I have often said I love how Herm Edwards coaches the game. It doesn’t matter if his team is in or out of the play-offs, he coaches to win. We can all remember the “You play to win the game” rant he directed at the New York media.

But it seems he may not be “play(ing) to win the game” in Kansas City.

He started the season off by starting a young unproven quarterback in Brodie Croyle. I think we can all understand that. The Chiefs had invested a lot in Croyle and needed to know if he was going to be “the man” going forward.

This despite the fact that Damon Huard was the better man for the job if you believe the evidence from the 2007 season.

But Huard is a journeyman. A career backup. In his eleven previous seasons he had never started more than 10 games. Still if you look at his 18 starts as a Chief, you have to wonder if they have anyone better.

In 2006, Huard stated eight games. He had a 5-3 record and a 98.0 quarterback rating (QBR). Trent Green started the other eight games and went 4-4.

In 2007, the Chiefs said “Adios” to Green and installed Huard as the starter with 2nd year player Croyle as the backup and heir apparent. Huard started the first nine games before suffering an injury that let Croyle get some playing time. Huard was 4-5 when he went down. He would return for one more start (he lost) and one “bail-out” game. Croyle was 0-6 as a starter.

Fast forward to 2008 and Croyle beats out Huard in training camp. Or at least he was given the job. He is 11-19 for 88 yards when he goes down against the Patriots. Up steps Huard who puts the Chiefs in position to try and win the game with an 8-12 performance where he threw for 118 yards, a score and a pick.

In week two he gets the nod but is pulled early. Huard attempted just four passes of which he completed two (one was picked). That was enough for Edwards. He brings in Tyler Thigpen. Thigpen responds with a 14-33 performance. He had 151 yards with a TD and a pick in the loss. So this week Edwards says, “We’re trying to win with Tyler. The thing we’re losing sight of is that if Tyler struggles, Damon Huard can come in and play.”

If Tyler struggles, Damon Huard can come in and play? Really?

Please define for me what you see as struggling Coach Edwards. Because I think when your team is down 24-7 at half, someone is struggling. But maybe it wasn’t Thigpen. Let’s check okay?

In his first three series, Thigpen was sacked once (his first play from scrimmage — what a sign of things to come), zero for five passing, and led the team to three straight three and outs.

He didn’t complete a pass until his fifth series — and it lost a yard. By the end of his sixth series Thigpen was 1-10 for minus one yard with a pick. Kansas City had five three and outs and one turnover on a third down pass.

Is that enough struggling? Remember, Huard was pulled after going 2-4 with a pick. But for Thigpen, apparently not.

In his next series, Thigpen completed two of three passes. One to a teammate and one to an opponent. So after seven series, Thigpen was 2-13 for 12 yards and two picks. And he was still playing. So much for Huard coming in if Thigpen struggles.

I’ve got to give the kid some credit. He didn’t fold like a wet blanket. He finished the game 14-36 (12-23) for 128 yards and one TD. He had one more pick to give him three for the day. He was sacked twice and fumbled once (though I believe a teammate recovered it).

Clearly the kid struggled and just as clearly Coach Edwards had no intention of pulling him.

Astute fantasy owners have long realized Herm Edwards is the kiss of death to the fantasy prospects of his players. But I can’t even justify his coaching from an NFL perspective any longer because it seems his one great quality — You play to win the game — no longer applies.

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Tags: Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, Herm Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Tyler Thigpen