David Bell Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are POOF Masters and Two NFL Fast Breaks

David Bell September 18, 2019 No Comments Gallery

Chiefs Week 2?  Poof – A Black Hole is Gone – The Kansas City Chiefs won on the road in the last contest that they’ll have at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. True, the Raiders could get a miracle finish and get a home game. Otherwise? Their last game at the field will be December 15th with the Jaguars. If the Jags don’t fall apart like 2018, I expect them to win. If they begin a fire sale soon, which is possible, then all bets are off. I wouldn’t wager on the Jags winning in that case. As constituted right now I think the Raiders will drop 3 of the last 5. Oh. 3 of the last 5 are also against AFC West foes. Imagine that!

POOF: Opponent #2 is gone, Chiefs win 28-10

I would summarize the win as: Oakland initially took the lead in energy and points at home, they failed to score on their 3rd drive, and the Chiefs scored 28 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter which ended the game early. Well, it effectively ended the game because the Raiders only scored 10 points in the first quarter. None afterwards.

ZIT:-Ten and then POOF! The lead is a Deficit

This week, the defense again gave up yards, but the Raiders could not score after they gave their first 2 possessions a good shot, getting out front to lead the Chiefs by a 10-zit score. The Chiefs turned the Raiders third drive into nothing and then… held them outside of scoring the rest of the way. That is not to say that the Raiders did not move the football, but they could not score.

Defensive Game Ball?

My Game Ball goes to Chris Jones who had a sack, 3 forced errors and a couple of knockdowns. It was the Stone Cold Jones Show and his energy which led the way. Don’t discount others because with Frank Clark getting double-teamed it allowed the defense to pressure from the inside and that was to Jones’ advantage as well as Derrick Nnadi’s. Alex Okafor was getting push to pressure the offense and because DC Steve Spagnuolo freely substituted the front four all game long, they were operating on fresh legs for the complete game. That’s good stuff right there! It is the basic advantage that Veach aided Spagnuolo in attaining by the players added for the front four.

The Linebacker corp got into the mix as did the secondary which shut down Derrick Carr’s aerial comeback potential to “Complaint” about the officiating in the aftermath of a home site loss and trying to figure a justification for poor performance. 

Weak Up Front? POOF! 

That Exposure is Gone

I think the fact that Reid made a big point that the front four should be a recognition value for fans. The Chiefs DL a room of strong players… this is going to be a huge advantage for the Chiefs defense, and I would use the Raiders game as an example of being able to substitute freely up front (even though we lost Breeland Speaks in camp)!

It was at this point in a Reid Presser, he gave credit to the front four and that ability to keep them “fresh.” I heartily state: Oh Yeah! I want to go back and add an additional note here about articles which focused on the Front Four being deep. It is.  After Week two? Strong, fresh legs and strong backs! Reid said:

 

“The rotation helps… the last two weeks, it’s been huge for us. Those guys worked their tail off… especially those interior guys, the inside two. On a 4-3 front or a nickel front, there’s a lot of pounding going on — and those guys just kept pushing, which allows those outside guys to get the pressure that they got.”

 

That’s exactly what the Raiders ran into: a strong group of defensive linemen who were fresh to go each time they took the field. Andy also made a positive statement about the secondary, though I still think this group needs work. Yet, holding an opponent to ten points is the earmark of good-to-great defensive play in my book.

The Numbers Game at Work!

If there was anything of value to take away from this game, the defense played well enough to hold the opposing team under 17 — my magic number — and the offense scored more than that number, thus enough to win. Meanwhile, the aerial defense was marginally above a “C” type grade and the Run Defense left something to be desired giving up well over 100 yards on the ground, including 99 to a very good rookie RB, so maybe a real C grading.

Unlike the first week, the Chiefs differential in total yards was pretty good where they ran up 165 yards more than the Raiders, getting 465 yards total with 25 first downs to Oakland’s 19. The Raiders had 317 total yards for the game. When you compare that to the previous week, the Chiefs held the Raiders to more than 100 yards less than the total yards gained by the Jaguars in week 1.The Chiefs ran 8 more plays than the Raiders owning the ToP 32:35 to 27:25. Moreover, the Chiefs added to the turnover total with 2 Interceptions of Carr but they also gave a fumble up. Thus far, the Chiefs are 4-1 in the turnover category which is good.

Next up? The Raven: Start Puffing Now

This contest is not going to be an easy outing. Both teams are 2-0. The Ravens first win was lopsided against the Dolphins. The 2nd game against the Cards was a win by 6 at 23-17. This week, they play the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Again, I expect Kansas City to win and to see the Chiefs have a more balanced game as well with the offense. I don’t know about the offensive line situation because Eric Fisher re-injured a tender groin in the first quarter and was out for the rest of the game.

Cornerback Exposure? No POOF… Yet

Despite an effort to sign a top Cornerback, the bidding war apparently held in favor of the Steelers who inked Minkah Fitzpatrick (unverified). Now, that was one that I was highly in favor of getting done. I would really like Veach to have been able to consummate this deal but it appears that the Steelers out bid the Chiefs for the services of FItzP.

Meanwhile, the attempt to find that top CB to add to the Chiefs continues and Veach understands the need and the value of bringing in a top CB to the Kingdom. We see it. Other fans see it. Brett Veach apparently knows it and is working diligently on the problem because as we understand it Veach was intent on bringing Fitz to the organization.

Ramsey Rumor Could be a Big “Puffy POOF”

Within the last bit of time (all day yesterday), the rumors are flying with Adam Schefter tweeting the Chiefs to link Jalen Ramsey by 5 PM. That’s a pretty trustworthy source (but it doesn’t always work out that way). 

Now, I should observe that Tyreek Hill has come out and tweeted to Ramsey to get to KC forthwith, so he is apparently not holding any degree of ire towards Ramsey. Ramsey would provide the needed strength for the CB room which would then have enough depth to ball out… which would, give the Chiefs a very good secondary defense.

We’ll see. I did comment the past two days about how I feel with the inmates running the show and so on. That is troublesome to me, which makes signing Ramsey a questionable signing, but…  what if the problem with Ramsey did indeed lie with his coaching?

“We lack a top CB. We have players who make a good CB room with that one [CB] player still being a huge exposure…. This would put the defense in position to cover playing QBs like Brady. [A CB] to handle the outside alone so that the rest of the secondary can focus defense elsewhere, would be my target player.

I [have] written a bit about my own temper…. My point is, I think Ramsey is a totally solid player… [So] I am reining back a bit in my response. I got a chance to continue after my youthful explosion and maybe that is what Ramsey needs. I am trying to recall how my emotions…. It took me awhile to learn how to channel it.” – David Bell, 9/17/19

There are always a myriad of different facets to these situations and we outside of NFL Football and outside the teams especially, which are involved, things we can make observations about but that is all they are… observations.

Before Ramsey was having it out with his HC and demanding trade… I was all for getting him in house.

Two NFL Fast Breaks of Note

I have been pretty high on the Chiefs receiver room. We had two men go down to injury that we had good expectations about. There remain two more and we still haven’t been cheering (nor jeering) DAT. Tremon Smith is gone. The Chiefs did all they could to keep his speed but, space was needed. Aside from the WR’s, the Chiefs are blessed with the top TE in the NFL, Travis Kelce, and the Running Backs who are superior aerial targets.

Fast Break #1: WR POOF & Fan Gusher

In Week One, Tyreek Hill started out great-guns but was injured. In stepped Sammy Watkins who took over and broke for the goal — three TDs and 198 yards later? The Chiefs had NFL Fast Break #1. Good stuff. Watkins had earned the advantage in Week One and inherited the week due to Hill’s injury.

Fast Break #2: Another WR POOF! 

In Week Two, Sammy Watkins took on the role of Tyreek Hill and garnered the double-team attention. This would benefit two other players but one of those two — Demarcus Robinson — would have a breakout game as Watkins absorbed so much extra “care.” Robinson showed flashes of his long ability and speed but we had not witnessed it in a game setting.

In Week Two Sammy took over the X (#1 WR). Both Mecole Hardman and DRob took advantage but it was DRob who broke out with 172 yards and 2 TD’s. Good stuff.

Future Fast Break: Is POOF #3 in the Cards?

On Sunday, Week Three, we need another Gusher! I have no word on acquiring a top CB… yet! That would be a “Big Blow” type POOF, of tornadic, or hurricane type proportions… a real push to win the Super Bowl type “Big Blow.”

And the Chiefs Wide Receivers? I can see it coming: Mecole Hardman gets the next shot… Hill returns to the lineup… DAT sprinkles a miracle here and there… then it’s the city of fountains, the Wide Receiver fountains that are overflowing! Then it’s one Gusher after another… all the way to a K.C. parade in February.

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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