Burn Everything Chiefs:
A Reactionary’s Response
Ransom Hawthorne
I refuse to look up a single stat about this game. If you look in a dictionary for worthless pile of garbage, you won’t find anything, because dictionaries only define single words, if, however, you look it up online, you will find a few thousand angry fans tearing Andy Reid and his band of crap-tactic offenders a new one. Chiefs defense held the Steelers to 18 points. That’s right: 18. I just- I can’t- I’m done. No more game analysis. Here’s my shooting from the belt suggestions for fixing this team.
Fire Andy Reid The Playcaller
Andy Reid is many things. A top 10 in all-time wins coach, a player’s coach, a well-respected guy, but there’s one thing he isn’t: an offensive coordinator. If Clark Hunt has to write that on a brick and hit Reid in the head with it a few times to get that point across, he should do it. Hire a real offensive coordinator so Reid has time to think before he wastes multiple time-outs in a game that you know is going to be decided by a single score. Andy Reid is a fine head coach, as mad as I am, and believe me I’m pissed, I don’t want anybody else coaching the Chiefs right now, but he needs to be a head coach not an OC.
Fire Brad Childress
Childress probably isn’t the reason the Chiefs lost, but somebody needs to take the blame. Fans are not going to be satisfied with standing pat after that garbage fest. Chiefs play-calling has become extremely predictable and weak. They need young blood and fresh thinking at OC not a retread coach from Reid’s past. Childress is old enough to retire anyway.
Fire David Culley
Chiefs receiving core reminds me of the song from the old Disney animated movie Robin Hood. Particularly the line “Every town has it’s ups and downs. Some town’s ups outnumber the downs, but not in Nottingham.” Chiefs WR core has been wildly inconsistent and players have shown little to no growth in their time in KC. If it is broke, do fix it.
Trade Alex Smith
Chiefs may not have an obvious replacement for Smith, but that shouldn’t stop them from moving on. Does that mean they might get worse at QB for a while? Probably, but there’s an unfortunate truth in the NFL, if you’re not winning, you better be losing, because, unless you’re the NE Patriots, winning will bleed you dry of talent and cap resources. Compare Baltimore’s roster to the Raiders, think about what happened to the Colts when Peyton Manning went down. Winning games you should lose hurts you in the long run and Chiefs should have lost a lot more games this year. Turn those insane wins over Denver, SanDiego, and the Panthers into losses and this team misses the playoffs all together, which would increase their odds of drafting well. Chiefs might win more games with Smith, but they have too little cap space to win championships with him and it’s stupid to hang onto a signal caller who can’t see, let alone hit, a wide open Tyreek Hill. Chiefs have an adequate stop-gap in Foles, they have a chance to sign a QB in FA, trade for one, probe Bray has something or just draft a good one for the first time in forever. Smith’s strengths align too much with Reid’s weaknesses. It’s better to cut bait a year too early than a year too late.
Fire Andy Heck
I no longer consider it a compliment when someone says I do a heck of a job and Andy’s the reason why. Sure Chiefs haven’t exactly handed him the best prospects, but Heck has good enough guys if he would coach them up right. Chiefs have struggled with Stunts ever since he got here and the line was just terrible in the most important game of the season. Maybe the next guy won’t be any better, but I doubt he’d be much worse. (I think Heck has actually made Mitch Morse worse)
Slap The Bust Label Back On
Dee Ford did a great job early in the season and nothing since. Houston has struggled with injury, but at least he’s good when healthy. If Chiefs can trick a desperate team into trading for Ford they should do it. I just don’t think he’s ever going to be that elite pass rusher they hoped. I’m terrified they’ll give him a contract extension and have to suffer his mediocre play for even longer. Fisher might not be the worst LT in the league, but he’s sure not playing up to his pay-check. Honestly I don’t care if he does turn in a fantastic year next year. He’s still a bust. When you are the #1 overall pick, and it takes you this long to even be average, you sir are a bust.
Get Guards, Lots
Chiefs have to save money somewhere, seems like they decided that guard was a good place to do that. Wrong. If you don’t have good guards you can’t run the ball. If you can’t run the ball, teams can drop back in zone making it tough to pass the ball, if you can’t pass the ball, or run the ball, you look like Keystone cops on national television and keep your fans up late typing nasty articles when they should be getting some rest since they have work in the morning. Got off on a tangent there, but I think you get where I’m coming from. Chiefs need to draft a G, sign a G, trade for a G and cut some very inadequate guards.
Cut Davis and West
This one stings a little bit. Not cutting Davis, that feels heavenly, but I love West. He such a nice dude and he flashes ability at times, but he’s just not that great at anything. I was ok keeping him around as the last guy on your depth chart because he doesn’t make many mistakes, then he fumbled the ball against the bad guys. Nope. Get em out. Chiefs need to focus on bringing in the most talented players they can. If somebody isn’t cutting it, the Chiefs need to be cutting them.
My Non-Bonus Thought
In case you were wondering, yes I wrote this immediately following the game. So I’m angry. Really angry. In a week or so I’ll be my chipper self, sounding peaceful and scouting draft prospects, but for now, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore”.