Chiefs Sunday Morning Chinwag: Punkin’s of a Day at the Bay

Chiefs Sunday Morning Chinwag:

Punkin’s of a Day at the Bay

by David Bell | December 2, 2018

After the late week returns, I still am stating a final score of 48-16 in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs. Running Backs Spencer Ware, Darrell Williams and Damien Williams can all take on the Oakland Raider Front 7 thank you very much! I will be looking for the running back crew to get yards on the ground and yards in the aerial game.

Injuries for Both Teams

The only potential player who could be out for this weekend is WR Sammy Watkins who is listed as such. S Eric Berry was a limited practice status which is to be expected, so an unexpected small number of snaps is likely not in the cards for him either. Mitch Morse and Anthony Hitchens were full practice Wed-Fri. It looks good for the Chiefs. I am pleased if Morse is back, even if it is not for full time game snaps.

For the Raiders: WR Martavis Bryant is “Out.” So to is CB Leon Hall. Center Rodney Hudson was limited in practice for all 3 days  this week and is likely not to play. The rest of their roster is available, although, QB Derek Carr was reported with an ankle injury and DE Shilique Calhoun had a neck injury but they were full practice participants all week.

Game Day on the Bay

The contest takes place on Raider ground against an opponent whose team play has been less the adequate. Myself? Raider Head Coach Jon Gruden has written off any local flack from the bay area and is setting up to stack the draft for 2019 and 2020. It’s my view that he will divest himself of his current QB and sell off even more players this coming offseason. This contest has no true meaning to the AFC West or the NFL Playoffs unless the Chiefs should play down and under the Raiders… and that would take a lot to play that poorly.

More on the Nine Questions (Now 10 or 11)

The Nine Questions Article gave the “dear” reader some Q&A that I thought was enough. Leave it to Ransom Hawthorne to add another, a Reggie Ragland item with the outlook that his play should all be downhill against a Gruden return to tradition” team. I agree with this wholeheartedly and would look to Ragland to have a superior day with his defensive front handling the blocking in front of him. His tackle numbers should rise accordingly and when not making tackles, he should be eating blockers to the advantage of other players getting the task at hand. This should help force Derek Carr to a one dimensional effort and with the Chiefs pass rush, we should see some INT’s as well. In fact, I would hazard a guess that three linebackers have good days including Dorian O’Daniel taking duty again to reflect play to the outside, in the flats and against RB’s attempting runs to the wide side of the field.

The Penalty Affect

No one really hoisted the flag on the petard that was raised high in frustration in the article from Friday but penalties remain one big flag that a mature team avoids to the the greatest extent possible. Championship quality players don’t bare their collective forehead so that “STUPID” can be stamped in scarlet letters across the brow. If the Chiefs are to ascend, this nonsense must stop!

About Berry and the Defense

I was considering how to indicate that the defense, much maligned through the first 12 weeks of the season, has actually made strides that would culminate with the return of Eric Berry to the field of play. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be week 13 when he sets foot on the turf during a game. Impatient am I… you might be issuing your own long suffering comment to these annals about your own view but if it’s a question directed to me then I would need respond to the affirmative.

The Chiefs do have a strong roster. They have yet to play their best football game. Aside from the outcome of the game in Oakland, it’s my view that there remains kinks and nuances of play that have yet to gel in the same game in all three phases. A “stupid penalty” free game would go a long way to easing my queasiness in this regard.

The Last Four Games After Sunday

I am writing this but I don’t worry about looking down the road. The Chiefs players “Mustn’t” be looking down the road… and should be totally focused on the Raiders. By the end of NFL Sunday, the Chiefs will be 10-2 with the outlook of another sure fire win against the same Raider Team at home at Arrowhead in Week 17. Aside from that game, the Chiefs will face the Ravens (6-5) and Chargers (8-3) at home in weeks 14 and 15. They then travel back out west to take on the Seahawks (6-5) at CenturyLink in week 16. Those three sequential games are not going to be easy. At this moment, all three teams have winning records and all three teams are seeking advancement to the playoffs. The Chargers are ever dangerous with Phil Rivers at the helm. The Chiefs own the tiebreaker but if they are to ensure holding the top spot and Bye in the playoffs, the team needs to finish their business and end the season on a roll of 5 wins in a row. Let’s first take care of this away business at the Raiders and then get on with it!

Set forth and Set Sail with your own “ensign” aloft.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne

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