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Edwards denies conservativism in Chiefs offense
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal
This wasn't a "Hello, you play to win the game" moment, but it could be a while before someone calls Herman Edwards conservative again.
At the Chiefs coach's weekly news conference Tuesday, the third-and-5 red zone call from Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals came up. As a refresher, the Chiefs had a third-and-5 from the Cincinnati 11 and ran Larry Johnson up the middle for no gain. They kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Edwards said Sunday the play call was the result of "miscommunication." Tuesday it was suggested the Chiefs ran in that situation because Edwards is a conservative coach.
"Conservative!" he said. "I was conservative in this game? When people came to see the Kansas City Chiefs play (vs. Cincinnati) they saw the same offense they've watched for the last five years. Shifts, motions, we threw the ball more than we ran, which I hate. Generally when you do that you're going to lose the game."
Edwards went on to disprove his conservative reputation.
"We ran a fake punt. That's conservative?" he said. "That's perception, not reality. Go watch the game. People watch the game and the first play of the game was a reverse. That's conservative? I didn't give the ball to Larry Johnson on the first play. We ran a reverse on the first play. Are you kidding me?"
The Chiefs endured a bucket full of offensive problems Sunday. The Bengals recorded seven sacks and knocked Trent Green out of commission for at least two weeks. Playing from behind -- a deficit as high as 20-3 -- forced Kansas City to abandon Larry Johnson (17 carries), Edwards said.
"But you're right. I fell for the trap. I fell in love with this great offense," he said. "We scored 10 points. We scored 10 points at home. Maybe I should use three backs this week. You can take a lot of time off the clock, so maybe I should do that this week."
Throughout training camp, Edwards continually reassured anybody who would listen that he wasn't changing the offense. Mike Solari, who had coached the offensive line under Dick Vermeil and former offensive coordinator Al Saunders, took over at offensive coordinator, running the same system.
Edwards said again Tuesday he had virtually no effect on the offense.
"I didn't call one play, not one play," he said. "We scored 10 points. I'm going to say it again: We scored 10 points. I didn't change this offense. But I might change this offense because if we're going to score 10 points and going to run out of quarterbacks by the end of the year, I might have to change the offense."
By the end, however, he couldn't separate himself from his roots.
"I saw a guy (Monday) night (Marty Schottenheimer) who's real conservative. He ran the ball 48 times and threw 11 passes and won 27 to nothing. He won the game. I coached with that guy. I know how to do that, too."
Green released
Chiefs quarterback Trent Green was released from the hospital in Kansas City on Tuesday. His status, which Chiefs president-general manager Carl Peterson said was "extremely questionable" Monday, was downgraded to out for the Chiefs' Sunday game against the Broncos in Denver.
"He's feeling much better," said Edwards, who spoke with Green Tuesday. "He's feeling a lot better, and I think he'll feel a lot better when he gets home this afternoon."
Edwards said he didn't speak with Green about a timetable for his return.
"No, all he said was he felt sorry for me 'cause he couldn't finish the game for me. I told him not to worry about it. I feel sorry for you, I said, because every time I turn around something is wrong with the quarterback. My wife said that it must have been before she married me; I must have done something bad to somebody."
Edwards said Green wants to return to the field.
"If it was up to Trent, knowing the kind of guy he is, he'd show up tomorrow," Edwards said. "He'd show tomorrow and go to meetings and be whispering in my ear, 'Hey, coach, I'm ready to go.' That's what he'd be telling me."
Without Green, Damon Huard will start against the Broncos. He went 12-for-20 with a touchdown and two fumbles against the Bengals last week.
Edwards didn't indicate in which ways the Chiefs would change their gameplan to accomodate Huard.
"I don't want to reveal that right now," Edwards said. "I don't think that's fair to us. I don't want to give Denver any more of an edge."
THE CHIEFS have reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Rod Gardner, who the Green Bay Packers cut in the preseason. Gardner, a former first-round pick, hasn't yet been signed.
Edwards didn't deny the reports. He only said Gardner hadn't been signed.
"He's big, he's a physical guy and has some talent. He was drafted in the first round, but for some reason he hasn't really fit."
http://cjonline.com/stories/091306/chi_edwards.shtml
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal
This wasn't a "Hello, you play to win the game" moment, but it could be a while before someone calls Herman Edwards conservative again.
At the Chiefs coach's weekly news conference Tuesday, the third-and-5 red zone call from Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals came up. As a refresher, the Chiefs had a third-and-5 from the Cincinnati 11 and ran Larry Johnson up the middle for no gain. They kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Edwards said Sunday the play call was the result of "miscommunication." Tuesday it was suggested the Chiefs ran in that situation because Edwards is a conservative coach.
"Conservative!" he said. "I was conservative in this game? When people came to see the Kansas City Chiefs play (vs. Cincinnati) they saw the same offense they've watched for the last five years. Shifts, motions, we threw the ball more than we ran, which I hate. Generally when you do that you're going to lose the game."
Edwards went on to disprove his conservative reputation.
"We ran a fake punt. That's conservative?" he said. "That's perception, not reality. Go watch the game. People watch the game and the first play of the game was a reverse. That's conservative? I didn't give the ball to Larry Johnson on the first play. We ran a reverse on the first play. Are you kidding me?"
The Chiefs endured a bucket full of offensive problems Sunday. The Bengals recorded seven sacks and knocked Trent Green out of commission for at least two weeks. Playing from behind -- a deficit as high as 20-3 -- forced Kansas City to abandon Larry Johnson (17 carries), Edwards said.
"But you're right. I fell for the trap. I fell in love with this great offense," he said. "We scored 10 points. We scored 10 points at home. Maybe I should use three backs this week. You can take a lot of time off the clock, so maybe I should do that this week."
Throughout training camp, Edwards continually reassured anybody who would listen that he wasn't changing the offense. Mike Solari, who had coached the offensive line under Dick Vermeil and former offensive coordinator Al Saunders, took over at offensive coordinator, running the same system.
Edwards said again Tuesday he had virtually no effect on the offense.
"I didn't call one play, not one play," he said. "We scored 10 points. I'm going to say it again: We scored 10 points. I didn't change this offense. But I might change this offense because if we're going to score 10 points and going to run out of quarterbacks by the end of the year, I might have to change the offense."
By the end, however, he couldn't separate himself from his roots.
"I saw a guy (Monday) night (Marty Schottenheimer) who's real conservative. He ran the ball 48 times and threw 11 passes and won 27 to nothing. He won the game. I coached with that guy. I know how to do that, too."
Green released
Chiefs quarterback Trent Green was released from the hospital in Kansas City on Tuesday. His status, which Chiefs president-general manager Carl Peterson said was "extremely questionable" Monday, was downgraded to out for the Chiefs' Sunday game against the Broncos in Denver.
"He's feeling much better," said Edwards, who spoke with Green Tuesday. "He's feeling a lot better, and I think he'll feel a lot better when he gets home this afternoon."
Edwards said he didn't speak with Green about a timetable for his return.
"No, all he said was he felt sorry for me 'cause he couldn't finish the game for me. I told him not to worry about it. I feel sorry for you, I said, because every time I turn around something is wrong with the quarterback. My wife said that it must have been before she married me; I must have done something bad to somebody."
Edwards said Green wants to return to the field.
"If it was up to Trent, knowing the kind of guy he is, he'd show up tomorrow," Edwards said. "He'd show tomorrow and go to meetings and be whispering in my ear, 'Hey, coach, I'm ready to go.' That's what he'd be telling me."
Without Green, Damon Huard will start against the Broncos. He went 12-for-20 with a touchdown and two fumbles against the Bengals last week.
Edwards didn't indicate in which ways the Chiefs would change their gameplan to accomodate Huard.
"I don't want to reveal that right now," Edwards said. "I don't think that's fair to us. I don't want to give Denver any more of an edge."
THE CHIEFS have reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Rod Gardner, who the Green Bay Packers cut in the preseason. Gardner, a former first-round pick, hasn't yet been signed.
Edwards didn't deny the reports. He only said Gardner hadn't been signed.
"He's big, he's a physical guy and has some talent. He was drafted in the first round, but for some reason he hasn't really fit."
http://cjonline.com/stories/091306/chi_edwards.shtml