Last week, I said football is only fun when you’re winning. I did NOT have any fun yesterday. I drank too much, I ate too much and the Chiefs didn’t do enough.
I hate the Pittsburgh Steelers. Outside of the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders, they are probably the team I like the least in the entire league. I don’t like their rapey quarterback. I don’t like their drug-using running back. I don’t like their prima-donna wide receiver. I don’t like their head-hunting linebacker. I especially don’t like their I’m-gonna-keep-my-team-in-the-locker-room-during-the-national-anthem-and-them-berate-my-former-U.S.-Army-Ranger-left-tackle-for-doing-his-patriotic-duty head coach. I can’t stand the Steelers.
I thought the Chiefs would have much more stake in this game, but regardless of the narrative building up the Week Six matchup, it was just another game on their calendar. This was a game, I’ll remind you all, that I picked the Chiefs to lose at the beginning of the season. That doesn’t make this game hurt any less.
Here is what I saw:
The Chiefs are a second-half team, I’m pretty sure we all can agree to this fact. The fact that they went into the locker room at halftime only down by 12-3, they had to consider themselves very lucky. While the team obviously made some significant second-half adjustments to actually start moving the ball, and stopping the Steelers’ offense, they dug themselves too deep of a hole to climb out of in the second half. They have to hit the gas from the opening flag, and keep the pedal to the metal for all 60 minutes.
While head coach Andy Reid has been absolutely brilliant this year in his play calling, going for it on fourth-and-two when a field goal would have made it a one possession game was absolutely ludicrous. From an emotional point of view, I get what he was trying to do, which is have his quarterback score a touchdown and light a spark behind his defense. But by going for it, and not converting, the swing of momentum went to the Steelers and it carried through the end of the game. Reid has to be better in these situations.
Before the game, the comment was made that the Steelers feel comfortable playing in the confines of Arrowhead Stadium. They should. They have won their last two back-to-back games there. Those wins have halted the Chiefs progression in the post season and then halted their undefeated season. The fact that the yellow and black feel so comfortable in a place where they should be getting blown out should tell you all you need to know about this non-divisional rivalry. I have a distinct feeling it isn’t over.
Everyone from Pete Prisco to Cris Collinsworth have said that Alex Smith is leading the league conversation for most valuable player. I don’t think that talk has been completely derailed as Alex has still thrown 12 touchdowns, no interceptions and is top three in total pass yards. Smith still leads the league in passer rating even though he posted his lowest score of the season. The team as a whole had a bad game, but it generally falls on the quarterback’s shoulders.
Although it received no fanfare because of the Chiefs inability to complete the comeback, rookie running back sensation Kareem Hunt quietly broke another record yesterday afternoon. Hunt is now the first player in NFL history to have over 100 yards from scrimmage in his first six consecutive games. With 89 yards through the air and 21 on the ground, Hunt has found his way into history once again, further cementing his bid for rooking of the year.
Two huge areas on this team that need significant improvement are the pass rush and the offensive line. It was quite obvious that the Chiefs were playing the best defense they have faced so far this season, but it’s not like the Steelers’ offensive line is known for denying all comers to the quarterback. While the Chiefs were able to get a little bit of pressure on Roethlisberger last night, for the most part he had the pick of the field where he wanted to go. On the flip side, the Steelers’ defense was on top of every rushing play, seemingly before it started, causing the Chiefs to significantly alter their game plan.
I’ve said this before, but I’m going to draw a line in the sand here. Phillip Gaines is absolutely horrible. I was always high on this kid because he was a military brat and I had met his family personally. No more. I do not want him on my team. How in the hell do you allow a pass to bounce off your helmet, into the waiting arms of the best receiver in the NFL who then runs it downfield for the score that ultimately wins the game? How? How does that happen? I just don’t get it. He needs to go back to Texas and never show his face again. Absolutely un-ex-cus-able. Yikes.
At the end of the day, this was only one game out of 16, and as I said at the beginning, one I picked the Chiefs to lose before the season got underway. It’s obviously tougher because of the level the team was playing, but there should be no reason for anyone to hold jersey burning parties in their drive–unless it’s a Gaines jersey you’re burning, then you have my permission. The good news is, they have no time to mourn this loss and dwell on their shortcomings because they will travel to the heil-hole known as Oakland, California in four days to take on a Raiders team in complete free fall. And to make the world even brighter, as I write this on Sunday night, the New York Giants are crushing the souls of the Denver Broncos, so the Chiefs still have a one game lead on everyone inside the division as well as the AFC.
If you want more good news, it is that the Chiefs did score a touchdown, so I will definitely break down that crazy broken play that turned into a De’Anthony Thomas 51-yard scamper to the house on Friday.
Please let me know your takes on this game and what the rest of the season may hold for our Kansas City Chiefs in the comments section below. Thanks for reading, and GO CHIEFS!
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