Thread: Random thoughts about Chiefs/Browns game.

1- This was gonna be a sweet weekend for me. My Soccer counterpart to the Chiefs, The Arsenal Gunners of North London had ascended to 2nd place in the EPL and had a low quality opponent to play against and stump over on Saturday. When the team at the top lost earlier in the day, the gate was wide open for Arsenal to ascend to the top of the table. So what happened? They went to Southampton and laid a goose egg. They lost 0-4, equivalent to getting shutout in football 28-0. Why is this relevant? Because by the 4th quarter of the Chiefs/Browns game I was asking, "Is it possible for both of my two favorite teams to blow easy opportunities by losing 'gimme' games in one weekend?!" A half consumed bottle of wine tells me it came damn close. Yes my Chiefs are driving me to drinking.

2- For the 3rd week in a row we barely survived a game that on paper we should have coasted through. Any one of these games could have been lost with just one wrong bounce of a ball. Yes, good teams do win close games. But three of them in a row speaks a bit about some luck too. This simply cannot be the formula by which we advance in the playoffs. It just feels like we peaked 4 weeks ago. A little too early in the season. I hope I'm wrong.

3- I said I hope I'm wrong because there actually IS some hope that we might mount another ascend when we get guys like Tamba Hali, Justin Houston, and DAT back. I can chalk up some of the closeness of these games to the absence of these guys.

4- Continuing on the theme of #3, I think we are fooling ourselves if we attribute these performances TOTALLY to the factor mentioned above. We started today's game like the superior team that we were supposed to be. However by the second half we got conservative in our offensive play calling and execution. Yes part of it was because they adjusted to us at halftime, but a good coaching staff can counter the other team's adjustments by anticipating what they would be and devising second half solutions for them. During our recent glory weeks we seemed to actually get better in the second half than the first. Instead, our LB-depleted D was asked to stay on the field too long because of our second half ineptness. They got tired and gashed by the Browns running game. Meanwhile our O resorted to some of the habits that we had during the 5 game losing streak. Ineffective screen passes that lost yardage, and predictable up the middle conservative runs that gained little. Andy got completely conservative too early and even his sideline management reverted back to the bad days. The second challenge for the spot of the ball was totally uncalled for. And the way the Browns O was starting to master our D why punt with 4th and 3 inches?! I know we were on our 30ish line, but sometimes a gut check call is needed to re energize a team. Had we gone for it and made it we would have changed the nature of the game completely. Had we gone for it and not gotten it we would not deserve a win anyway. As it is we did win the game and someone will surely tell me to be happy with what we got.

5- We won and so it wasn't all gloomy. For example Alex had his Aaron Rodgers moments in the first half. Both TD passes were textbook and those killer runs were something to behold. And Maclin who surpassed a 1000 yards in the first half has been a Godsend. Having talked up Alex, it's only fair to say he had a Cassel moment or two in the second half. especially on the INT. That was all on him. An ill advised throw.

6- Another 'Godsend' is Marcus Peters. That INT was badass! I can't wait for 22 to establish his own island for years to come.

7- Did Sean Smith play today? This is not a complaint, but he must have been doing his job quietly. Sometimes that's not bad, as long as the job gets done right.

8- Tamba Hali, please don't retire. With astute pacing of your practices and workload by the coaches you still have a couple of years of quality play in you. Today's game showed us how valuable you are to us. We need your class and leadership.

9- Didn't watch our Oline in detail, but Fisher seemed to have a good game. Every time I looked he did his job at least adequately. The middle of the line seemed to slow down during the second half. I welcome your analysis on that.

10- Have other teams figured out our WW2 running back brigade? I like to think their blah performance today was more on the play calling and the interior of the Oline. We need these guys big time in the playoffs.

11- Is it me or is Poe still suffering from back problem. He didn't seem like the dominant Dontari Poe we have come to love.

12- Can't wait for the Monday Night Football to see if we will be in the division driver seat or not. But also can't help lamenting the fact that we got to play Cincinnati on their own turf and at the peak of their play when they had all of their weapons. Lucky Donks get them at home and without Dalton (who was having a very good year before his injury) and their Pro Bowl TE Tyler Eiffert (who is going to be out with concussion). I keep my fingers crossed but realistically, I don't see how Denver is gonna lose. But, gods of football, would it destroy some part of the world if there is a tie after OT?

Nice post and thanks. Sums it up accurately.

Yea very nicely put fank.. Hali was missed!! Houston needs to play next week with dee ford i say keep hali on bench next week let my man heal up for playoff game!!

Good post.

1 - Comes with being a fan. Sometimes alcohol helps. Sometimes it don't.

2 - We've got some work to do, both roster-wise and coach-wise. When this team does it's best, it's usually when we're not shooting ourselves in the foot. Yesterday the run defense shot itself in the foot. The second half should've gone like the first half, but the bottom line is the Browns had a good running game yesterday, and were smart enough to make the adjustment to use it more in the second half. KC struggled to find an answer for that.

Talent-wise the Browns are a better team than they're given credit for, this is the same team that almost brought down Denver earlier in the season when it seemed like Denver could do no wrong. They've also had a lot of losses that were just by 3 points, including that Broncos game. The Browns just need better coaching.

3. Yes, we're definitely battling the injury bug. It's no fun to watch the big money player get joined on the sidelines by the guy that allowed the team to sign the big money player. Can't wait to get both Houston and Hali back at 100%. Dee Ford played pretty decently, so did Zombo, but at times they either got pushed aside or in Zombo's case, tripped over his own player.

4. Agreed. We could've done a better job digging through the playbook, and definitely agree that Reid should have gone for it on the 4th down in that situation. Our offense had some good momentum going, are D needed a breather, the call was upheld, and the resulting punt sucked. Defensively, Sutton had to have known that they were going to switch to more running.

5. Aaron Rodgers was having some "Cassel" moments of his own against the Cardinals yesterday...Yes Alex Smith's INT sucked and never should have been thrown. They were really committed to throwing the long ball yesterday, it's a shame we didn't connect more on them. With that being said, not only did Maclin break 1000 yards, but Smith also broke his personal record for throwing yards, and his play has been a big part of our 9 game win streak (hopefully soon to be 10).

6. Many pundits said that "Marcus Peters was the second best corner in the 2015 draft." I'd like to hold those pundits accountable for using one too many words. Peters should be defensive rookie of the year.

7. Another reason for the Browns to run the ball. The Browns weren't stupid. It was when the game went into the fourth quarter you could see the pressure affect them. Can only imagine what was going through Manziel's head (and headset) when he looks to his right and sees Peters, then checks his left and sees Sean Smith, then looks at his WR (Dwayne Bowe). Yep you betcha that pass went in the middle of the field, never minding the clock.

8. Top notch player, and better teammate.

9. Our O-line has some work to do. We've got a rookie center that just came back from injury a week ago, and revolving door at RG. Won't be surprised a bit if our first or second round draft pick is spent on a guard or RT.

10. Definitely agreed.

11. Actually I thought Poe had a decent game. A couple of times he broke free but just didn't have the speed to pursue Manziel. Normally Poe spends his day being double-teamed.

12. Agreed. A whole lot of folks in KC became Bengals fans after yesterday's win. The Bengals have a good team and had an extra day to prepare the backup QB & TE.

DEE Ford - He is a Pass Rush specialist only at this point. He is back to his one tackle a game stats. Granted the one tackle he had yesterday was huge. It was the 3rd and 1 run for a one yard loss.

The Browns ran right at him and Zombo, and Manziel just waited or Dee Ford to run up he field before he slid out of the pocket and took off.

Other points I forgot to include in my haste to post this thread:


13- Who was that man wearing red and gold #2 and what has he done with Dustin Colquitt? An FBI missing person investigation is in order.

14- How important was that FG block in the first half?! At the end, if this was a 1 point difference the Browns could have won it with a chip shot FG.

15- Thank you johnny football. You have some talent for getting away from a potential sack. But the bone in your head helped us a few times. Most dramatically, your intentional grounding on 3rd and goal late in the game.

16- Thank you Dwaine Bowe. For wearing the other team's uniform.

17- Last but not least, Thank you KC Royals. Your championship seemed to inspire the same desire in the Chiefs players, just in time. I don't know if we have all the tools to go all the way. But if Andy doesn't get conservative in the playoffs and we get all of our key injured back (Jamaal's notwithstanding) WHO KNOWS?!