Kansas City Chiefs: Week Eleven Report Card

Surprise!  Kansas City is here to contend.  It is only one win.  No, wait, it’s two wins in a row…isn’t that, dare I say it?  A winning streak!? 

While the Pittsburgh Steelers were hampered as the heart of their defense, safety Troy Polomalu sat out due to injury, it was still clear that no one believed the Chiefs had a chance to win against the reigning Super Bowl Champions.

With a large number of Steeler fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium, it was those who dawn the red and gold and attend week-after-week who cheered on a Ryan Succop game-winning field goal in overtime. 

Here’s how the grades shake out:

Pass Offense: B

It is easy to be torn here as quarterback Matt Cassel’s performance was far from “lights out,” but plays were made when it mattered most.

Cassel’s inaccuracy and tendency to hold the ball too long continue to be a problem for the Kansas City pass offense. 

Once receiving a fresh set of downs inside the Pittsburgh ten, the goal-to-go situation was marginalized as Cassel, with time to throw, took a sack on third down and the team settled for a field goal. 

Cassel’s completion percentage is hovering in the low fifties and when you get knocked down as much as he does, every throw that gets out of his hands counts. 

However, key elements of a great passing game made themselves present. 

It is exciting to see head coach and offensive coordinator Todd Haley willing to air-it-out on first down.  The Chiefs took a number of shots downfield. 

The passing game was also clutch, as wide receiver Chris Chambers made the big play in overtime to set up the 22 yard Succop kick. 

Chris Chambers has made his presence known quickly, Lance Long has fast become a local favorite, and Bobby Wade gives a viable threat to make clean catches and potentially break long runs.  Even with Dwayne Bowe suspended, this passing offense has potential to be more than respectable.

Run Offense: B

Larry who?  Fans hope this question can be raised on a weekly basis. 

With Haley finally giving running back Jamaal Charles the duties of a featured role, the running back has responded by playing hard and doing the small things. 

Oh yeah, the guy also had a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but that’s special teams. 

Charles is not the biggest back, weighing less than 200 pounds, but he runs with authority and finishes runs.  He may not run a linebacker over, but multiple times you saw him bounce off of a hit, keep his feet, and head back up field. 

The most exciting thing about Charles (aside from pure speed) is his patience in letting holes develop and finding how to exploit what the defense gives him.  He is reminiscent of Priest Holmes in that he shouldn’t simply be sent into the teeth of the defense down after down, but on offense certainly doesn’t feel confined to running perimeter run plays. 

Charles is showing surprising versatility and will be a spark plug in this offense for seasons to come.  Next, it would just be nice to see a couple 100 yard games and some great short-yardage runs.

Pass Defense: B+

Quick note: Cornerback Brandon Flowers can teach linebackers in this league how to tackle.  Every Pop Warner coach in America would do well to sit their athletes in front of game footage of Flowers. 

Kansas City got gashed for a number of yards, but came up clutch as they helped the offense earn 10 points off two clutch interceptions.

In the absence of Mike Vrabel, it was the former Division III college athlete, Andy Studebaker, who filled in as an outside linebacker and made his presence known. 

I highlighted Studebaker as a player to watch during Kansas City’s preseason, although primarily for his abilities as a pass rusher, but in this game it was Studebaker who caught both interceptions. 

One came by plucking the ball out of the air and the other came as Pittsburgh quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger threw it right to Studebaker who was playing his zone.  Neither was particularly spectacular, but there’s a lot to be said for playing one’s defensive assignment. 

He was in position to make the plays because the defensive coordinator called a play that put him in position to capitalize.  That kind of smart play can lead to more big plays than simply exceptional athletic ability.  However, anyone who saw Studebaker outrun Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes after a pick knows the guy isn’t lacking speed. 

KC’s pass rush struggled until the fourth quarter, when they came alive, sparked by a Mike Brown sack that came on a safety blitz.

Run Defense: C+

Good, but not great. 

Ron Edwards is showing some strong push from the nose tackle position and works well with the tandem of youngsters on the ends, Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson.  However, the Chiefs would be well-served to find a premiere run-stuffing nose tackle that would allow players like Dorsey to utilize their big-bodied athleticism. 

With converted defensive ends like Tamba Hali playing outside linebacker there should be more complicated blitz schemes to confuse an offensive line with than simply sending the outside linebacker from the edge. 

If at least two members of an offensive line are required to occupy a premiere nose tackle, gaps are likely to open up and exploit with some unique zone-blitzes.

Special Teams: A

Why isn’t this an A+? 

Succop was a perfect two for two on field goals, including the game winner.  He booted kickoffs for touchbacks.  Punter Dustin Colquitt gave his normal pro bowl caliber performance, forcing fair catches inside Pittsburgh’s own twenty.  The return game even showed up, providing the first score of the game with a 97 yard kickoff return for six. 

So why only an A?  Kick coverage has big room for improvement as Steelers’ return man, Stefan Logan, had too many returns that swallowed up big chunks of yards.

Play of the game:

With the Steelers threatening to turn the game into a one-sided affair, passing in a goal-to-go situation, Andy Studebaker intercepted Ben Roethlisberger just inside his own end zone and streaked down the sideline with Brandon Flowers in stride to help block pursuing defenders, the outside linebacker rumbled all the way to inside the Pittsburgh ten, turning the tables on the Super Bowl champs.