Wow! A 31-to-30 loss with time expired. You can’t win them all but boy oh boy if you have to lose you might as well break new ground. Or at least you could say the Chiefs found a new way to stretch out the losing. The Time of Possession of this game shows that the Kansas City Chiefs had the ball for 30 minutes and 36 seconds while the Oakland Raiders supposedly had the ball for 29 minutes and 24 seconds. It all adds up to a 60 minute game of football, right? WRONG! With no time on the clock the Chiefs gave the Raiders three extra chances to win:
- Raiders QB Derek Carr threw an incomplete pass to TE Jared Cook. However, there was a penalty called on the Chiefs Safety Ron Parker so the Raiders get another shot.
- QB Derek Carr threw another incomplete pass to Cordarrelle Patterson. However, once again there was another holding penalty called, this time on Chiefs DB Eric Murray allowing the Raiders yet a third… UNTIMED DOWN.
- And Finally, QB Derek Carr threw a pass short to his left to WR Michael Crabtree for the deciding 2-yard TD.
- Actually, there was one more UNTIMED DOWN, the extra point, and THAT actually decided this game.
If you’re wondering at all if the Chiefs and Raiders rivalry has been reborn… this is likely to remain logged in the annals of Chiefs/Raiders lore as long as the game of football is played or even talked about.
If you’re a purest and consider yourself a lover of football, then this game was nirvana. If you are a Kansas City Chiefs fan first and foremost, this one stings as much as any defeat in the history of that rivalry.
For a team that started out so hot (5-and-0), it raises more questions than it answers.
- Can the offense really carry this team when the defense isn’t up to the task?
- Can the defense apply any pressure that changes the course of a game, especially at crunch time?
- Is the defensive backfield just having an off-year so far, or are there real personnel problems that need addressing in the coming offseason?
Let’s crack open the offense here first:
The Offense– Andy Reid still likes to get predictable in running the ball on first down. While I love the new rookie sensation Kareem Hunt, he’s not a good reason to get away from mixing up the play calling and to stop attacking when the game is running down. Although the Chiefs had the ball more in this game — time of possession — the defense was forced to defend the Chiefs goal line with time running out — twice — when the offense had several chances at the end of the game to take control by remaining aggressive in the play calling. As far as I’m concerned, this loss is as much on coach Reid as any one else.
https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/921218267179618304
The other issue for this offense is keeping Alex Smith out of harms way and not allow him to be pressured. This is the second game in a row in which Smith has had to face a lot of pressure. Yes, he had a very good game but, he’s a very good QB when he’s not pressured so much and the injury bug has decimated his OL.
Alex Smith has been 💰 when not under pressure pic.twitter.com/ZvEJIpHDHr
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 20, 2017
.
The Pass Rush- The Chiefs pass rush has become nearly non-existent. In the past three games they’ve had 4 sacks. 3 in the Texans game, 1 against the Steelers and a big fat zero against the Raiders. That’s 4 sacks in 179 defensive plays. The optics are bad, the output is worse. If we’re looking for a culprit for the loss, look no further. I don’t know if that’s because DC Bob Sutton has lost a step (not sure he ever had a step) or if the players are just not performing but if that doesn’t get fixed, the Chiefs are not going to be winning 5 of their next 7.
The Defensive Backfield- Eric Murray is a beast… and by that I mean, a mangy mutt. I guess if the Chiefs had another option they’d bring that person in. Once Steven Nelson returns, the coverage should improve, but that doesn’t help a guy like Murray who consistently lost to the Raiders TE in this game and his penalties were as much a reason for the loss as any that you’ll find. Ron Parker didn’t play well…. I was going to list each DB but I can’t think of one that played a good game. By good, I mean even an average game… something you could be proud of, at least on half the plays.
“The pass defense gets a big fat “F” in the loss to Oakland.”
The Chiefs players talked this week about hurting physically from last week’s game vs. the Steelers and that they just needed to get through this game then they’d have a long 10-day break. It looked like some of the Chiefs players were already on break. While that may not be true of all Chiefs players, the defensive backfield has to answer for the horrible game they played giving up 417 yards passing and in the end, repeatedly extending this game with their fouls and ultimately giving up the go-ahead score.
This may have been one of the most exciting games you have ever watched… but it was hugely disappointing for the Chiefs and their fans. The chance to put Oakland’s season on the brink of destruction but not taking advantage on numerous opportunities to do that, tells a tale as much as the final score.
The Chiefs did some good things in the game: the bomb to Tyreek Hill, the lucky bounce to Albert Wilson, another 100 yards of production from scrimmage for Kareem Hunt (his 7th straight game with such… and a new record) and 25 of 36 passing by Alex Smith for 342 yards with another 3 TDs to his name without an INT. However, it was just not enough.
Albert Wilson with the Madden TD catch #KCvsOAK pic.twitter.com/nTvhZn8r30
— Breaking Football (@Breaking_FB) October 20, 2017
Now the team gets a nice long break until they face the Denver Broncos at home a week from Sunday in what could be a game for first place in the AFC West. Hard to believe that could be a first place battle after the Chiefs started their season by creating a two-game cushion. In the meantime, the Chiefs players will be licking their wounds and the GM will be wondering why they didn’t take a top notch DB in the second round while their eventual pick, Tanoh Passagnon, sits on the bench waiting and watching from the sidelines.
If you are viewing this in Apple News and would like to join the Discussion, [GO HERE.](http://arrowheadone.com/chiefs-lose-stunning-spectacular-fashion/#disqus_thread)
…