Kansas City-Oakland: If You Build It, They Will Run

An eye-for-an-eye, going blow-for-blow, what goes-around-comes-around.

All are slogans that surmise the season series between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders.

Slain by the big play too many times this season, it appeared the Chiefs would fall victim to the bad habit yet again in week 10.

Oakland went 70 yards on four plays that included a 60-yard run by Michael Bush. This was answered by a 44 yard scamper for a touchdown by Chiefs back Jamaal Charles, for the team’s first rushing touchdown of the year.

These big plays aside, the Chiefs simply outplayed the Raiders and didn’t shoot themselves in the foot, despite three turnovers. The season series is split 1-1, both winning on the opposing team’s turf.

For an analysis, here’s what jumps out:

Jamaal Charles Looks Like an Upgrade from Larry Johnson

Charles played a key role in several Kansas City firsts for the season. He scored the team’s first rushing touchdown, notched the team’s first 100-plus yard rushing performance (the second of his career), all on the way to aiding the team’s first victory within the AFC West.

As was anticipated, the back’s best runs came on extended plays to the outside, where if Charles can find a seam or hit the corner he is a threat to break the play for a touchdown.

However, it was the speed and power with which Charles hit holes between the tackles that was surprising. He showed an ability to fight for the hard yards, running with an authority that doesn’t match the player’s physical build.

Most exciting is the patience Charles shows, reminiscent of Priest Holmes. This is a weapon with a lot of potential who now has a regular opportunity to make plays as he did in week 10.

The Football Gods Aligned the Cosmos

Twice, plays were not overturned in favor of the Chiefs.

The first was a Mark Bradley catch and run on 3rd-and-23 where Bradley dove and extended the ball to earn the first. In a call the commentators disagreed with, the referees upheld the ruling on the field of being just short, forcing a punt.

Late in the fourth, with Oakland driving and looking to tie the game, or win given the extra point, Oakland’s number one pick of 2009, Darrius Heyward-Bey, caught a 22-yard pass tiptoeing to stay inbounds.

Again, the controversial play fell in favor of the Raiders after review. Any Chiefs fan watching the game will adamantly insist the play was out-of-bounds.

Yet if you subscribe to the idea of the football Gods, NFL equilibrium was achieved as Heyward-Bey would juggle the ball as he attempted to receive a pass on the very next play.

Chiefs safety Mike Brown plucked the ball out of the air and wisely stepped out of bounds to seal the victory for the Chiefs.

Matt Cassel Will Not Win Games for the Chiefs

This isn’t to say that with Cassel at quarterback the Chiefs are going to lose. Rather, it has become increasingly clear that Cassel is not quite the savior of the franchise that many fans and commentators had hyped him to be this past offseason.

Cassel is more than a functional quarterback as at times he looks very good. However, he has been given more time to throw these past two weeks and he is far from lighting it up.

He throws his receivers jump balls that come in too low, hits running backs with bullets they can’t hold onto, and his accuracy is just a little off.

However, to learn this may be a relief as he can now be another piece of this team’s puzzle instead of having to be the cog upon which all things rely.

Instead of a criticism, this truth can be seen as a step toward a cohesive team identity that fans hope will be synonymous with winning.

In spite of all of this, it was enormously encouraging to see the Chiefs pass downfield on first down.

Where Cassel does shine is his knack for leadership both in the huddle and on the sideline.

It’s clear that Cassel is physically tough with how many times he’s been hit this season, but enduring the barrage of criticisms and comments from head coach Todd Haley as he goes to the sideline has proven Cassel’s mental toughness as well.

Play of the Game

Down by seven and with a 1st-and-10 at the Kansas City 26, Oakland was looking to potentially tie the game. Bruce Gradkowski had replaced JaMarcus Russell at quarterback for the Raiders and had looked good at the helm of the silver and black’s offense.

After hitting rookie receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey for a 22-yard gain on 3rd-and-1, Gradkowski looked to the receiver again.

Heyward-Bey got open, but couldn’t receive the ball cleanly as he juggled the ball, which floated into the air and was grabbed as gently as a one might catch a falling baby by Chief’s safety Mike Brown to ensure a Kansas City win.