GRETZ: Super Bowl XXIX: Lessons for the Chiefs

Feb 07, 2005, 7:13:39 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ

JACKSONVILLE – There was a scene at the end of the New England Patriots victory in Super Bowl 39 Sunday night that gave hope to the Chiefs and the rest of the National Football League.

There were nine seconds to play and the game’s outcome was no longer in doubt. Donovan McNabb had thrown another interception, the Patriots had the ball and there was nothing the Eagles could do. A third Super Bowl in four years was moments away from completion for Bill Belichick and his team.

The celebration was already underway on the New England sideline when Belichick grabbed offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and pulled them together in a giant bear hug of emotion. These guys were the brains behind the operation that has dominated the league.

The key word in that last sentence was “were” because as you read this today, there are chunks being taken out of the Patriots dynasty. Weis is already headed off to Notre Dame, where he’s been named the head coach of the Fighting Irish. Crennel will be named today, maybe tomorrow, as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Those defections may be the only things that can tip the balance of power — especially in the AFC — back to a more level playing field. Belichick is going to have to rebuild his coaching staff. What was once so solid is now in question. A well-prepared guy like Belichick has probably had his eye on possible replacements for some time. But it won’t be the same; Weis and Crennel have been with Belichick for years.

That’s good news for the Chiefs and the rest of the conference. It means there’s a chance the Patriots may come back to them.

Now, the Chiefs chances of taking advantage of potential problems in the Patriots kingdom will depend on many things, but most importantly it settles on whether they can make themselves a balanced team, like the one that Belichick, Weis and Crennel have built.

Super Bowl 39 reconfirmed that championships are won with defense. Strong special teams, a balanced offense that can put points on the board and a defense that can make the other offense look inept: that’s the championship recipe.

That’s what the Patriots have done. Their victory over Philadelphia was a classic New England performance. It was not a game that will be remembered years from now. There were no plays that will rank among the greatest in Super Bowl history. No one individual player really stood out, although Deion Branch was voted the game’s MVP thanks to his record-night catching the football. The award just as easily could have gone to Tom Brady, who again showed he’s the game’s No. 1 clutch quarterback.

The Patriots won despite their season-long problems in the secondary that only got worse when safety Eugene Wilson left the game in the first half with an injury. That forced rookie Dexter Reid onto the field. The Eagles were not able to take advantage of Wilson’s absence until that last minute of the game, when they were able to beat the inexperienced safety for a late touchdown.

New England won by three points. They got the job done. It was a solid, workmen-like effort, one crafted by Belichick, Weis and Crennel.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.

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A former beat reporter who covered the Pittsburgh Steelers during their glory years, Gretz covered the Chiefs for the Kansas City Star for nine years. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Board of Selectors. He has been the senior columnist for the Chiefs web site since its inception.