David Bell
Monday We Awaited News about the Covid-19 Restriction List
Monday we still had 5 players listed on the Covid-19 Reserve List. You have to add Travis Kelce to the group. Three, including Kelce were kept on the active Roster in hopes they could clear with a negative test before the game. None were cleared in time.
- CB Rashad Fenton
- DB Armani Watts
- K Harrison Butker
- P Tommy Townsend
- LB Darius Harris (PS)
- WR Daurice Fountain (PS)
Add to that list the players who were active Sunday, but did not clear the Covid-19 test.
- Travis Kelce(TE)
- Nick Bolton(LB)
- Lucas Niang(LOT)
This was how the list was when I started this article. Travis Kelce, Rashad Fenton and Harrison Butker were moved to the Active list preceding the Steelers game. None of the three were able to clear the Covid exposure by game time. So add them to the above list as well.
Wednesday is a Different Story
In his Presser, HC Andy Reid not only TE Travis Kelce was cleared from the Reserve/Covid-19 list, but also that CB Rashad Fenton, PK Harrison Butker as well as S Armani Watts and Punter Tommy Townsend. I think Niang has cleared as well. IOW, all are cleared to practice except Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and he isn’t on the Covid list.
Injury Report On Monday
In his presser Monday, Andy Reid listed two players and said: “Really, there are just the two injuries,” Reid told reporters. “(They) are Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), who hurt his shoulder. We’ll just see how bad it is tomorrow.” Tyrann Mathieu suffered some injury or a problem with his calf-muscle and then left the game due to what Andy Reid said was a quad injury or it was a knee contusion. What I saw on the sidelines was a trainer trying to rub out a cramp. I have heard nothing more about this from Reid, so I would presume Mathieu will be ready to go versus the Bengals.
Ian Rapoport reported that Clyde Edwards-Helaire landed hard on his collarbone and held it rather awkwardly as he left the field to go to the locker room. He was ruled questionable to return initially before he was eventually ruled out.
A MRI revealed no structural damage to Edwards-Helaire’s collarbone and shoulder area and while there is some swelling, the injury is not expected to be season-ending per Rapoport. Via ESPN, Adam Schefter notes that Edwards-Helaire is currently considered week-to-week with his injury stating he could be available for the upcoming contest with the Bengals in week 17. There’s even a chance he could suit up against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17. Reid also said:
“And then the Badger (Tyrann Mathieu) had the knee contusion, or a quad contusion, so he came out too at the end there.”
Mathieu banged his quad area on his fumble recovery early in the game and then aggravated the same area later on and when Reid pulled him he was ruled out for the rest of the game.
The Chiefs Defense is a Virus
That Opponents Have trouble Combatting
We can say a lot about why the Chiefs have emerged at the front of the pack in the AFC. If I said it was due to the defense, including the week 6 game followed by the thumping that the team took at the hands of the Titans, and that the defense has been the force that really helped the team to a string of 8 victories after the Nashville Debacle – I think I would be right on the money. When the offense can’t score, it is not the fault of the defense which had to get back on the field quickly due to the many failed drives of when the offense. The Titans scored 27 and that had to have been part of the reason. Then the string of 6 wins before they Chiefs faced the Chargers on the road but in that contest, the team surrendered 28 points. Both of these two games were against contenders who will in all likelihood be playoff teams when the season finishes in two more weeks.
Early in the game versus the Steelers, Frank Clark’s sack of Roethlisberger set the tone for the defense. See video above. It was obvious to me that the Front Four controlled the game. It wasn’t until, late in the game that the Chiefs finally gave up a field goal.
The late TD was a “garbage time” score and the players on the field were largely support-players who were not starters. They played fairly well themselves. The final score could well have been “40” but I don’t think the Chiefs were overly concerned about the score, where they added 3 points and not 7 on the fumble recovered inside the Steelers 10 yard line
What I felt was important about the defense’s showing was that every player that was on the field at any given point in time was highly active. They swarmed to the ball and the stats show this because 18 players tallied at least 1 tackle. This game against the Steelers was important since it was needed to maintain the position leading teams vying for the playoffs and so that KC could maintain their hold on the playoff bye.
Across all the games even including the Titan’s game, the Chiefs defense has been gritty, hard-hitting with a bit of nasty tossed in. DC Steve Spagnuolo has put it all together and it is not just players who are designated starters making points in my book. The defense fields about 20 players in any given game. That has got to do a lot for team camaraderie. Of note for this game, rookie Nick Bolton was not available, but CB Dicaprio Bootle led the team in tackles with eight (8). Impressive as that was, Bootle had not played a single NFL snap prior to the Steelers game.
We spoke often as the beginning of the season approached about the offense or the defense “Gelling”. I have felt that is just what happened after week 6 despite losing to the Titans in week 7. The defense pulled it together despite the 27 given up to Tennessee and to the LA team.
Whatever the defensive coaches have done, is to get the players all on the same page and as noted, it goes farther that just the 11 players who are starters. That bodes well for finishing the season on a roll and getting two more wins.
Last week, the Chiefs had stop after stop on the defense, three takeaways again yielded only 10 points. That is the 7th game of the season where the team held the opponent to my old magic number of 17 points or fewer and that says a bunch about this defensive outfit. Spag’s defense has climbed the team rankings steadily after week 6! We can all recall the dismal feelings that we had about the defense in the first six games. Our appraisal rose along with the team’s defensive performances. If you hadn’t noticed, the Chiefs defense has also improved greatly in it’s ability to score as well.
Three Takeaways Versus the Steelers
- Charvarius Ward picked off a pass to end the Steelers 2nd drive
- Tyrann Mathieu recovered a fumble that the Chiefs converted to a TD on the Steelers 3rd drive
- Jarran Reed strip sack-fumble recover led to 3 points
Impressive Call-Ups
Elliott Fry made 3 FG’s and his Kickoffs were essentially standard fare. He did miss a FG attempt and an Extra point but Fry Got the task done since Butker was unavailable. He had been added to the roster the week before so I would call that a success. Tommy Townsend wasn’t available for punting duty and his brother was added to the roster to ensure the team could manage the punting task. That was solidly covered as well and he was the PH for Fry’s FGAs. When you think about the duty of specialists, I think these two players deserve a lot of credit. Still, Fry missed a FG and an XP. He was released by the Chiefs on Tuesday.
Sealing the Division With the 8th Win in a Row
The Chiefs joined elite company by winning it’s sixth division title in a row. There are two teams with 7 consecutive titles and of course the Patriots went beyond that to record 11 consecutive division championships. Still, the current Chiefs team now is third among the top teams, with the Rams holding a record of 7 seasons in a row and as mentioned, the Patriots run of 11 tops them all. Prior to this year, both the Raiders and Broncos had 5 year streaks now surpassed by KC.
Will the Chiefs Add Two More Wins
Will the Chiefs Hold the Playoff Bye?
You have to think that the Bengals, tight in their own playoff race, are going to be a very tough foe. We play them on the road as well. After the 500+ yard game last week by QB Joe Burrows, you have to worry about this Cincinnati team. On the other hand, the Chiefs defense no longer has players subtracted with Bolton and Fenton back on board. Not only this, but the Chiefs offense has had it’s own successes and has done it regardless of the defense arrayed against it.
I really appreciated the game turned in by Byron Pringle this last week against the Steelers. Pringle became a formidable weapon himself and the Chiefs needed such a threat all season long. If Byron has another successful outing as a target for Mahomes, I don’t see how the Bengals are going to be able to fend off the aerial attack with Hill, Kelce, and Pringle all getting targets. I am not going to subtract out Hardman either. When Hardman is on the field, the team presents another speed option that defenses must account for.
At the same time, even if CEH is unable to play in week 17, I am convinced that Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore will be a complete threat out of the backfield. In my view, that makes the Chiefs a complete team with both the offense and defense holding fort even in enemy territory.
We already know what Darrel Williams brings to the table. We can add FB Michael Burton to the power as well — the Chiefs have found a way to get Burton in the mix. They alone (along with the 49ers) seem to be keeping the FB position alive in the NFL.
What I see from the Chiefs offense is a unit that has matured and grown since losing to the Titans. They have scored on teams that worked to stop Hill or Kelce. They have used a double-safety approach to take away the over-the-top game, and while they also have used a single-high and stacked the box… the Chiefs have become successful against both and alterations and variations. So, the Offense has “Gelled” as well.
Mark my thoughts on this, but the Chiefs are the superior team. They must play as the superior team to get their 12th win of the season. I don’t see the Chiefs overlooking the Bengals and eyeing the Broncos, but I can see the Chiefs winning out, getting 10 in a row, holding on to the Bye, and finishing with a 13-4 record. What do you see?
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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