Kansas City Chiefs’ Romeo Crennel proved worth in just three games
With the firing of Todd Haley as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs began a long and detailed search for a new coach that culminated with the hiring of Romeo Crennel.
Crennel had been inducted as the interim coach for the last three games that remained for the Chiefs to play amid bleak chances of reaching the playoffs.
Though the general manager Scott Pioli was looking forward to the playoffs and said there was “mathematically” a chance still available, yet elimination seemed imminent.
It was at this crucial stage that Crennel took over at 5-8, determined to win the next three games to make it to the playoffs. Crennel had formerly been a defensive coordinator for the Chiefs and had proved his calibre by transforming the Chiefs defence
into their biggest strength.
There could not have been a better beginning than the one that Crennel managed. A victory over the unbeaten Green Bay Packers had every one stunned and surprised. The chiefs’ team under Crennel looked a completely changed organization suddenly full of energy
and determination.
The 19-14 win over the Packers had been no easy task. The Chiefs recovered from five defeats in the past six games to make such a strong comeback. It was the courage and strength that Crennel showed on that day that had the Chiefs won the game.
"Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they're football players. They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous game." Crennel said.
It had seemed that the Chiefs would finally make it to the playoffs. However, all hopes ended as the Chiefs lost the next game to the Oakland Raiders. Even though it was a defeat, yet a lot of credit still goes to Crennel and the team for having staged a
close fight. The loss had come at 16-13 which was enough to be called a close encounter.
The Raiders had also been driven by the need to avenge their earlier 28-0 loss to the Chiefs in October. The game surely served to increase Crennel’s popular ratings rather than decrease them.
However, Crennel soon recovered. The next game with the Denver Broncos in the season’s finale saw the Chiefs coming out victorious once again and Crennel proved his worth that day.
Crennel deserved the credit for having led his team 2-1 in the last three games. This achievement came despite the fact that the Chiefs had lost key players like Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry to injury , thus making the achievement
even more commendable.
That made Crennel a better choice as compared to former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin who earlier were being considered for the head coach slot.
Pioli knew of the support Crennel enjoyed in the locker room.
"I know the respect Romeo commands in the locker room." Pioli said.
After two chief players Tamba Hali and Bill Muir came out to support Crennel as their future head coach, the ground was set for Crennel to take over.
It had taken just three games and not a whole season for Crennel to prove his worth and justify his role as the new head coach.
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