David Bell
Have a Very Merry Christmas Day!
Offense Uninspired 3rd Q, But Chiefs Win
The Kansas City Chiefs win over the Seattle Seahawks 24-to-10 but… in thinking about what to write about the game –> they stubbed their toe for all of the 3rd Quarter on offense, and this wasn’t the first time. Also, and once again, the officiating was terrible. If not for the Zebras, the game might have ended 31-3. As it is, they kept the Seattle Seahawks a living and breathing entity for most of the game. There were penalties against Williams and Thornhill before the half that were terrible calls. Still, Seattle couldn’t push across for a score before the end of the half. They were able to put 3 points up, on a Field Goal, which was their only score until late in the 4th Quarter.
Deck the Halls… with Footballs and Holly!
It crosses my mind all the time, this question about why the Chiefs offense goes inept for periods of time in several games. How ever it does that, today they played pretty well in the first half but I’m unsure I’ve seen such an awful performance in the third quarter… except perhaps against the Bengals or the Colts. It is what it is as they say these days. The defense played well all game long — not perfect — but they were pretty dang good. Giving up only ten (10) points to any NFL team is doing really good work. Chris Jones had a monster of a game. Willie Gay made several plays throughout and Nick Bolton was as effective as he has every been.
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the Yuletide Gay.”
I need to watch the game film again but one of the PI calls on Williams a bad call. The other was valid. The one Thornhill reaped was another bad call. Fortunately, the Chiefs shut down Seattle and went to the 2nd half before the defense yielded a Field Goal. That held until the 2:25 mark of the 4th Quarter when Geno Smith finally connected for a TD Pass. The Seahawks attempted an onside kick that failed. The Chiefs ran out the clock. End result? Chiefs 24-to-10 for the final score.
Geno Smith and/or Russell Wilson
Smith is not what Russell Wilson was during the hay-day of the Seattle Seahawks, especially when they had Marshawn Lynch on Offense and the Legion of Boom for a Defense. Russell Wilson at Denver is about what we saw from Smith on Saturday. I don’t know where the Seahawks go from here, but Geno Smith is not the answer for Seattle. For that matter, Russell Wilson is not the answer for the Denver Broncos either.
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Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco… Again
One of ArrowheadOne’s followers constantly reminds readers about the importance of Jerick McKinnon to the offense. That is evident each week. Before Veach re-signed him, both Laddie and I wrote that this was a must — that Jerick was a huge spark for the Chiefs offense. Ditto Isiah Pacheco.
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Last week I commented that I would like to see McKinnon get a 2-year contract for the next two seasons. The pairing of McKinnon and Pacheco gives the Chiefs a dual threat on the ground and as receivers out of the backfield. Jerick had two TD receptions. Travis Kelce recorded his 77th game in a row in which he had 3 receptions or more. He once again had 113 yards receiving, adding to his now record total of games with 100 yards or more.
“May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmas’ be white.”
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Mahomes Manifests Magic… Again
To get the Chiefs last score was all Patrick Mahomes… again. Scoring that TD by extending the ball and holding himself off the ground — in bounds — to make it to the pylon and get it done was a “MVP” play.
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K.C. D: Something to Write Home About
Throughout the game, I felt a sense of pride in how well the defense played… even though they needed to overcome the officiating. As it was, the defense defended the Seahawks well and… did a good job against the Zebras too. MLB Nick Bolton had 17 Tackles and OLB Willie Gay had 9 Tackles. 26 combined Tackles for our LBs is nothing short of amazing. DL Chris Jones also had a monster game with four (4) Tackles, two (2) Sacks and four (4) QB Hits. Frank Clark was the play-maker we all have wanted him to be. DBs Justin Reid had eight (8) Tackles and L’Jarius Sneed had seven (7) Tackles to combine for 15 total.
Willie Gay was all over the field and defended against the pass (2 passes defensed) and Nick Bolton made stops as he is now expected to make. Juan Thornhill picked off a Geno Smith pass in the end-zone and kept him frayed at the ends, for most of the game.
The Seahawks did have a bright spot with their running game though the Chiefs slugged it out prevented breakaway plays though RB Kenneth Walker gained 107 yards on the ground. The defense played well enough to tout their prowess. Any time you hold an NFL opponent to 10 total points, it’s noteworthy.
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Overall Victory
I was pleased with the offense in the first half, but their stumbles prevented converting on third downs. Those stumbles continued in the second half until Patrick Mahomes’ TD in the 4th Quarter. The disappointing thing about this offense is that it showed it’s ugly face in the 2nd half.
Still, QB Patrick Mahomes will need to only average 140 per game passing to reach the 5,000 yards passing mark now. Kansas City notched it’s 12th win of the season, one in which many prognosticators predicted they would only get 11 wins and some of them predicted that they would not get 10 nor make the playoffs.
“Oh, baby, all I want for Christmas is you (Patrick Mahomes).”
This Kansas City team remains the class-act of the AFC West and one of the top two teams in the AFC over all. They maintained their post-season position even though the Buffalo Bills beat the Chicago Bears 35-to-13 and the Chiefs still have a shot and earning the first round Bye if the Bills lose a game… as long as they continue their winning ways in the last two games of the season. Both of those game are vs. AFCW foes, Denver and Vegas.
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Chiefs Chief Concerns
What concerns me most is that they have not played to their peak ability in many of these late wins. I wanted to see them roll into the playoffs with strong performances: for all four quarters. I hope to see that in the next two games.
“Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree, won’t be the same dear, if you’re not here with me.”
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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