Ten Things About Today's Game

[gblowfish]

Ten Things About Today's Game

10. My night out in the freezing cold at Arrowhead last Sunday came back home to roost this week, as I've been battling the worst cold I've had in a long time. You know when you first feel it in the back of your throat on Monday, then your throat gets really sore on Tuesday, then by Thursday it starts to move down into your lungs? Well, I've hoping to get a little better by tomorrow as all weekend I've been a giant walking jar of Vapo-Rub. Cold medicine also tends to dull my senses and lower my IQ by several points, and I don't have that much brain matter to spare. This has been one of those soul crushing football weekends. First the Tigers get outclassed -again- in Atlanta and look like a JV team playing the Bama varsity. Then K-State gets pushed around in Waco -btw sorry Big 12 fans for getting seriously punked by the BCS, but that's what happens when you don't have a championship game- then today happens. The Chiefs season essentially ended today, as they'd have to run the table to even sniff the playoffs. They won't get by Pittsburgh, and they won't get by San Diego at home if the Chargers need that game to make the playoffs. I'm incredibly disappointed by the way this team has played over the past three games. Seems like after they beat Seattle, they just lost interest. One thing I've noticed is the Chiefs have been a great tonic for both New England and Seattle. Losing to the Chiefs woke both of those teams up, almost as if they were embarrassed to be beaten by a mediocre team. Well, mediocre is where we are headed. I figured this team would be 8-8 this year, and that's looking very possible right about now. And even if we did manage to get in the playoffs, we'd be on the road and get waxed again as a team pretending to be a contender. Just as well save the embarrassment.

9. The root problem over the last three games is that teams have successfully diagnosed the Chiefs offense, and how to stop Charles. Part of the equation is, one of the biggest things stopping Charles is Andy Reid. Today JC only got ten rushing opportunities. That was minimized slightly by an injury in the second quarter, but Charles was back the entire second half and was woefully under utilized. Teams have realized that if you stop Charles, you stop the Chiefs. They have no fear whatsoever of a vertical passing game, because we have no vertical passing game. We have the same Matt Casshole Duke of Dink offense except with a QB who's a bit more mobile. Since the safeties don't have to worry about a long ball, they can cheat up, and stop Charles on run support. Charles is not a big guy, but they keep running him between the tackles. As tough as he is -and he IS a tough guy- he's not built to be a thumper. You've got a guy perfectly capable of being a thumper in Knile Davis, and he's not getting any opportunity either. Davis got one rushing attempt for four yards, and caught three passes for three yards. Charles had 91 yards rushing with 63 coming on one play. Reid could run Marty Ball with the Sausage lead blocking for Davis, chew up clock and play ball control, but he just refuses to do that. Now its too late in the season to change the team's stripes. This is a dink and dunk offense with one terrific skill player doesn't get enough touches in games that matter. Plus, tough as that player is, he has a history of being injury prone. Charles' injuries have happened at incredibly inopportune times when he's needed the most. Just look at last years playoff game vs. Indy. If JC plays that entire game, we probably win. Injury is certainly not his fault, but great money players produce when the stakes are highest, and Charles hasn't been able to do that. And that's the truth.

8. There was a stat on the broadcast that said the Chiefs have gone 15 games without a wide out catching a TD, which is the worst lack of production for an NFL team by a wide receiving corps since 1940. Bowe made a nice play on a third and long.... and that was it for Mr. Bowe Show today. For the second week in a row he was out played by Jason Avant, a guy we just picked up off the street. I have no idea why Smith refuses to include Bowe in the offense. Maybe he doesn't trust his hands. Maybe Bowe can't get open. But damn, even a rookie nobody Albert Wilson out gained Bowe this game. Bowe needs to be cut or traded in the off season, or his contract seriously re-negotiated. He's not helping this team, and if Andy won't use him, then we might as well get somebody in here who's a hell of a lot cheaper. Then use that contract money on a free agent who can actually spread the field vertically.

7. Another stat on the broadcast said that KC is next to worst in the league for percentage of dropped passes by a receiving corps. So our receivers aren't doing Alex any favors. You can bitch as much as you want about the Kelce fumble. Was it a fumble? Probably not, but Kelce didn't help his own cause by spinning the football up in the air with his back on the ground. Hang on to the Goddamn football...and hand it to Mr. Official after the play. Kelce has had two bonehead plays in two weeks. His jerking off on National TV embarrassed the franchise and cost him a hefty fine last week, and this week he cost his team the playoffs by not securing the football on a critical drive. Pretty costly lesson to learn. As far as the call, I've been watching the NFL for years and years. One thing I am totally convinced of is, bad teams get bad calls... period. Arizona is undefeated at home. They're going to get close calls at home. KC is a middle of the pack team playing a road game against an NFC division winner. You're going to have to beat the Cardinals and beat the officiating. Same goes for the OPI penalty in the third quarter against Fasano. Bullshit call, and it leads to a 14 point swing. Chiefs aren't good enough to overcome adversity like that this year. They just don't have the character.

6. Our receivers aren't the only ones on this team that can't catch. Here we are, another week losing the turnover battle, because our defense can't get a pick off a second string QB who looked down receivers all day long. Mauga...doink. Gaines...doink. Smith...doink. All catchable balls, all dropped. The Chiefs have not been forcing turnovers, even with their vaunted pass rush. Hali has been useless. Houston had a couple sacks, but also missed several tackles leading to chunk runs by back up Arizona running backs. Another week goes by where the defense can't get a stop when they truly need it, folding up in the fourth quarter to let Arizona run the clock out.

5. Speaking of bad teams and bad character, Reid's feet should be held to the fire over the stupid amount of penalties today as well. Penalties in all phases, everybody was guilty today. Special teams holding kept putting KC in lousy starting position the entire second half. Penalties on offense for holding, or false start, killing drives over and over. Penalties on defense for roughing the passer. Nine total penalties for 75 yards, nearly twice the number of yards Arizona had in penalties. And the maddening thing is, in Reid's post game pressers after the last two games, the Chiefs has shown a disturbing trend of being penalized more than earlier in the year. The last two weeks he's said "We'll fix it, we'll work on it and fix it." Obviously it ain't fixed, and if they're working on fixing it, the players are not listening. It was painfully obvious today that this team has problems with focus.

4. Where the HELL is Dee Ford??? Why did we draft him again? Look, if this year is essentially over, then play the guy, and let's see what we've got. If he can't play, then fine. At least we'll know that going in to next year. But the season is now in December, and the dude is a ghost. They played Albert Wilson some today, and he may have a future as a number three or four guy. At least they'll get a decent evaluation of him going into next year.

3. I don't think Donald Stephenson will be living here next year. Seems like he's gone from being a reliable player to a pile of crap in one short year. If we finish 8-8 or 9-7, which is where I think we're headed - we'll draft in the middle of the pack, and they'll probably take another offensive lineman. Alex has been running for his life all year long, and we've been lucky he hasn't been injured. Chiefs gave up five sacks, and Alex had to run out of trouble four other times today. With no vertical passing game and with a patchwork line, teams can blitz like crazy on obvious passing downs. KC passed for 13 first downs, but were zero for two on fourth down. Not converting on 4th and 4 in Arizona territory in the second half changed the game's momentum. KC was shut out in the second half. You're not going to win many games only scoring 14 points, that's for sure. Arizona's defense stepped up and got a pick and a fumble at critical moments, and the Chiefs did nothing on defense to match that.

2. KC's final gasp offensive series was ugly and embarrassing. Reid's lack of clock management skill is staggeringly bad. That whole play sequence was unbelievable. The only chance KC had of getting in field goal range for a tying shot was throwing long, hoping to either hit on a pass or get a DPI. Instead it was all dink and dunk, and all in the middle of the field with NO TIME OUTS! Just brutal, and they deserved to lose with play calls like that. I heard a stat during the week that 50 different QBs in the NFL have passed for 300 yards in a game since the last time Alex Smith had a 300 yard game. That's a sobering stat. Smith threw for 293 today. So his streak continues.

1. The Raiders managed to beat the Niners today, so they come in on a positive after getting shellacked by St. Louis last week. Andy Reid does not have a good record versus the AFC West. So far, he is 3-7 vs. the division, and the only AFC West team he's beaten in Arrowhead was the Raiders, last year. He has to do a better job winning in division at home. Hopefully that will start next week. I guess you never know what could happen, but today's loss was most likely the fork in the season.

KC Star's game pictures are here:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...le4327287.html

[TLO]

First.

[MMXcalibur]

I stopped caring after the game.
I turned it off and went to go spend time with family.

If you have the option next week, I recommend you do that instead of watching this team of professionals try and stretch their dicks long enough to **** themselves.

[MMXcalibur]

...and solid post as usual, George.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Eh.. Whatever.

[Easy 6]

11. we suck, just flat out suck and start showing our suck right around the same time every single year.

[SAUTO]

**** these guys

[Snapplez]

Dee Ford played today. He was rushing in place of Houston on a couple plays where they dropped the best pass rusher in the NFL into coverage

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by KCtotheSB

I stopped caring after the game.
I turned it off and went to go spend time with family.

If you have the option next week, I recommend you do that instead of watching this team of professionals try and stretch their dicks long enough to **** themselves.

This. I'm not gonna let the Chiefs ruin my Christmas season. **** them.

[Reerun_KC]

eh....

Season ended 3 weeks ago.. Just a formality now...

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Snapplez

Dee Ford played today. He was rushing in place of Houston on a couple plays where they dropped the best pass rusher in the NFL into coverage

Slutton is ****ing garbage... Just sick of his jank ass defense...

[TribalElder]

IN

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Slutton is ****ing garbage... Just sick of his jank ass defense...

[DJJasonp]

Good read.

The name on the back of the jersey changes, but the QB essentially remains the same (SINCE 2004....or whenever Green left).

We could have had Kelvin Benjamin (I know....like it matters with a crap o-line and the duke of dink).....but still...

Reid got this team to overachieve in the middle of the season......especially with all the injuries, so kudos to him - but this organization's reluctance to address the gaping holes in the o-line and WR positions is unforgivable.

Don't even get me started on the officiating. Combine the chiefs organization's bad decisions - and the NFL's pansy-rules - the product has become unwatchable for me.

[ping2000]

Too long. Chiefs suck 1-10.