Game plan takes Chiefs fans out of game

By JEFFREY FLANAGAN

Source: KC Star


Good coaching staffs know how to “take the crowd out of the game” with a solid game plan. But taking your own home crowd out of the game? That’s pretty much what the Chiefs’ ultraconservative game plan appeared to do Sunday. The Arrhowhead faithful were ready to roar and devour the Vikings, but the Chiefs’ run-first offensive approach only served to diminish the Arrowhead magic, and thus keep the Vikings in the game.
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“Here comes a growling Arrowhead ...”
| Mitch Holthus, KCFX, Chiefs Radio Network.
JF: This was a rare moment in the second half when the crowd had reason to get loud and intimidate the Vikings’ offense. It should have been like that the entire game.
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“You’re going to get the entire state of Minnesota in the (defensive) box on this play.”
| Holthus, as the Chiefs lined up for a third and short and then ran the ball.
“There’s no mystery out there … If the running game isn’t going, pass the ball.”
| Len Dawson, KCFX, Chiefs Radio Network
“That’s doing it the hard way.”
| Dawson, after Larry Johnson picked up a first down even though the Vikings employed nine players in the box.
“You’ve got to change up. You’ve got to play-pass once in a while. They play-passed on the first play of the game, and it was open.”
| Dawson
JF: Win or no win, Chiefs fans are going to continue to howl about the play-calling, and with good reason.
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“What else can go wrong?”
| Dawson, somewhat disgustedly after the Chiefs lined up to punt after a three-and-out and drew a false-start flag.
“Ty Law didn’t even touch him. Wow. You’ve got to turn the runner inside.”
| Dawson after the Vikings’ first-quarter touchdown, an 11-yard run by Adrian Peterson
“Did you see (Peterson) freeze Ty Law? Once a runner can get a corner to stop his feet … Ty Law isn’t the quickest anymore … once he stopped his feet, he’s done. He’s dead.”
| Jayice Pearson, Fox game analyst
“You’re seeing a lot of indecision by Damon Huard as he goes back to pass.”
| Pearson
JF: Maybe Huard was simply stunned whenever a pass play was sent in.
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“That sure looked like a touchdown. Wow. What a huge break for Kansas City.”
| Holthus, after an apparent touchdown reception by Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was ruled incomplete, and then upheld after a Vikings challenge.
“It looks like a catch. His arm is under the ball.”
| Pearson
“I think Minnesota just got jobbed.”
| Matt Vasgersian, Fox play-by-play man
“The message is pretty clear to the coaches: Keep the red flags in your pocket. You’re wasting your time.”
| Bob Gretz, KCFX, Chiefs Radio Network, after two straight coaches’ challenges resulted in the calls standing.
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“If the other 10 guys had the effort that Jared Allen does, the defense wouldn’t give up a first down.”
| Dawson
“Jared Allen is a one-man machine out there.”
| Holthus
JF: Hey, don’t forget KC Wolf — he came to play, too, with a nice assist on the tackle of the knucklehead who ran out on the field.
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“It’s ‘The Bowe Show’ at Arrowhead today … Bowe knows touchdowns!”
| Vasgersian, after Bowe’s big-time touchdown catch
JF: We’re guessing that Vasgersian had those ready to go during pregame, but they weren’t bad nonetheless. Oh, and just as good as Bowe’s touchdown catch was the one he had moments earlier on third down to keep the drive going.