SPECIAL TEAMS DOOM CHIEFS' PLAYOFF HOPES
The Arrowhead scoreboard didn't show the Denver score & the P.A. announcer ignored it as well, but every Blackberry, Droid & iPhone carrying Chiefs' fan on the property knew the score. They knew the Buffalo Bills were in the process of blowing out the Denver Broncos, giving them that glimmer of hope only Christmas Eve can bring. We had a chance to redeem a lot of the bad things that put Kansas City where they started the day on Saturday, barely clinging to an elongated path to the playoffs.
Romeo Crennel's defense played very well, surrendered only 13 first downs, 300-yards of total offense, shut down the Raiders ground attack to just 71-yards on 25 carries & held Oakland to just 2 plays over 20-yards. But both plays were huge in the Raiders 16-13 overtime win. A 61-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Denarius Moore in the 2nd quarter & a 53-yard completion to Darius Heyward-Bey in overtime, setting up the game-winning field goal. Two stinkin' play over 20-yards.
But in the end, it was special teams breakdowns that cost Kansas City a win. There were four plays that defined the game.
1. The opening kickoff was returned 91-yards to the Kansas City 14. Three plays later, Sebastian Janikowski kicked a field goal.
2. Lining up for a 52-yard field goal attempt in the 2nd quarter, the Raiders faked & threw the ball to backup tight end Brandon Meyers who took it for a touchdown. Fortunately for the Chiefs, the Raiders were penalized for delay of game before the snap. But the Chiefs were completely fooled on the play.
3. Right before half, Ryan Succop lined up for a 49-yard field goal, having already made his 22nd consecutive field goal, a franchise record, earlier in the half. The kick was blocked by Richard Seymour.
4. After two frantic possessions in the last three minutes of regulation, Kyle Orton threw a touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe & after a 3 & out by Oakland, Orton completed two passes to get the Chiefs into field goal range with 5-second left. Succop attempted another 49-yard field goal & once again it was blocked by Richard Seymour.
Get the picture? As well as the defense played on 49 of 51 snaps it wasn't enough to overcome the 9-point swing on special teams. Kyle Orton reverted to the Kyle Orton who was benched in Denver, throwing two interceptions, one in the redzone. He played great down the stretch, but was ineffective at other points in the game. When your opponent can't run the ball, commits 15-penalties, throws a pair of picks & is out-gained by 125-yards, you should win the game. The Chiefs committed too many penalties as well(11 were accepted) & once again found themselves coming up short in the redzone. A third quarter possession landed them at the Raider 6, first & goal. They had to kick a field goal. This is an issue we've ween week after week, the inability to punch it in, finish the drive. The Chiefs haven't scored 20 or more points in a game in their last 8 starts, folks that's unacceptable.
At the end of the day Kansas City finds themselves somewhere between 9th & 11th in the drafting order. With what could end up being a last place schedule & the return of Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry, Tony Moeaki & Matt Cassel, the Chiefs are once again poised to make huge strides in the AFC West. Their chances of winning the division would be greatly enhanced with a couple of real free agent signings, not the warm body variety & an excellent draft. The heat is on Scott Pioli to choose his coach, make an impact in free agency & have a great draft. Is he up to it or is all that New England Way a lot of B.S. hype? I'll believe it when I see it, till then I remain a skeptic.
Romeo Crennel's defense played very well, surrendered only 13 first downs, 300-yards of total offense, shut down the Raiders ground attack to just 71-yards on 25 carries & held Oakland to just 2 plays over 20-yards. But both plays were huge in the Raiders 16-13 overtime win. A 61-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Denarius Moore in the 2nd quarter & a 53-yard completion to Darius Heyward-Bey in overtime, setting up the game-winning field goal. Two stinkin' play over 20-yards.
But in the end, it was special teams breakdowns that cost Kansas City a win. There were four plays that defined the game.
1. The opening kickoff was returned 91-yards to the Kansas City 14. Three plays later, Sebastian Janikowski kicked a field goal.
2. Lining up for a 52-yard field goal attempt in the 2nd quarter, the Raiders faked & threw the ball to backup tight end Brandon Meyers who took it for a touchdown. Fortunately for the Chiefs, the Raiders were penalized for delay of game before the snap. But the Chiefs were completely fooled on the play.
3. Right before half, Ryan Succop lined up for a 49-yard field goal, having already made his 22nd consecutive field goal, a franchise record, earlier in the half. The kick was blocked by Richard Seymour.
4. After two frantic possessions in the last three minutes of regulation, Kyle Orton threw a touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe & after a 3 & out by Oakland, Orton completed two passes to get the Chiefs into field goal range with 5-second left. Succop attempted another 49-yard field goal & once again it was blocked by Richard Seymour.
Get the picture? As well as the defense played on 49 of 51 snaps it wasn't enough to overcome the 9-point swing on special teams. Kyle Orton reverted to the Kyle Orton who was benched in Denver, throwing two interceptions, one in the redzone. He played great down the stretch, but was ineffective at other points in the game. When your opponent can't run the ball, commits 15-penalties, throws a pair of picks & is out-gained by 125-yards, you should win the game. The Chiefs committed too many penalties as well(11 were accepted) & once again found themselves coming up short in the redzone. A third quarter possession landed them at the Raider 6, first & goal. They had to kick a field goal. This is an issue we've ween week after week, the inability to punch it in, finish the drive. The Chiefs haven't scored 20 or more points in a game in their last 8 starts, folks that's unacceptable.
At the end of the day Kansas City finds themselves somewhere between 9th & 11th in the drafting order. With what could end up being a last place schedule & the return of Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry, Tony Moeaki & Matt Cassel, the Chiefs are once again poised to make huge strides in the AFC West. Their chances of winning the division would be greatly enhanced with a couple of real free agent signings, not the warm body variety & an excellent draft. The heat is on Scott Pioli to choose his coach, make an impact in free agency & have a great draft. Is he up to it or is all that New England Way a lot of B.S. hype? I'll believe it when I see it, till then I remain a skeptic.
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