The Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) drove down 1-70 and put a beating on the St. Louis Rams (6-8) to keep their playoff dreams alive and well. Kansas City won the Govenors Cup and are still undefeated against the Rams in St Louis.
Matt Cassel is now a living legend. Cassel showed his worth on Sunday and to the Chiefs that worth is priceless. Cassel completed 15-29 passes for 184 yards. He threw a TD and an INT. Pretty? No. But Cassels performance showed the organization, his teammates and the fans how much he is invested in this team and how badly he wants to win. He is a Chief and, by all accounts, proud of it.
Running game found its footing. A week after being held to 48 yards rushing against San Diego. The Chiefs got physical and looked like the NFL's leading rushing team. The Chiefs rang up 210 yards on 42 carries for a 5.0 yards average. Charles continues to prove he's the most explosive back in the league as he gained 126 yards on 11 carries. This is becoming routine as he's been carving up defenses this way all year. Jones had 62 yards, Cassel had 17 and Battle chipped in 9. If the Chiefs continue to do this they will be playing well into January.
Defense clamped down. The Defense needed a consistent game to build off of and Sunday was the perfect starting point. The Rams couldn't find a rhythm in the air or on the ground. The Chiefs were all over the field, harrassing Bradford into completing just 21-43 passes for 181 yards and 2 INT's. Gilberry came up with 3 sacks, but the whole Chiefs defense bottled up the rookie and forced errant throws that the secondary continually batted to the turf. Up front the Rams had zero running lanes as Pro Bowler Steven Jackson was held to 67 yards on 19 carries. This is the type of team effort the Chiefs need going forward.
The Chiefs control their own destiny which is where a team wants to be this time of year. There are only 2 games left and both are at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs need to build off this game and continue to pound the ball and play hard-nosed, smart football. This is not a team anyone wants to see in the playoffs.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Chiefs VS St. Louis Pre Game
The Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) travel to St Louis to take on the Rams in a battle for The Govenors Cup. Surprisingly, The Chiefs lead the AFC West and the Rams are tied with Seattle for the lead in the weak NFC West. Neither team was expected to be serious threats in the respective divisions, yet both teams enter this game hoping to increase their chances of a playoff berth.
Cassels leadership showed more with him sidelined. Nobody thought Cassel was the teams MVP at the beggining of the year, but thats exactly what he is. With Cassel sidelined last week the Chiefs looked hopeless and the offense was stuck in mud. Cassel is engine to this offene. He's fifth in the NFL in passer rating and that undermines his value to this club. With Cassel back the Chiefs can atleast expect more than 67 yards of total offense.
Chiefs need stars to shine. Charels and Bowe played terrible last week. No other way to say it. Big games are when a team needs its best players to shine and these two stars fell out of the sky. In order for the Chiefs to bounce back these two need to carve up a St. Louis defense thats giving up 123 yards rushing per game and allowing 230 yards passing. The key will be to strike early on offense as the Rams birght spot is holding offenses to 33% conversions on third downs.
Defense needs to dig in and earn a reputation. Right now the Chiefs defense is solid, not great, in any one area. Some weeks the run defense is good and the pass defense is shaky and vise versa other weeks. The Chiefs need to put their heels in the ground and keep the plays in front of them. No big plays, limit yards after contact and force the Rams to settle. Forget turnovers, the Chiefs need to limit yards.
These games are what they wanted, no they have to finish what they started. The Chiefs haven't played meaningful December football in a long time. Well, these last 3 games are as important for the franchise as anything in recent years could be. Win and your in the playoffs and your rebuilding job is a dashing success. Lose and have questions arise about where the team is headed. This is where good teams start to prove their metal.
Scoring shouldnt be a problem for either team. The Rams and Chiefs are light years ahead of where they were projected to be and both have key pieces in place on offense and defense. The Chiefs, at this point, are better overall so look for them to get the stops they need when they need them. It's not ging to be pretty but the Chiefs get the win 27-24 in a game that comes down to the wire.
Cassels leadership showed more with him sidelined. Nobody thought Cassel was the teams MVP at the beggining of the year, but thats exactly what he is. With Cassel sidelined last week the Chiefs looked hopeless and the offense was stuck in mud. Cassel is engine to this offene. He's fifth in the NFL in passer rating and that undermines his value to this club. With Cassel back the Chiefs can atleast expect more than 67 yards of total offense.
Chiefs need stars to shine. Charels and Bowe played terrible last week. No other way to say it. Big games are when a team needs its best players to shine and these two stars fell out of the sky. In order for the Chiefs to bounce back these two need to carve up a St. Louis defense thats giving up 123 yards rushing per game and allowing 230 yards passing. The key will be to strike early on offense as the Rams birght spot is holding offenses to 33% conversions on third downs.
Defense needs to dig in and earn a reputation. Right now the Chiefs defense is solid, not great, in any one area. Some weeks the run defense is good and the pass defense is shaky and vise versa other weeks. The Chiefs need to put their heels in the ground and keep the plays in front of them. No big plays, limit yards after contact and force the Rams to settle. Forget turnovers, the Chiefs need to limit yards.
These games are what they wanted, no they have to finish what they started. The Chiefs haven't played meaningful December football in a long time. Well, these last 3 games are as important for the franchise as anything in recent years could be. Win and your in the playoffs and your rebuilding job is a dashing success. Lose and have questions arise about where the team is headed. This is where good teams start to prove their metal.
Scoring shouldnt be a problem for either team. The Rams and Chiefs are light years ahead of where they were projected to be and both have key pieces in place on offense and defense. The Chiefs, at this point, are better overall so look for them to get the stops they need when they need them. It's not ging to be pretty but the Chiefs get the win 27-24 in a game that comes down to the wire.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Chiefs VS Chargers Pre Game
The Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) host the San Diego Chargers (6-6) Sunday in a game between the current landlord of the Division and the new kids on the block. The Charger have won the division the last 4 years and they have no desire to give up their property without a fight. The Chiefs will fight, and fight to kill as they feel it is their time to take over leasing rights.
Jamaal Charles runs for pay check and pay dirt. Jamaal leads the NFL with a 6.2 yards per carry average. He is 3rd in rushing yards behind newby Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew. I cant beat this horse enough and I dont care what the Chargers defense is ranked. Give this guy the ball... A LOT! Hand it to him, pass it to him hell let him return kickoffs and punts. He needs to be a MAJOR factor today and that only happens if the coaches game plan that way. The Chiefs will.
Croyle is 0-9 but even Ryan Leaf has an NFL win. You know what that means? It can happen. As long as Brodie plays within his means, doesn't force anything and gives the ball to the best running back tandem in the league he wont hurt us and dont be surprised if his cannon arm gets unleashed on more than one occassion.
Seconday cant be second to anybody today. The Chargers are a vertical passing team and Rivers is having an MVP type of season. The key for the Chiefs is for Flowers and Carr to stay with their guys long enough for the pass rush to get their. It worked for Oakland, generating 4 sacks and a boat load of hurries, and allowed them to fluster Rivers. The Chiefs can and should be able to get pressure even in their dime packages with Arenas providing an additional rusher. The secondary is the key to the game.
Special teams need a special moment. It happened in the home opener and it could happen again. The Chargers special teams unit has been suspect and the Chiefs have 2 guys who can take it to the house every time they touch the ball. The Chiefs are going to need to win the feild position battle on the road in this pivitol game. McCluster gets the ball up feild quickly and Arenas explodes through mouse holes. 1 of them needs to make a big play.
My guess is the Chargers come out pumped and ready to take the division, but to many drive killing mental mistakes happen due to the extra addrenaline and the Chiefs hang around just enough for Brodie to get comfortable and the plays the Chiefs need to make they make and pull out the biggest win of the new era. The game should have plenty of highlights, big hits and momentum swings and the Chiefs pull it out on the road for their 9th win of the year. 31-24 Chiefs.
Jamaal Charles runs for pay check and pay dirt. Jamaal leads the NFL with a 6.2 yards per carry average. He is 3rd in rushing yards behind newby Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew. I cant beat this horse enough and I dont care what the Chargers defense is ranked. Give this guy the ball... A LOT! Hand it to him, pass it to him hell let him return kickoffs and punts. He needs to be a MAJOR factor today and that only happens if the coaches game plan that way. The Chiefs will.
Croyle is 0-9 but even Ryan Leaf has an NFL win. You know what that means? It can happen. As long as Brodie plays within his means, doesn't force anything and gives the ball to the best running back tandem in the league he wont hurt us and dont be surprised if his cannon arm gets unleashed on more than one occassion.
Seconday cant be second to anybody today. The Chargers are a vertical passing team and Rivers is having an MVP type of season. The key for the Chiefs is for Flowers and Carr to stay with their guys long enough for the pass rush to get their. It worked for Oakland, generating 4 sacks and a boat load of hurries, and allowed them to fluster Rivers. The Chiefs can and should be able to get pressure even in their dime packages with Arenas providing an additional rusher. The secondary is the key to the game.
Special teams need a special moment. It happened in the home opener and it could happen again. The Chargers special teams unit has been suspect and the Chiefs have 2 guys who can take it to the house every time they touch the ball. The Chiefs are going to need to win the feild position battle on the road in this pivitol game. McCluster gets the ball up feild quickly and Arenas explodes through mouse holes. 1 of them needs to make a big play.
My guess is the Chargers come out pumped and ready to take the division, but to many drive killing mental mistakes happen due to the extra addrenaline and the Chiefs hang around just enough for Brodie to get comfortable and the plays the Chiefs need to make they make and pull out the biggest win of the new era. The game should have plenty of highlights, big hits and momentum swings and the Chiefs pull it out on the road for their 9th win of the year. 31-24 Chiefs.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Chiefs VS Broncos Post Game
The Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) defeated the Denver Broncos (3-9) 10-6 in a sloppy game at Arrowhead Stadium. The win avenged an earlier loss against Denver and gave the Chiefs a 2 game lead in the dividion with only 4 to play.
Bowe's show was put on hold. Dwayne Bowe came into the game with a record 7 straight games with a TD catch and had been playing lights out football for the Chiefs. Well not only did he not catch a TD, he didnt catch a ball. Champ Bailey did a great job on Bowe and no doubt he was bracketed by safties, but Bowe needs to atleast show up in the box score. Dont expect this to become a trend, Bowe has a lot to prove this year and wont let 1 game derail his goals.
Chiefs Secondary outplays Broncos passing attack. The Broncos are primarily a passing offense. Orton does a great job getting the ball out quickly and his recievers make plays. Sunday that was all thrown out the window. Orton was held to 9-28 (32.1%) for 117 yards. Thats a 46.3 QB rating for a guy who boasts a 93.0 rating on the year. The Chiefs secondary was all over the feild and showed it can be a huge differense maker down the stretch.
Charles gaining more yards with more reps. Over the last few games the Chiefs game planning has Charles carrying the rock more then Jones and its been paying dividens in the W L collums. Charles gained 116 yards on 21 carries while the Chiefs as a whole ran for 185 yards. Charles getting the bulk of the carries is the winning formula the Chiefs need to stick with down the stretch as Charles is boasting a 6.2 yards per carry average.
Haley went soft. Haley is a rough and tough coach and KC is better because of it. Sunday after the bell he chose to do the politically correct thing and give McDaniels a hug. Sure its good sportsmanship and the right thing to do, but a hug? Come on Haley, you cant get soft on KC fans now.
Kansas City has a huge matchup with San Diego next week. Win that game and the Chargers are eliminated for contention. Lose and the Division crown likely comes down to the final regular season game against Oakland. Get ready for a slobber knocker ladies and gentleman.
Bowe's show was put on hold. Dwayne Bowe came into the game with a record 7 straight games with a TD catch and had been playing lights out football for the Chiefs. Well not only did he not catch a TD, he didnt catch a ball. Champ Bailey did a great job on Bowe and no doubt he was bracketed by safties, but Bowe needs to atleast show up in the box score. Dont expect this to become a trend, Bowe has a lot to prove this year and wont let 1 game derail his goals.
Chiefs Secondary outplays Broncos passing attack. The Broncos are primarily a passing offense. Orton does a great job getting the ball out quickly and his recievers make plays. Sunday that was all thrown out the window. Orton was held to 9-28 (32.1%) for 117 yards. Thats a 46.3 QB rating for a guy who boasts a 93.0 rating on the year. The Chiefs secondary was all over the feild and showed it can be a huge differense maker down the stretch.
Charles gaining more yards with more reps. Over the last few games the Chiefs game planning has Charles carrying the rock more then Jones and its been paying dividens in the W L collums. Charles gained 116 yards on 21 carries while the Chiefs as a whole ran for 185 yards. Charles getting the bulk of the carries is the winning formula the Chiefs need to stick with down the stretch as Charles is boasting a 6.2 yards per carry average.
Haley went soft. Haley is a rough and tough coach and KC is better because of it. Sunday after the bell he chose to do the politically correct thing and give McDaniels a hug. Sure its good sportsmanship and the right thing to do, but a hug? Come on Haley, you cant get soft on KC fans now.
Kansas City has a huge matchup with San Diego next week. Win that game and the Chargers are eliminated for contention. Lose and the Division crown likely comes down to the final regular season game against Oakland. Get ready for a slobber knocker ladies and gentleman.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Chiefs VS Seattle Post Game
WOW!
The Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) went to Qwest Field to face the Seattle Seahawks (5-6) and won their second road game of the year 42-24. The Chiefs needed to win this game and they did so with a dominating performance.
MMA isn't the only place the ground and pound takes place. The Chiefs #1 rushing attack was at it again, running the ball 48 times for 270 yards. That's a blistering 5.6 yards per rush average! Compare that to 20 yards on 12 carries (1.7 yards per rush) Seattle managed to eke out and you can see the Chiefs dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Jamal Charles is more than a speed back, he is the total package. Running behind an offensive line missing its best player in Brandon Albert, the Chiefs RB made it look elementary. He had 22 Carries for 173 yards (7.9 yards per rush) and a touchdown. He is definitely one of the best RB in the league and topped a thousand yards with 5 games to go.
Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe have taken their games to an elite level. No other QB WR tandem in the NFL is playing a this high of a level. Cassel completed 22 of 33 pass attempts for 233 yards and 4 TD. Bowe caught 13 passes (tying his record set 2 weeks ago) for 170 yards and 3 TD. If these guys continue to play like this the Chiefs will continue their assault on defenses well into the playoffs. Its amazing that these two players were written off at the beginning of the year.
The Chiefs defense is peeking when it matters most. The Defense, led by Derrick Johnson (6 tackles, 1 sack), came to play in this game. They had 2 INT and a Fumble Recovery and harassed the Seahawks play makers all day long. This was a statement game for this unit and it showed they can be a force down the stretch.
The 1 area that raised some eyebrows was the not so special special teams unit. They Allowed a FG to be blocked and a punt block that led to a score. If they clean up this mess there isn't a whole lot other teams can look forward to when they play the Chiefs.
Overall this game can give this team a lot to be proud of. They controlled the clock (41.03 - 18.57), were efficient on offense and made plays on defense. They went on the road in November and beat a team leading their division. Statement game? No, the Chiefs just did what we are starting to expect from them.
The Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) went to Qwest Field to face the Seattle Seahawks (5-6) and won their second road game of the year 42-24. The Chiefs needed to win this game and they did so with a dominating performance.
MMA isn't the only place the ground and pound takes place. The Chiefs #1 rushing attack was at it again, running the ball 48 times for 270 yards. That's a blistering 5.6 yards per rush average! Compare that to 20 yards on 12 carries (1.7 yards per rush) Seattle managed to eke out and you can see the Chiefs dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Jamal Charles is more than a speed back, he is the total package. Running behind an offensive line missing its best player in Brandon Albert, the Chiefs RB made it look elementary. He had 22 Carries for 173 yards (7.9 yards per rush) and a touchdown. He is definitely one of the best RB in the league and topped a thousand yards with 5 games to go.
Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe have taken their games to an elite level. No other QB WR tandem in the NFL is playing a this high of a level. Cassel completed 22 of 33 pass attempts for 233 yards and 4 TD. Bowe caught 13 passes (tying his record set 2 weeks ago) for 170 yards and 3 TD. If these guys continue to play like this the Chiefs will continue their assault on defenses well into the playoffs. Its amazing that these two players were written off at the beginning of the year.
The Chiefs defense is peeking when it matters most. The Defense, led by Derrick Johnson (6 tackles, 1 sack), came to play in this game. They had 2 INT and a Fumble Recovery and harassed the Seahawks play makers all day long. This was a statement game for this unit and it showed they can be a force down the stretch.
The 1 area that raised some eyebrows was the not so special special teams unit. They Allowed a FG to be blocked and a punt block that led to a score. If they clean up this mess there isn't a whole lot other teams can look forward to when they play the Chiefs.
Overall this game can give this team a lot to be proud of. They controlled the clock (41.03 - 18.57), were efficient on offense and made plays on defense. They went on the road in November and beat a team leading their division. Statement game? No, the Chiefs just did what we are starting to expect from them.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Chiefs VS Seattle
The Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) are clinging to a 1 game lead in the AFC West and a victory against the NFC West leading Seattle Seahawks (5-5) can put a halt to the 4 game road losing streak they currently possess.
The Chiefs need to win this game - The schedule is not going to change and the Chiefs play 3 of their next 4 on the road. In order to be a good team you have to win in November and December. These next 6 games will make or break the Chiefs 2010 season.
Advantage - The Chiefs lead the league in rushing yards per game so statistically they have an advantage every game. They need to pound on Seattle with Jones then run by them with Charles. If the Chiefs win the battle in the tranches and control the line of scrimmage they will have a great shot at winning the game.
Mistake free football - The Chiefs lead the NFL with only 7 turnovers all year and they are one of the least penalized teams. The Oakland game showed us what happens when the Chiefs leave their composure at home. If they take care of the ball and play smart, penalty free football they'll control the game.
Game clock is crucial - Controlling the ball is a goal of every NFL team. They want their offense to score, but also to hold the ball and keep the pressure on the other teams defense. On the road it is crucial to win the game clock battle by running the ball well on offense and forcing 3 and outs on defense. How the Chiefs defense plays will determine how the offense will attack Seattle.
Prediction - My game ball is going to our running backs. Jones and Charles will eat up the clock, run for over 200 yards and allow us to leave Qwest Field with a victory. The Chiefs win the game 27-13.
The Chiefs need to win this game - The schedule is not going to change and the Chiefs play 3 of their next 4 on the road. In order to be a good team you have to win in November and December. These next 6 games will make or break the Chiefs 2010 season.
Advantage - The Chiefs lead the league in rushing yards per game so statistically they have an advantage every game. They need to pound on Seattle with Jones then run by them with Charles. If the Chiefs win the battle in the tranches and control the line of scrimmage they will have a great shot at winning the game.
Mistake free football - The Chiefs lead the NFL with only 7 turnovers all year and they are one of the least penalized teams. The Oakland game showed us what happens when the Chiefs leave their composure at home. If they take care of the ball and play smart, penalty free football they'll control the game.
Game clock is crucial - Controlling the ball is a goal of every NFL team. They want their offense to score, but also to hold the ball and keep the pressure on the other teams defense. On the road it is crucial to win the game clock battle by running the ball well on offense and forcing 3 and outs on defense. How the Chiefs defense plays will determine how the offense will attack Seattle.
Prediction - My game ball is going to our running backs. Jones and Charles will eat up the clock, run for over 200 yards and allow us to leave Qwest Field with a victory. The Chiefs win the game 27-13.
Chiefs Earning Recognition
Individual accolades are a byproduct of team success. If the team is winning then the players generally get recognized. The Chiefs are finally winning and some players are having Pro Bowl caliber seasons.
I'll give you 4 for offense and 4 for defense.
Offense
QB Matt Cassel - He knows his role, but he's setting a new standard for the "game managing" quarterback. He has 18 TD to just 4 INT. His 96.2 QB Rating is 7th in the league and ahead of notable QB's Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. He's playing his best football down the stretch.
RB Jamal Charles - Every run is a big run for this RB. He's 7th in the league in rushing yds with 848 and he has done it on 139 carries. That's less than anyone in the top 20. His 6.1 Avg is "maddenesque".
WR Dwayne Bowe - D Bowe is "THE SHOW". Leads the league with 11 TDs and at least 1 in the past 6 games. Really coming on strong since "the drop" against Indianapolis. Looks to be hitting his stride at the right time and has become Cassels favorite target.
LT Brandon Albert - This giant, nimble footed LT has really held his own against some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. A big reason the Chiefs lead the league in rushing yards and fewest sacks allowed.
Defense
OLB Tamba Hali - Hes tied for 6th in the NFL with 8 sacks and even that doesn't tell the whole story. He is relentless off the edge against the pass and rush. Teams game plan away from him and still cant avoid him. His pass coverage has also improved dramatically.
CB Brandon Flowers - Becoming one of the premier corners in the league. Shuts down top receivers and makes ferocious tackles at the line of scrimmage. Game changing talent.
ILB Derrick Johnson - His nose for the ball is impressive. He's a true sideline to sideline tackler and when he hits you you stop moving. Deserving of the 5 year contract extension he signed recently.
DT Glen Dorsey - This mammoth of a DT is playing up to his paycheck. He is making plays vs the run and constantly getting pressure on the QB. The Pro Bowl needs to see the "Gorilla Dance".
Check back at the end of the year to see which Chiefs players get the recognition the crave and a complete breakdown of the Pro Bowl Roster.
I'll give you 4 for offense and 4 for defense.
Offense
QB Matt Cassel - He knows his role, but he's setting a new standard for the "game managing" quarterback. He has 18 TD to just 4 INT. His 96.2 QB Rating is 7th in the league and ahead of notable QB's Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. He's playing his best football down the stretch.
RB Jamal Charles - Every run is a big run for this RB. He's 7th in the league in rushing yds with 848 and he has done it on 139 carries. That's less than anyone in the top 20. His 6.1 Avg is "maddenesque".
WR Dwayne Bowe - D Bowe is "THE SHOW". Leads the league with 11 TDs and at least 1 in the past 6 games. Really coming on strong since "the drop" against Indianapolis. Looks to be hitting his stride at the right time and has become Cassels favorite target.
LT Brandon Albert - This giant, nimble footed LT has really held his own against some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. A big reason the Chiefs lead the league in rushing yards and fewest sacks allowed.
Defense
OLB Tamba Hali - Hes tied for 6th in the NFL with 8 sacks and even that doesn't tell the whole story. He is relentless off the edge against the pass and rush. Teams game plan away from him and still cant avoid him. His pass coverage has also improved dramatically.
CB Brandon Flowers - Becoming one of the premier corners in the league. Shuts down top receivers and makes ferocious tackles at the line of scrimmage. Game changing talent.
ILB Derrick Johnson - His nose for the ball is impressive. He's a true sideline to sideline tackler and when he hits you you stop moving. Deserving of the 5 year contract extension he signed recently.
DT Glen Dorsey - This mammoth of a DT is playing up to his paycheck. He is making plays vs the run and constantly getting pressure on the QB. The Pro Bowl needs to see the "Gorilla Dance".
Check back at the end of the year to see which Chiefs players get the recognition the crave and a complete breakdown of the Pro Bowl Roster.
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