Pioli/Haley (The Negative Side)
There are a bunch of threads defending Haley because there is a growing upheaval by the Chiefs fan base about this administration. Those who are defending him are TRUE Chiefs fans and believe and trust in probably ANYBODY who isn't Carl Peterson or Herm Edwards to lead them to "Great Football." I was probably the ONLY staunch supporter of Herman Edwards. But I also realize there is more than one way to skin a cat. That's why I'm still holding final judgement on the current Chiefs administration a while longer. But, I am starting to lean in a direction.
There is something to be said for hard-nosed, disciplined football. It's ONE of the many ways to build and develop a football team. Lombardi, Parcells, Coughlan, Cowher, and Gruden are all examples of that type of approach working to a Championship level. You're also seeing that approach continued by Tomlin in Pittsburgh and a culture change in San Francisco being implemented by Mike Singletary. However, what you don't see by these "hard-nosed" coaches is the CONSTANT beratement of their players. You might see it every now and then like the Vernon Davis situation in SF last season, but you just don't see head coaches "butting heads" with so many players, so quickly. That was the knock on Haley BEFORE he became a head coach. Coaches who constantly do this to their players, just don't last long because they become unattractive to FAs and they quickly lose the locker room. (Which is already being whispered in KC after just 3 games.)
Here's the problem. The Chiefs HAVE upgraded their defense. They were 31st in total defense last season. HORRIBLE. But, they were playing at an average offensive pace after the bye week and probably would have won 6-8 games last season if they were able to play anywhere close to average defense.
THIS season, the Chiefs are 19th in rush defense and 20th in pass defense. They didn't do a whole lot to the defense other than change the scheme. They brought in Mike Vrabel through a trade and drafted Tyson Jackson who hasn't made an impact to this point. Everyone else was either here or were cheap free agents.
They should've focused their personnel efforts on improving the offensive line and their LB corp instead of deciding to tear down both sides of the ball at the same time and scattering the help over the entire team. The ENTIRE TEAM didn't need an upgrade THIS SEASON. It's not possible to do so either.
A strict focus on OL and LB improvement would've gone a lot further than their current strategy of "everything must go at once." The Chiefs' QB play last season was good enough that it didn't require bringing in your "franchise QB" if you weren't able to protect him. As it is, the Chiefs should be starting a QB who can scramble because there's a multi-million dollar investment sitting in the pocket getting killed. It's a poor strategy and poor use of resources.
If the Chiefs drafted Aaron Curry at #3, they wouldn't need Vrabel. They could've then drafted an OL in the 2nd round and Magee in the 3rd. There were starting OL to be had in the next two rounds with Luigs in the 4th and Duke Robinson in the 5th. Hell, they could've gone with any number of DEs in the 2nd round and gone with OL for the next three rounds.
EVERYONE knew the two key issues for the Chiefs were the OL and LBs last year. The LB issues have been addressed, but partly by luck in rookie FAs Mays and Belcher and by moving Hali outside. If we had a corp of Hali, DJ, Mays/Belcher, Curry and an OL of Albert, Waters, Luigs, Robinson and Britton (2nd rd), I just see a lot more movement toward improving than the addition of 2 DEs, a LB on the backside of his career and a "franchise QB" who we can't protect.
Take a look at our draft picks rounds 3-7. One impact player... and he's the kicker (last pick in the draft). In rounds 3-5, you can find some starting OL talent. I just don't understand why, if your BIGGEST NEED is OL, why you'd only spend TWO picks on the OL in the first 5 rounds, over the last 7 drafts and 34 picks (in the top 5 rounds). Those 2 picks are Branden Albert and Colin Brown (who could've been had as a FA). This is a franchise problem, not just one particular coach. Vermeil drafted a pair of tackles in the 4th and 5th rounds in 2003 and THAT'S IT!! Those are ALL the OL the Chiefs have drafted in the first 5 rounds this ENTIRE DECADE!! At some point, you need to address this situation.
The Jags spent their first two picks on OTs. One of them being 2nd rounder Ebon Britton, who is now their starting RT. Luigs is the backup center (and pushing the starter) in Cincinnati, who replaced their starter (which we subsequently picked up... then released). You'd think if replacing the center were an issue, it might be a little more urgent than finding ANOTHER nickel CB in the 4th rd, (which are MUCH easier to find on the free agent market.)
If trading picks for RTs and RGs are a priority now, why couldn't they be DRAFTING OL when they could've had their choice, instead of other teams' backups? Duke Robinson, who went 24 picks AFTER the mysteriously injured Colin Brown, is now pushing a 9 year in Carolina, for the starting position.
There are just a series of devastating gaffs that have been made by this administration that have led this team to be as bad as they are. From the extensive amount of time it took to hire the new G.M., to the dragging of the feet of firing Herm. Then, the hiring of Haley wasn't necessarily a mistake IF IF Haley was the guy Pioli wanted and wasn't just "the guy left over" because of the time Pioli took to hire a coach. The problem is that Pioli failed to surround Haley with a coaching staff that could help take some of the pressure off. If Haley was surrounded with an OC he trusted and believed in and a PROVEN, GOOD DC like Crennel, then Haley might be a Parcells type coach. But even Parcells has a QB coach and OC.
Then, the draft showed several QUESTIONABLE decisions from the "reach" of Jackson, to drafting 2 DEs in the first 3 rounds, to the choice of Colin Brown. Then, there's the Brian Waters fiasco and the constant berating from Haley to all his players. Now, comes the stagnant play-calling and the 0-3 record from probably the most arrogant GM/HC tandem since Jerry Jones/Bill Parcells... if even that.
This regime has decided to make their own problems to overcome rather than trying to correct and improve on the things that were already here. You can rant and rave about how poor this roster is because of Herm. You can say Pioli/Haley didn't have any idea that Tank, Dorsey, Hali, etc would be as good as they've been to this point, but that's all talent evaluation that should've done before the draft so they'd KNOW what they needed before the off season started.
THE BIGGEST failure this administration has made thus far has been the inability to evaluate the offensive line. Again, these guys are hired and being paid to evaluate their players and to have a good idea of what they need. By not anticipating at least THIS level of play by Dorsey/Tank and the offensive line as a whole is a HUGE mistake... probably the BIGGEST mistake that has led us to this point.
Pioli/Haley HAVE made their share of mistakes and have done their share of digging the grave they're now laying in and to say they deserve "3 years because that's what Herm got" is just a cop out. This animosity you're seeing by the fan base that's beginning to grow toward Haley in particular isn't just because of these first three games. It's a collective upheaval caused by their (Pioli/Haley) attitude, questionable (even at the time) decisions, and now their lack of results to support their behavior since they've been in charge of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Good read man!! 
The only reason a beer sweats around Canada is because he's decided it will be the next beer he drinks.
Originally Posted by reded
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