Kansas City Chiefs Laddie Morse

Chiefs Lose a Barn Burner, 43-to-40

LadnerMorse October 15, 2018 No Comments

 

 

 

Chiefs Lose a Barn Burner, 43-to-40

by Laddie Morse

Three field goals vs three touchdowns (and a field goal) will lose every time. That’s what happened in the first half of the Kansas City Chiefs bout with the New England Patriots in New England. It’s like holding three threes in poker vs a straight high flush. The New England Patriots came ready to pressure Patrick Mahomes and he didn’t respond well to that pressure overthrowing his own receivers and throwing two interceptions which resulted in a 24-to-9 half time deficit. Mahomes threw an INT in the end zone on a hurried pass right before the half ended. If he had thrown it away and waited to get a field goal, it could have impacted the game in the end. 

The second half was another story altogether.

 

 

Apparently the Chiefs have won the toss at the beginning of every game they’ve played this year and deferred so they would have the ball first in the second half. Down by 15, they really needed to put points on the board and hopefully not just another field goal because they already had three of those and one more wasn’t going to help them catch up to the Brady-dangerous Patriots. Three plays later — after Hunt ran for four twice, Mahomes hit Hunt down the sideline for a 67 yard TD and with Harrison Butker’s extra point — the Chiefs were right back in the game, 24-to-16.

 

As much as the Chiefs quick strike offense was on display… so was the Chiefs “no antidote” defense because the Patriots drove the field on a 6 minutes and ten second run fest and although it ended in a field goal, it up them up by 11, 27-to-16.

 

The Chiefs answered right back with a 9 play drive and a field goal of their own, 27-to-19.

 

 

A Tom Brady fumble at their 29 yard line which was caused by Chiefs defender Breeland Speaks (more on him later) and recovered by Allen Bailey put the Chiefs in the drivers seat. Four plays later Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill in the end zone on a pass that was likely meant for Kareem Hunt but over thrown and Hill used his speed to get under it… and the Chiefs were down by one point but right back in it: 27-26.

 

The Pats were playing cat & mouse with the Chiefs offense because every time the Chiefs scored, they’d come right back and score too. This time it was an 11 play drive that ended in a field goal: 30-to-26.

 

 

6th round pick Tremon Smith then delivered the surprise play of the game by returning the kickoff for 97 yards down to the Pats 3 yard line. Three plays later and the Chiefs were in the lead, 33-to-30… and that play where Hill used his speed to catch the ball over thrown by Mahomes could have happened here. Nevertheless, Tyreek Hill had three TDs in this game and was clearly the Chiefs best weapon on this day.

 

 

The problem was that the Pats could control the clock with their running game and that exactly what they did in this contest by rushing for 173 yards on 38 rushing attempts and manhandling the clock 36:09 to 23:51. That’s 12:18 more that the Patriots had the ball but more importantly… that 12:18 more that the Chiefs defense was forced to stay on the field.

 

Never before has the Chiefs quick strike offense been so blatantly abused and taken disadvantage of and Pats coach Bill Belichick knew the formula and applied it perfectly to his liking. I heard this weekend that Patrick Peterson is available via trade but there is no player like a Patrick Peterson who is going to fix what ails this defense.

 

 

The Chiefs and the Pats traded more punches and scores but they set up a field goal with three seconds on the clock and Steven Gostkowski kicked it through with no time remaining: Pats 43, Chiefs 40.

 

In a post game show, Shannon Sharp, who is usually anti-Chiefs (but has been very outspoken about the Chiefs great offense) said that the difference in this game was three field goals and an interception right before the half in the end zone because the Chiefs could march up and down the field all day. It’s hard to argue with that assessment but this game was a blessing in the sense that it will give Patrick Mahomes lots of good tape to break down on how he was pressured. The Patriots defense was finding ways to put pressure on Patrick Mahomes throughout the game and when PM2 learns how to deal with that pressure… and recognize it… he will be virtually unstoppable. That is, until the next great defensive mind figures out new ways to pressure Mahomes.

 

Yes, the Chiefs defense was not good — or — is not good… but that may not really be the heart of the problem. Learning to control the game and the clock like the Pats did, will be huge lessons to learn because it’s hard to overcome 36 minutes to 23 in ToP.

 

Yet… the Chiefs ALMOST won this game. Take Breeland Speaks for example.

 

 

Yes, Speaks is taking a lot of heat for letting Brady go but this game was not won or lost on that one play. Once again, the positive is that you can bet that he’ll never do that again. Plus, he had a good game. 6 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. Speaks almost had another sack too so taking this loss out on him would not be fair at all.

 

Getting the Cincinnati Bengals in Arrowhead next Sunday evening will be important. Getting past this loss will be more important. The Chiefs and their young QB almost won this one and that should be enough for them… for now. This doesn’t feel like years past and I’d certainly rather see the Chiefs win the next game vs the Pats — in the playoffs — than the other way around.

 

The Chiefs nearly brought the house down… but they’ll have to settle for being part of another barn burner for now.

 

 

 

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