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Exactly what they are doing.
The team has improved vastly from week 1 to week 9.
The Chiefs were in teh game the last 2 weeks. The run D played better barring 2 big ones that got away. The QB play is getting better. The O-Line is actually starting to gel. (Read: Albert looks good for a rookie, and McIntosh doesn't make the Baby Jesus cry on the other side). I'm very excited about what i see from all 3 Brandons. Cottam looks like he can both block and catch.

The team is starting to come together. They just need to keep playing together as a unit. This many rookies need time to develop. Everyone should have known the 1st 1/2 of the season was gonna be U.G.L.Y. The big hope was to see improvement and a team that could be competative by the 9th week turn. --- I'd say they are right on pace.

There is no quick fix. Only play time will develop the rookies.
Going forward -- Player accuasitions. --
QB (maybe Thigpen can be the guy, maybe not--we need a QB either way)
MLB -- a position we badly need to fill
WR - someone besides Bowe has to be a threat
RB -- a bruiser to replace LJ (its time to trade him for whatever we can get)
ORG -- Move Herb Taylor to ORT and get a quality guard to put next to him
RDE -- Hali is back where he belongs. McBride has shown some flashes, but we need a true dominate pass rusher that can split time, allowing McBride to move back and forth from R to L --a 3 person rotation at DE.

first thing - dump H. Edwards - he has padded his won loss record on the teams of other coaches, current 53-72 - minus first year with each org. (34 - 59)

NYJ - 39-41 - 1st yr with NYJ 10-6 --- '02-'05 - 29-35
KC - 14-31 - 1st yr with KC 9-7 --- '06-'08 - 5-24

Petersen going is a good start - Herm's next - that's a must. He's aweful - pack-up his silly act and take it where it belongs - coaching college or high school.
I think they need to bring in Pioli from NE - he's a big reason for the long-term success up here (NE). McDaniels will be a hot commidity, and I might consider him if I was signing Cassel also. Otherwise, have Pioli work to bring in a good coach, draft a QB and spend the rest on helping that horrendous defense. They are horrible.
1. Fix management and coaching - learn to finish
2. Fix the lines - defensive line is particul
3. Get a big-time QB - whether it a FA signing (Cassel) or via the draft (Bradford, et al) - but I don't think Thigpen is the long-term answer. He's making it interesting because of his running, but I think most teams win with pocket passers who don't make a lot of mistakes. not QBs who's strength is running the ball.
4. See what, if anything you can get for LJ - Oakland has a history of wanting loser thugs regardless of how overstocked they already are at a position - if they can get a first round pick for him take it. If they can get the o-line in good enough shape, Charles and another RB will be fine.
These are critical years coming up. They have some young talent, but if they don't start to improve in the next couple years, that "young talent" will just be more KC draft busts.

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 05:46 PM ET  12.21 by Broker1

1. Fix management and coaching - learn to

Um... Managers don't finish... The players do, and they will with all the playing time they had this season. Herm is doing the right things, and he should be back next year. The rebuilding is happening on a good schedule, and you can't let the win/loss record sway the way you do it. If the defense can improve and with the addition of a couple key FA's (T. Suggs) the team will be much improved. I think Thigpen is a good QB for now, but a vet coming in to compete with him might be the competition he needs to rise up, or show if he's not the guy. Brodie is done.

I'm going to be a voice of dissention here, but I don't think it's time to get rid of Herm Edwards yet. (ok ok, stop the boos... I did say "yet")
Herm Edwards is a coach of boundless energy and upbeat attitude. He's done this exact thing before (rebuilding a team from ground up) back in Tampa Bay. He does know what it takes to rebuild an aging collapsing tower of 1000 year old stones.
Herm is (gulp) good for the team in a rebuilding stage. He managed to get Carl Peterson to do the one thing that Carl Peterson absolutely refused to do --- Wipe the board clean and start over. It took 2 years and Lamar Hunt's death, but Carl finally let Edwards do what he wanted to do from day 1; Scrap it and build it new.
Hiring a GM that players and agents are willing to even talk to (Pioli or Polini would be good choises) has to be the number one priority. If that GM wants to dump Herm and hire a new coach I would not cry crocodile tears because I don't think Edwards is the long term answer for a year in-year out winning franchise. His game / time management skills leave a lot to be desired; and thank god he's not calling the offensive plays anymore.
That being said, I would not go out of my to dump Edwards before you know what direction a new GM wants to go. Let that decision fall to Clark and the new GM. At this exact moment Herm Edwards is still good for the team during the rebuilding mode. Cower isn't going to return to coaching this year, neither is Mike Holmgren, or Marty Schottenheimer. They all want to wait 1 more year before swooping in to save a franchise. --- I'm ok with waiting for a "Cower" while we let Edwards train the 7+ new draft choises for 1 more season.
If I had to make a choice between Gunther Cunningham or Herman Edwards returning next season I'd take Herman Edwards every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
New GM, New D-Coordinator, New Draft Picks, Veteran FA's to fill the holes...... and let the chips fall where they may on Herman Edwards.