The Kansas City Chiefs: Finding a Different Way to Win

While the first week of NFL action brought Kansas City Chiefs fans a high-powered, offensive clinic, the second week was a bit different. Instead of the up-and-down the field offensive action we all witnessed on the NFL’s opening night, the Chiefs found themselves involved in a defensive slugfest with the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday afternoon.

As with the Thursday night tilt against the Patriots, I was joined for this game by neighbors who brought homemade breaded chicken bites with them as their offering to the food counter. I made some meatballs in my Kansas City Chiefs crockpot, some hot wings, and some pork ribs complete with KC dry rub. I ate way too much. I am firm believer if you can’t get to the tailgate, you bring the tailgate to you. Fueled with those eats and my drink of choice, Crown Royal and Diet Mt. Dew, we were set for the game. Here are my observations:

Phillip Gaines is an absolute liability. There were several plays in the first half where he was out of position, outmatched and just outplayed. I thought if lined up in the nickel spot, his weaknesses of playing outside may be disguised, but that was not the case yesterday. There was one play in particular where he had both of his hands firmly inside Nelson Agholor’s pads. It was the most blatant example of defensive holding I have ever seen. I wish the Chiefs had a better option so the team could option themselves away from Gaines.

Many of the professional football prognosticators across America this week said that the Chiefs offensive front five would be challenged by the Eagle’s front seven. The prediction was prophetic. The Kansas City offensive line looked good against the Patriots but had their work cut out for them against the Eagles Fletcher Cox-led defense. While they didn’t keep Alex Smith’s jersey completely clean in this game–in fact they allowed four sacks in the game, including some hard hits against their quarterback–they stepped up when they needed to. Additionally, after making some second-half adjustments, they broke open some significant holes for their running back, Kareem Hunt, who had another big day. Which segues nicely to my next point.

The Chiefs have done it again, and found themselves a running back. Please don’t get me wrong, I loved Jamaal Charles just as much as the rest of every other Tomahawk-chopping, Red Friday-wearing, barbecue-eating Chiefs fan. I did. Charles is the leading rusher in Chiefs history. The only problem is, Charles is not a Chief. Charles is a Denver Bronco with two glass knees who had less than 50 yards rushing today on only nine carries. I don’t live in the past, I live in the now, and Kareem Hunt is my running back. While last week he needed the jolt of a first carry fumble to get his offensive production rolling, today, it was the second half adjustments that were required. Up until his huge 53-yard run in the third quarter, Hunt has next to no production for the Chiefs, being stuffed on run after run. However, after breaking out on that huge gallop to the end zone–the Chiefs first touchdown of the game–which put the Chiefs back in the lead, he really made a statement. I think, perhaps his second touchdown of the game was even bigger, because he showed the awareness of a wily vet by reaching out and placing the ball across the end zone for the score. This was after he pushed the pile over two yards with at least four Eagles defenders trying to keep him out. Oh, by the way, he is only the second player in the last 37 years to have over 300 yards from scrimmage and five or more touchdowns in his first two games.

I love Travis Kelce. Yes, I know he is a hothead who has gotten flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct twice in the last two weeks. I know his mouth gets him in trouble, and his antics can cause some people to be turned off. I get it. I don’t care. I don’t care if he caused the Chiefs to kick off from the 20-yard line instead of the 35-yard line. I don’t even know what he did. They wouldn’t replay it, so I am quite sure it was probably NSFTV, which is millennial for “not safe for television.” I don’t care if he poked an opposing player who was laying across him in the unmentionables last week which drew a flag and a $12 thousand penalty. I don’t care because when it needs to happen, like catching a huge pass down the sideline, or even better, flying into the end zone from three yards out, scoring a much needed go-ahead touchdown, Kelce gets it done. He is the spark and life that this team needs sometimes. I trust Andy Reid to keep his antics to a minimum. He gave him the business yesterday on the sideline. Kelce is a playmaker, and regardless of your feelings on Rob Gronkowski, Travis is the best tight end in the league. I’m glad he’s on our side.

I remember when the Chiefs were not very good and a guy named Romeo Crennel was the defensive coordinator. I remember when people used to refer to his defensive style as bend-but-don’t-break. When Bob Sutton came on board with Reid in 2013, his defensive style was described as more of an “attacking 3-4.” I liked this description, because it didn’t seem as weak as the Crennel style. Plus, I wanted to rinse the Scott Pioli-era Chiefs out of my mouth. However, over the past couple of seasons, the Sutton defense has morphed into as much of a bend-don’t-break style as they are attacking. Oh, they still attack. I think the five sacks they posted today proves that, but they also give up yards. But, when they need to kick in the all-go, no-quit, they do. They stuff runs on fourth and short. They deflect passes on third and long. They give up just enough, but not more than they should. The loss of Eric Berry last week hurt this unit significantly, and they won’t replace him. But guys like Dan Sorensen and Eric Murray stepped up in key situations yesterday enough to make a difference. And how about Chris Jones? The guy posted a hat trick-sack day and his first career interception. If he’s not the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, I don’t know who is. Oh, and Justin Houston is healthy. Look out.

Finally, let’s talk about quarterbacks. Alex Smith is the absolute leader of this team. I find it ridiculous that in a season where all he’s thinking about is winning a Super Bowl, all any media reporter wants to talk about is that is “probably his last year in Kansas City.” Maybe that’s true, but until his bags are packed and he’s ready to go, and wearing a different insignia on his helmet, he’s my quarterback, he’s your quarterback, and dammit, he’s the Chiefs quarterback. And there is no-one in this league who is more capable or ready to lead this team than him. I said it last week, and I’ll say it again, this is not your dad’s Alex Smith. He’s taking deep shots. Yes, they slowed down, when his line wasn’t holding up, but he still took them. That pass to Kelce in the first quarter was a thing of beauty, as was the 35-yard grab he floated to Chris Conley in the second half. Also, and I know this cliche has been overused, but Smith just wins. He took a beating yesterday and kept coming back for more. In fact, the series after taking a huge sack, he runs a read-option quarterback keeper and gains a first down. And, in perhaps one of the most key plays of the game, on a play that seemed that Smith was certainly sacked in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs leader slipped out of the grasp of not one, but two Eagles defenders, and scrambled for the first down. This eventually set up the Kelce touchdown and a lead the Chiefs would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

Those were my observations. I would be curious what you guys saw during the game. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below. I’ll be curious to see what the Chiefs can do next week against a not-quite-good enough Los Angeles Chargers team in the high school stadium they call home.

Don’t miss my feature on Friday, “Anatomy of a Touchdown” where I will break down Travis Kelce’s audition tape to play Harry Cavill’s (Superman) stunt double in the upcoming Justice League film.

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