The 2016 Kansas City Chiefs: How Resilient Are They?

The 2016 Kansas City Chiefs: How Resilient Are They?

I’m still in shock, as I’m sure most of you are as well. Yesterday, when I published my story about September 11, I said I would be standing for the National Anthem. As country star Trace Adkins crooned our country’s theme song, I stood. And I cried. And I thought about my brothers and sisters who have been lost since that day. And then I wiped my eyes and got ready for some football. 

When the Chiefs completed their first drive, which ended in a Cairo Santos field goal, my stomach turned a little bit. It could have been the wings I downed during the pregame, but I thought it was more likely the fact that this offense–which so many of us predicted would be high-scoring–was going to be a three-point game again.

When the San Diego Chargers marched right down the field, exposing every weak point in the Chiefs defense along the way, I felt sick. This Chiefs team held quarterback Phillip Rivers and his team to only two field goals over 120 minutes last year. But in 2016, a team that was supposed to be so much better, let them into the end zone on their very first possession. The sinking feeling in my stomach and my heart only continued through that first quarter and into the second. In fact, I was actually drafting my resignation letter to Laddie in my head, because I didn’t know how I would be able to write about this team all season long.

At halftime, I had to go pick up my mom, uncle and grand father who were coming over to my house to have a beer and watch the second half. When the third quarter began and it looked like there had been no adjustments by defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, I was ready to turn off my 70-inch tv. When the Chargers marched down the field on another long drive, capped off with a field goal I had nearly had enough. 

I mean, if I’m being honest, I’m an Alex Smith fan–probably one of the biggest you’ll find–but this team was not playing the caliber of football that is required of a team to come back from a  three touchdown deficit. Alex Smith is not known as a “comeback quarterback”–even though he holds the San Francisco 49ers single season record in that category. But this was three touchdowns. The game was over, and some on Twitter was even saying the season.

It wasn’t just Smith. I mean, it was Smith for sure. He was holding onto the ball too long. He took a couple of sacks where he should have let it fly or at least thrown it out of bounds. But he wasn’t the only one who was playing like crap. 

Last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters was getting played like a cheap fiddle by Chargers receiver Keenan Allen before Allen left the game with a suspected ACL injury. The Chiefs vaunted defensive line was letting the Chargers run all over them. I mean, they let allowed a miserable 155 yards on the ground. Disgusting. 

But as I said, after that field goal which put the Chargers up by three full touchdowns and all-but put the game on ice, something happened. Granted, Allen was gone with the aforementioned injury. But Rivers had other weapons. Second-year running back Melvin Gordon already had two scores on the day and the elusive Danny Woodhead had one. I don’t know what was said on the sideline or who said it. Hell, I don’t know if anybody said anything. But after that field goal, something changed.

As the Chiefs offense came out for the drive following the Chargers field goal, Smith had that steely eyed stare I’ve seen before. In fact, the last time I saw it on him was about five years ago when he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game by coming back against the New Orleans Saints.

In the first half of the game, Smith was 9 of 15 for only 94 yards and no touchdowns. It was about as miserable of a performance as we’ve ever seen. But on that final drive of the third quarter, after Smith hit running back Spencer Ware for an incredible catch and run of 45 yards, Smith was able to engineer something he hadn’t done all day. A touchdown drive. A few short plays later, Smith hit rookie Tyreek Hill on a screen pass to score from 10 yards out. And the comeback was on.

The defense helped too. It just took them a little bit longer to get the memo that the Chiefs were trying to win this football game, and weren’t going to just roll over for the Chargers. On the subsequent drive, after a huge catch and run from Rivers to Ty Williams, the Chargers kicked another field goal making the score 27 to 10. That’s when the defense finally got the message. San Diego wouldn’t score again.

If Smith’s drive in the third quarter was awesome, his fourth quarter was out of this world. In quarters one through three, he threw for 180 yards and one touchdown. In the fourth quarter he threw for 141 yards and a touchdown. Even after an interception in which cornerback Jason Verrrett ripped the ball–and nearly the head–from receiver Jeremy Maclin, Smith bounced back and led a touchdown drive–hitting Maclin on a beautiful back shoulder thrown–on the very next possession. That put the game within reach with just over nine minutes remaining. 

After a huge defensive stop, Smith and the Chiefs’ offense was able to get Brazilian-born kicker Santos into position to do his thing and kick a field goal that would make the game a one score contest. He nailed it–as he usually does–and there was still no panic in these Chiefs. Head coach Andy Reid didn’t call for the onside kick with only three minutes left. The Chiefs still had two timeouts left and were confident in their defense.

With 3:09 left, on first down, the Chargers attempted a run with their workhorse Gordon. He wasn’t able to get very far with safety–and cancer ass kicker–Eric Berry wrapped around his ankles. 

With 2:27 left, on second down, the Chargers attempted a screen pass to wide receiver Travis Benjamin. Linebacker Tamba Hali–who had been quiet all day–quickly sniffed it out and blew it up for a loss.

At this point, with third and long looming, Reid–who must have taken lessons in clock management during the offseason, because this isn’t the same guy from the playoff debacle last year–called timeout with 2:20 left on the clock.

Coming back from the timeout, on third down, the Chargers attempted a screen pass to Benjamin again. This time, cornerback Phillip Gaines sniffed it out and got just enough of a hand on Benjamin to slow him down and allow linebacker Frank Zombo to take him to the ground. That brought up fourth down and the two minute warning, leaving Alex Smith and the Chiefs with a timeout and a couple of minutes to find the end zone. They only needed one.

In just 52 seconds, Smith moved his team 50 yards down the field and into the promise land. He hit running back Charcandrick West and Maclin for big plays on the drive before handing the rock to Spencer Ware for the final score. If the story ended here, it would have been enough. Just to come back that far and be in the game at the end. What a feeling. But we know it doesn’t.

As the game went into overtime, there was still no panic. There was no feeling of dread. Smith was in control. He had this completely under control. So it was no surprise when the coin flip landed in the Chiefs’ favor and they took the ball first. From that point, it was a methodical Smith-ian drive. He moved the chains and took what the defense gave him. He was clutch when he needed to be including hitting Kelce for a huge first down along the left sideline on third down.

The icing on the cake was a touchdown. As we learned in the post-game press conference, Reid didn’t call the final play of the game. He gave Smith a different play. But Reid trusts his quarterback and allowed Smith to audible out of the play when he saw the defense he was up against. Smith said he believed he was going to pitch the ball, but when he saw the Chargers defensive end slide out, he saw his shot and he took it.
On third and two, Alex Smith completed the biggest comeback in Chiefs history. A 21 point deficit was erased and a certain loss was turned into an emotional victory as number 11 plunged across the end zone and put the final stamp on his career day. 

33-27, Chiefs. 

You can’t make this stuff up, folks. This is real life. This is our team. These are the 2016 Kansas City Chiefs.