Official In Game Thread - Chiefs at Eagles - 9/19

[TopekaRoy]

Kansas City Chiefs

@

Philadelphia Eagles

_{Thursday, September 19, 7:25 CDT
at
Lincoln Financial Field}
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Television coverage:

NFL Network


Watch online:

NFL Network @ FirstRowUS1.eu
American Football @ Day.to
Chiefs Vs Eagles @ VIPBoxONLine.eu

[TopekaRoy]

Weather forecast: 76 degrees, Clear

Line: Chiefs -3, Over/Under: 50.5

Notable Quotables:
Chiefs:
"You can't spend all day in a seven-step drop mode in the NFL. Being able to nickel and dime at times is good. If you're going to play fast, you need to be efficient. Sometimes you may have to sacrifice your vertical game here and there to stay efficient on the field and keep your defense on the sideline." -- Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.

Eagles:
"I talked to Andy when I got the job and he said to be yourself. I told him I had big shoes to fill, and he said you'll do a good job, and that was it." - Chip Kelly on any advice he got from his predecessor, Andy Reid.

Game Preview from ESPN.com

Amidst the hype and emotion surrounding Andy Reid's return to Philadelphia this week, the veteran coach is doing his best to focus only on making sure the Kansas City Chiefs remain unbeaten.

Facing the Eagles for the first time since they fired him after 14 years as coach, Reid looks to guide the Chiefs to a 3-0 start Thursday night.

After leading Philadelphia to nine playoff appearances, six NFC East titles, five conference championship games and a Super Bowl berth, it's likely Reid will be consumed by plenty of emotions when he sets foot on Lincoln Financial Field. However, at least publicly, Reid is more concerned with preparing his new team on a short week to face an Eagles squad that has scored 63 points while starting 1-1.

"In this business you're focused in on getting your team ready to play," Reid told the Chiefs' official website. "That's where my energy is going to go. I haven't really thought about that other part at all. I don't necessarily plan on thinking about that. I want to make sure I concentrate on the game at hand and anything else becomes a distraction and I'm not going to let that happen.

"Every coach tells you these Thursday nights, it's a quick turnaround, and you just have to go. It's something you have to do. You buckle down and make sure you get it done."

After falling 33-30 at home to San Diego on Sunday, the Eagles are also sticking to the company line of focusing on the game and not Reid's return, which comes on the same night former quarterback Donovan McNabb's No. 5 jersey will be retired.

"It's just another football game," said Philadelphia's Michael Vick, who has thrown for 631 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions while posting the NFL's third-highest passer rating at 119.0. "We have to get ready, we can't focus on the whole dynamic of the situation. We have a football game to prepare for, and we have to do everything to ensure that we have a chance to win the football game. That is what is most important. It's our third game in 11 days, but we're conditioned for it.

"We're ready for it."

Vick and his teammates understand that these are not the same Chiefs who went 2-14 in 2012.

"Most of these guys are from last year and the taste we had in our mouths last year, nobody ever wants to feel that again," Kansas City defensive tackle Dontari Poe said. "Everybody's focused. Everybody is working hard and making sure that don't happen."

Kansas City, which last started 3-0 in 2010, trailed Dallas by six in the third quarter Sunday before Alex Smith hit Dwayne Bowe with a go-ahead 12-yard TD in a 17-16 victory.

Smith has thrown four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Defensively, the Chiefs have allowed one touchdown and recorded nine sacks, but they face a daunting task this week.

Under Reid's replacement Chip Kelly, Philadelphia's fast-paced, no-huddle offense has totaled 954 yards and seven touchdowns. LeSean McCoy has rushed for 237 yards on 42 carries and gained 119 on six receptions.

A rib injury limited receiver DeSean Jackson to 45 receptions, 700 yards and two TDs in 11 games in 2012, but he's caught 16 balls for 297 and matched that touchdown total this year.

"We've studied them a lot in the offseason," Kansas City defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said. "We've been grinding since (Sunday) night. I don't think the problem will be seeing it, the problem will be getting the plan in and executing it."

Some questionable clock management late in Philadelphia's loss Sunday proved Kelly is learning on the job.

His offense continued running the hurry-up on their tying drive late in the fourth quarter that featured three straight incomplete passes taking up 14 seconds. After Alex Henery's 32-yard field goal tied it at 30, Philip Rivers had plenty of time to march the Chargers 51 yards to set up Nick Novak's go-ahead 46-yarder with 7 seconds remaining.

"Could we have (run more of a ball-controlled offense)? Sure," Kelly said. "But we wouldn't have scored a lot of points. So you're in a Catch 22. We were behind, so you've got to try to score to get back into the game, and you can play that game and say, `Hey, let's work the clock here a little bit.' But if you start handcuffing our offense, then we may not have scored enough points to make it even a tied game, so now you're playing the other way."

Philadelphia has won three straight against Kansas City, most recently 34-14 at home in 2009. Jackson caught six passes for 149 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown from Kevin Kolb. Tight end Brent Celek had eight for 104 yards with a score and McCoy rushed for 84 and a TD.

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs Stats Leaders:


Offense:
Passing:
Alex Smith

42-70 for 396 yds, 4 tds, 0 ints, QBR---94.7


Receiving:
Dwayne Bowe

8 rec, 86 yds, 1 td


Rushing:
Jamaal Charles

32 carries for 132 yds, (4.1 ypc) 1 td


Defense:
Tackles:
Brandon Flowers

14 tackles (14 solo), 1 int


Sacks:
Dontari Poe

3.5 Sacks


Interceptions
Tamba Hali

1 int, 1 td
and
Brandon Flowers

1 int

[TopekaRoy]

Eagles Stats Leaders:



Offense:
Passing:
Michael Vick

38-61 for 631 yds, 4 tds, 0 int, QBR---119.0


Recieving:
LeSean Jackson

16 catches for 297 yds, 2 tds


Rushing:
LeSean McCoy

42 carries for 237 yds (5.6 ypc), 1 td


Defense:
Tackles:
Myckal Kendrics

18 tackles (12 solo), 1 sack


Sacks:
DeMarco Ryans, Connor Barwin, Cary Williams, Fletcher Cox

tied with 1 sack each

Interceptions:
Brandon Boykin and Cary Williams
tied with 1 int each

[TopekaRoy]

Injury Reports


Eagles:
Probable:
Brent Celek (TE)-Shoulder
Brandon Boykin (CB)-Quadricep
Jason Kelce (C)-Thumb
Dennis Kelly (T)-Back
Bradley Fletcher (CB)-Concussion
Mychal Kendricks (LB))-Groin

?
Brandon Hughes (CB)-Did Not Participate In Practice

Chiefs:
Probable:
James-Michael Johnson (LB)-Neck
Dezman Moses (LB)-Toe
Branden Albert (T)-Shoulder
Nico Johnson (LB)-Ankle
Mike Devito (DE)-Neck

Questionable:
Travis Kelce (TE)-Knee
Brandon Flowers (CB)-Knee

Doubtful
Anthony Fasano (TE)-Ankle

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs-Eagles Scouting Report from the Kansas City Star


When the Chiefs run

EDGE >> CHIEFS

The Chiefs had a tough time running against the Cowboys until it really mattered during the final 4 minutes of the game, when they ran seven times for 47 of their 114 rushing yards. Jamaal Charles is averaging 4.1 yards a carry, but his long run is just 18 yards. If quarterback Alex Smith leads the Chiefs in rushing again, that’s not a good sign. The Eagles kept San Diego’s running game in check last week, mostly because they couldn’t stop the pass.

When the Chiefs pass

EDGE >> EAGLES

Chiefs fans are still waiting for Smith to deliver the big pass play, and if there’s any game for that to happen, it could be this one. The Eagles were dreadful in pass defense against the Chargers, allowing Philip Rivers to complete 36 of 47 passes for 419 yards and three TDs. The ankle injury to tight end Anthony Fasano will force Smith to keep feeding Charles with short passes and hope Dwayne Bowe or Donnie Avery can break loose deep. The key stat for Smith: zero INTs.

When the Eagles run

EDGE >> CHIEFS

LeSean McCoy is the Eagles’ answer to the Chiefs’ Charles. McCoy leads the NFL in rushing with 236 yards and a 5.6-yard average in two games, and the Eagles rank second in the league in rushing. The Chiefs need to be wary of QB Michael Vick running the zone read in the Eagles’ up-tempo attack. He has rushed just 15 times for 77 yards, but he can bolt 70 yards in a heartbeat. The Chiefs rank second in the NFL in rushing defense largely because NT Dontari Poe has been near unblockable.

When the Eagles pass

EDGE >> EAGLES

The sack-happy Chiefs are going to have to pressure Vick but contain him in the pocket. He threw for a career-best 428 yards and two TDs against San Diego. Vick targeted speedy DeSean Jackson 15 times and hit him for a career-best nine receptions for 193 yards and a TD; while McCoy’s 114 receiving yards were a career high, including a 70-yard TD. Chiefs OLB Tamba Hali needs a good game against rookie T Lane Johnson.

Special teams

EDGE >> CHIEFS

The Chiefs have been very good at dictating field position with Ryan Succop’s seven touchbacks in nine kickoffs and punter Dustin Colquitt’s 10 punts inside the 20, including the 5, 10, 10 16 and 4 last week against Dallas. But the Chiefs allowed a blocked punt for a safety at Jacksonville and a blocked field goal by Dallas. Eagles K Alex Henery made three field goals against San Diego, but his 46-yarder that went wide right just before the end of the first half loomed large in a three-point loss.

Coaching

EDGE >> CHIEFS

Former Eagles coach Andy Reid has brought instant credibility to Chiefs with their 2-0 start. While his successor, Chip Kelly, has overhauled the Eagles’ schemes on both sides of the ball, Reid and his staff know the strengths and weaknesses of the veteran Eagles players, including Vick, McCoy, Jackson and LB Trent Cole better than anybody. Kelly is trying to replicate what worked for him at Oregon, and his offense rolled up 511 yards in just 59 plays against San Diego. But with the exception of Jim Harbaugh and Jimmy Johnson, the track record of college coaches succeeding in the NFL is spotty.

X-factor

EDGE >> EAGLES

This is the Andy Reid Bowl and could be Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie’s referendum on whether he made the right move by firing the coach who spent 14 seasons in Philadelphia and won a franchise-most 140 games. Reid has kept whatever feelings he has about this homecoming to himself, but the zealous Eagles fans will be all over him and the Chiefs. It’s no coincidence the Eagles are retiring Donovan McNabb’s jersey and inducting him into the club’s Hall of Fame.

Bottom line

The Chiefs have been impressive in getting off to a 2-0 start, and the Eagles won in an upset on the road and lost in a surprise at home. But Reid’s return makes this the most-anticipated game of the season in Philadelphia, and winning on the road in a prime-time game in a short week could be a bit much for the Chiefs to overcome.

Prediction: Eagles 30, Chiefs 27.

[Chief-SinceDay1]

Damn every football season before a Chiefs game I can never sleep haha. Lets get to 3-0 boys I know ya can do it, Let give it to Charles a little bit more though please? lol

[Justin5772002]

Injury Reports


Dallas:
Probable:
Brent Celek (TE)-Shoulder
Brandon Boykin (CB)-Quadricep
Jason Kelce (C)-Thumb
Dennis Kelly (T)-Back
Bradley Fletcher (CB)-Concussion
Mychal Kendricks (LB))-Groin

?
Brandon Hughes (CB)-Did Not Participate In Practice

Chiefs:
Probable:
James-Michael Johnson (LB)-Neck
Dezman Moses (LB)-Toe
Branden Albert (T)-Shoulder
Nico Johnson (LB)-Ankle
Mike Devito (DE)-Neck

Questionable:
Travis Kelce (TE)-Knee
Brandon Flowers (CB)-Knee

Doubtful
Anthony Fasano (TE)-Ankle

we're not playing dallas

[Chiefster]

Don't like that prediction Roy. :(

GO CHIEFS!!!!

[Chiefster]

Weather forecast: 76 degrees, Clear...

Couldn't ask for better!