If anyone was watching the Ravens-Chiefs game Sunday, you might have noticed that the Chiefs offense wasn’t as good in the second half than the first. How’s that for good analysis? Then again, they scored their only seven points in the first quarter and had some bad turnovers, but the second half offense was somehow worse.
It’s now being said that Todd Haley, head coach of the Chiefs, took the mic away from offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and chose his own plays. Keep in mind that Weis is heading to Florida after this season, so he probably didn’t have much patience with Haley. At least, I know I wouldn’t.
Professional Conversation About Football:
As pointed out (I think) in the first segment of today’s edition of ProFootballTalke Live and then reiterated (I know) in the third segment, the Chiefs’ horrendous offensive performance in the second half of Sunday’s 30-7 wild-card loss to the Ravens suggests that few if any meaningful halftime adjustments were made. Which suggests that the issues that prompted offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to take the same job with a college program potentially prevented Weis and coach Todd Haley from working effectively and cooperatively bubbled up during the 12-minute window between the second and third quarters.
As it turns out, those issues boiled over.
Bob Fescoe of 610 Sports in Kansas City reports that Haley stripped Weis of the play-calling duties during the second half of the game. Which means that the horrendous showing is on the shoulders not of the guy who left the team, but of the guy who’ll still be there.
The news confirms Jason Whitlock’s in-game instincts. After the Chiefs tried to run a sweep on fourth and short early in the second half, Whitlock said via Twitter: “Todd Haley, ladies and gentlemen. He just put his stamp on the game with 4th-down call. And trust me, that was all Haley.”
Yeah, that sweep on 4th and short would not be something I could see Weis doing. Maybe it’s impressive because it wasn’t a running back dive or quarterback sneak like everyone seems to do in that situation, but there’s a vast difference between innovative and stupid.
If you’re a Kansas City fan, you’ve just learned by process of elimination that while Haley wasn’t messing anything up as a head coach, he needs help offensively, even though he WAS an offensive coordinator. Haley just needs to realize that he doesn’t have Kurt Warner anymore and now has Matt Cassel. I’m pretty sure every play for Cassel is called “throw a short pass, don’t turn the ball over and let’s give Jamaal Charles/Thomas Jones a play to rest.”
