Chiefs win and squirm their way into the playoffs. This is what Andy Reid does. It's what he's good at. It's what keeps him his job, year after stinking year. The problem this year though, is the reliance on what happens to four other teams. And that is really the point about Reid being the HC.
I have made the point repeatedly that this coach/player personnel issue is NOT about being average. It's about being able to compete with the best in the league. If this team could do that we wouldn't be waiting to see if we made the playoffs until all the games are played in the final week of the regular season. We'd already be planning strategy for what ever seed we expected to play.
Since that is not how Reid does it, IMO, every year that Clark allows Reid to hang around is just another year the franchise has to wait to start really improving. The football you saw yesterday is the football du'jour for this Chiefs team. Who exactly do you think they are going to beat with that mess? It'll just be another one and done like last year and will make this all the more meaningful.
No, for this Chief's fan, next Sunday's game is a huge predictor of where this team is headed. Anybody remember Bewsaf? Remember his 'floundering team' theory? I do. You can find some info about that right here if you are interested. As I've been saying nearly since Reid was named our new coach, I'm concerned that Reid is just a waste of this franchise's time. I've seen NOTHING in the last two seasons to make me believe otherwise. You want a for instance? Who is our QBOTF? How long do we hold onto Toub and Sutton? Where are we going to find that solid Kicker that championship teams have? Don't you think that two years in we should have SOME idea on ONE of these? Yeah I know, crickets again.
The absolute worst part of all of this is that I think we are still 1-3 years from Clark calling Reid's bluff. If Clark waits three more years to make that decision, he'll not only have a more difficult job in cutting ties with Reid at that point, he'll most likely have to piss off all the barbeque restaurants in KC who will slap him with a petition to keep Reid on the basis he's good for business...no matter what the Chiefs do.
And now for the bad news.
For those who want to throw up a finger now and exclaim, "but wait! The Chiefs can still make the playoffs!", I ask but one question: So What? Even if the planetary convergence happens and Houston and Baltimore lose to Jacksonville and Cleveland respectively (one of two, maybe. Both? Not likely), and the Chiefs can somehow find a way to beat Phyllis and the boltz in KC next Sunday (with Phyllis on the warpath and a playoff spot in the balance? If the boltz lose they are done), what is the point? All that being said, it would not surprise me one bit if the Chiefs win and squirm their way into the playoffs. This is what Andy Reid does. It's what he's good at. It's what keeps him his job, year after stinking year. The problem this year though, is the reliance on what happens to four other teams. And that is really the point about Reid being the HC.
I have made the point repeatedly that this coach/player personnel issue is NOT about being average. It's about being able to compete with the best in the league. If this team could do that we wouldn't be waiting to see if we made the playoffs until all the games are played in the final week of the regular season. We'd already be planning strategy for what ever seed we expected to play.
Since that is not how Reid does it, IMO, every year that Clark allows Reid to hang around is just another year the franchise has to wait to start really improving. The football you saw yesterday is the football du'jour for this Chiefs team. Who exactly do you think they are going to beat with that mess? It'll just be another one and done like last year and will make this all the more meaningful.
No, for this Chief's fan, next Sunday's game is a huge predictor of where this team is headed. Anybody remember Bewsaf? Remember his 'floundering team' theory? I do. You can find some info about that right here if you are interested. As I've been saying nearly since Reid was named our new coach, I'm concerned that Reid is just a waste of this franchise's time. I've seen NOTHING in the last two seasons to make me believe otherwise. You want a for instance? Who is our QBOTF? How long do we hold onto Toub and Sutton? Where are we going to find that solid Kicker that championship teams have? Don't you think that two years in we should have SOME idea on ONE of these? Yeah I know, crickets again.
The absolute worst part of all of this is that I think we are still 1-3 years from Clark calling Reid's bluff. If Clark waits three more years to make that decision, he'll not only have a more difficult job in cutting ties with Reid at that point, he'll most likely have to piss off all the barbeque restaurants in KC who will slap him with a petition to keep Reid on the basis he's good for business...no matter what the Chiefs do.
And now for the bad news.
Don't forget where this team stands in history. We are on the cusp of a terribleness that is very hard to overcome. Even when a team makes the good choices necessary to overcome them. Studies have suggested that the very nature of the Chiefs losing ways infects the Chiefs players and coaches with a loser mentality that is subliminal and perpetuates itself independent of anything that the team does to try and change the course.
I don't know if I fully believe that, but you can't argue with facts. What facts? These are a good place to start.
The three teams with the longest current drought of winning a playoff game are the Bengals, Lions and Chiefs. It's been 23 years for the Bengals, 22 for the Lions and 20 for the Chiefs. With a loss or combination of wins and losses that keep the Chiefs out of the playoffs this season, the Chiefs will continue to have their name in that unholy trifecta. It was bad enough to eclipse 20 years without a playoff win last year, but right now we are still not technically the worst.
As of this writing, Detroit has clinched a playoff spot this year so we know that they will have a shot at a playoff win this season. Cincinnatti has not yet clinched a spot. If they win tonight, they are in the playoffs. If Denver beats Cincy tonight on MNF, then the Bengals must either beat the Steelers next week or tie them and hope for Baltimore loss (or tie) and San Diego loss. Funny how these teams seem to continually be mentioned in winning and losing scenarios together isn't it?
If the Bengals and the Lions each win a playoff game this year and the Chiefs don't make the playoffs...can you see where I'm going here? Things get worse. KC would be the owner of the longest current drought for a playoff win in the NFL. The ABSOLUTE worst. Habits are hard to break. Andy Reid does not have the track record for breaking bad habits.
It's time for Reid and Smith to go. I'm hoping for a win on Sunday...and expecting a loss. Let's beat the rush and start asking for Reid's head now, whatcha say? Maybe, just maybe, Clark will hear the Who's down in Whoville and save us from another 1-3 years of this insanity. Could there be a way out of this nightmare? Maybe. Getting rid of Reid and Smith is only the start. I say wish them Merry Christmas and move on. :)
Merry Christmas Chiefs fans!!
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