Diner Morning News: Haley Gets His Shot

National Football Post

QUOTE: “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”—Eleanor Roosevelt

Today, we examine the Kansas City Chiefs’ new head coach, Todd Haley.

BACKGROUND

Like Rex Ryan of the Jets, Todd Haley comes from a football family and has been around the professional game his entire life. Starting as a ball boy for the Steelers (his dad Dick was the team’s director of player personnel), Todd learned to evaluate players from his father at a very early age, then started in personnel for the Jets in 1995. He worked his way into the coaching ranks under Bill Parcells at the Jets and Cowboys. Haley is a strong-minded coach who is not afraid of confrontation with the players.

LES STECKEL EFFECT

I’ve had it reliably reported to me that Haley might qualify as the most emotional assistant coach ever on Sunday in the NFL. His confrontations on the sidelines are legendary and well-documented from our friends at NFL Films. He’s not afraid to speak his mind and couldn’t care less who’s watching—even if it’s all of America.

Haley is an emotional person, and at times he allows his emotions to spill over into his relationships with players. It’s hard to change as a person, but Haley must work on being under control when dealing with his players. He can’t become something he’s not; rather, he must recognize his strengths and therefore acknowledge his weaknesses.

He must be consistent as a leader. He must learn to maintain his composure on Sundays, because a football team takes it lead from the head coach. If the head coach is out of control with his emotions, his team will be, too.

A coach can’t preach discipline to his team, then behave like a raging maniac on Sunday. Haley is very smart, and I’m confident he knows how to control his outbursts and manage his emotions. This will be a critical aspect of his career as a head coach.

Working hand in hand with new General Manager Scott Pioli, Haley will have a voice in player personnel moves. What I find interesting from the offseason is that the Chiefs have released several players who have immediately been claimed by other teams—my last count was four. A 2-14 team is not supposed to be getting players claimed. What does this mean? It means that the Chiefs are going to remove any player who does not fit their model, which is a good thing.

But it can also mean they’re living in a black-and-white world—they only want players who fit them perfectly, which at times is very hard to do in the NFL. The league is all about gray.

 

THEY DIDN’T TELL ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN

I’m sure Haley was informed of the Tony Gonzalez trade, even consulted, but for the life of me, I don't understand why it they made the deal.

Gonzalez is the ultimate pro, the kind of player other players want to emulate, which is good for the locker room. He makes plays on Sunday, critical plays. Every time I see a highlight of quarterback Tyler Thigpen throwing the ball last season, the recipient was usually Gonzalez making some spectacular play.

It’s not like they wanted to go all young, bringing in the likes of Mike Vrabel, Zach Thomas, Bobby Engram, and Mike Goff. There’s a mixed message here, especially since they don’t have a young draft pick at tight end waiting in the wings, someone they invested large sums of money in. Why the urgency to run off Gonzalez?

Everyone is asking how the Baltimore Ravens are going to replace the 80 catches and five touchdowns they lost when Derrick Mason supposedly retired. Well, using the same thought process, how are the Chiefs going to replace the 96 catches and 10 touchdowns Gonzalez gave them last season?

What makes Gonzalez even more difficult to replace is his impact on third downs, and how he makes plays to keep drives alive. I know many will say that Gonzalez got the bulk of his production when the game was over, junk yards if you will. And in some instances that might have been the case, but Gonzalez can still produce at critical moments, even now at his age (33). He’ll make the Falcons’ offense even better.

The Chiefs may have won only two games last year, but they had chances to win more had they been able to manage the clock better, and rush the passer.

Their talent level was not that of a two-win team, nor was it a playoff team, but as the Falcons proved last season, a few changes can make all the difference in the world.

So for me, giving away this asset was a mistake. Yes, I know they received a second-round draft pick in 2010, but that’s down the road. From my outside perspective, Gonzalez seemed to be a vital piece in helping the Chiefs win more games.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ON GAME DAY?

Serenity now might be the battle cry for Haley on Sundays. He was an impressive play-caller for the Cardinals, so I would believe he’ll be very involved in the play calls on Sundays for the Chiefs. Chan Gailey is the offensive coordinator and will have influence on the offense, but this is Haley’s offense, and he’ll be involved.

Spending time with Bill Parcells is like taking a master’s program in game management, and Haley should have been exposed to many of the key elements it takes to be a successful game manager. With Parcells, managing the game is an obsession; he prides himself on knowing exactly what he has to do to give his team the best chance to win.

Last year, the Chiefs were a disaster when it came to managing the game, but that was then, and I suspect Haley will be fine-tuned into the art of game management.

 

I KNOW WHEN TO PUNT...I THINK

The 2009 Chiefs will never be confused with the 2008 Arizona Cardinals in terms of explosive offensive players. Losing Gonzalez opens another hole in the Chiefs’ roster, but one that was not a big part of the Cards’ offensive package.

The Chiefs will need to find ways to utilize the skills of Matt Cassel to spread the field and make the same kind of throws he was able to make for the Patriots—understanding once again that the Chiefs do not have the same talent level of the Patriots’ offense.

So what are the Chiefs’ strengths as they enter 2009? They hope that running back Larry Johnson can return to his old form, being able to control the game, allowing the play action package to open the field.

They also have to hope they can find ways to make big plays down the field since their best wideout, Dwayne Bowe, is not known for his blazing speed. Bowe’s longest reception last season was 36 yards, beating Gonzalez by one yard. Bowe must use his size and physical power to make plays, and in order to get down the field, he will need to rely on his ability to double-move corners.

How will Haley approach games to give his team the best chance to win? He will need a successful kicking game, making sure he can control vertical field position and give his offense a short field to generate points. This plan can work when your field-goal kicker is reliable outside of 40 yards, but Connor Barth only attempted two kicks the whole year over 40, making one and missing one. Only two—isn’t that just amazing?

Every bad team from a year ago will want to copy the Miami Dolphins’ formula for a quick turnover, but when you closely examine the Fins, you find they benefited from a pass rush—something the Chiefs haven’t seen in a while.

I WISH WE HAD DONE...

I like Clancy Pendergast as a person, I really do. But last year in Arizona, I felt he tried to be too complex and run too many schemes in his defense. This attempt to be overly creative resulted in too many mistakes, fundamentally unsound play, and too many big plays allowed.

Luckily for the Cards, their offense was able to overcome their poor defensive play.

Haley must keep a firm hand on the defense, and make sure they don't overdo the scheme and become a fundamentally sound team. He can’t give Pendergast, who followed him to K.C., a free hand to coach the defense. If he does, he’s going to wish he was more involved.

 

I AM GOING TO REMEMBER THIS ONE...

Starting Sept. 27, the Chiefs have a brutal stretch in their season, playing every NFC East team: Philadelphia on the road, then home for the Giants and Cowboys before finishing in Washington on Oct. 18. And I forgot to mention—the week after playing the ‘Skins, they’re home against the Chargers before getting their bye week.

Four of their first seven games are against playoff teams from a year ago, and four of them are against the NFC East.

Ouch.

I’m sure Haley is never going to forget that stretch.

THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR

The best thing about drafting defensive linemen is that they’re always better in their second year, so Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson should be at the top of their games, and the Chiefs should have a dominating defensive front.

Even though this team failed to get sacks last year, totaling just 10 the entire season (the next lowest team had 17), their defense has the potential to control games. If they can find a rusher, whether it’s Tamba Hali or someone else, it will make them a vastly improved defense.

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