In a game that featured a lot of big plays, some of them record breaking, the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Cleveland Browns 34 to 41 Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
There are lot of story lines and talking points to discuss when reviewing the Chief’s latest embarrassment but none more glaring than the abysmal performance of the defense.
The Chiefs gave up the third most rushing yards ever to a single back as the relatively unknown Jerome Harrison rushed for a staggering 286 yards and three touchdowns. While they were at it the Chiefs allowed Joshua Cribbs into the record books giving up two kickoff returns for touchdowns making the Browns return man the most successful in NFL history.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the defensive performance was the brashness with which Cleveland ran the football. At the half it was clear to everyone in Arrowhead Stadium that the Browns had no intention of putting the game in the hands of Brady Quinn’s arm. Quinn completed a pathetic 10 of 17 passes for only 66 yards.
Even with the knowledge that the Browns would be running almost every down the Chiefs could simply not stop Harrison. He ripped off big run after big run. Corey Mays had an absolutely atrocious game, often losing site of the ball carrier and getting swallowed up by blockers. Mike Brown often made it appear as though the Chiefs were playing without a safety, taking horrible angles allowing Harrison to get behind the defense. The overall defensive performance was riddled with shoddy tackling and blown assignments.
Meanwhile, Matt Cassel showed flashes of what the Chiefs have been hoping to see all season. The QB easily had has best game as a Chief, throwing for a season high 331 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. Cassel was 22 for 40 although his numbers would have looked even better if not for 9 dropped passes by Chiefs receivers, many of which stalled otherwise productive drives.
The other bright spot on offense for Kansas City was running back Jamaal Charles, who had a excellent day overshadowed by Harrison and the Chiefs horrendous defense. Charles ran for a career high 154 yards and a touchdown for a 6.2 yard per carry average. Chris Chambers also had a nice day receiving, catching all five balls thrown his way for a healthy 114 yards and a touchdown.
The game also featured the return of Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, who lead the Chiefs in dropped passes only pulling in 4 of his 10 targets. Bowe was his usual self, dropping perfectly thrown balls that hit him in the hands only to follow up with an unbelievable and difficult catch later on.
In the end, the 34 points put up by the Chiefs offense was not enough to overcome Cribbs and Harrison. Matters won’t get any easier for the ,who head out on the road to face playoff contenders Cincinnati and Denver in subsequent weeks to wrap up another miserable season.
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Have to check out the game tape, but I’m thinking maybe we miss Dorsey more than we thought we would, and maybe Magee ain’t as great as I thought he was. Lots of Gilberry in the mix. Lots of Gales in the mix.
Can think of at least 2 big plays that were simply blown assignments by Corey Mayes, who didn’t have a great game.
Mays was terrible.
As I said in my keys to victory earlier in the week, the Chiefs needed to keep the Browns backs in front of them and not over persue. I marveled as time and time again, Mays, Williams and Brown rushed into a pile of blockers only to let Harrsion past with no one left to tackle him.
it seems like everybody’s(all LBs & DBs) always out of position & falls perfcectly into the blockers angles. I cant count how many times that there was no defender to take the cutback because of over-pursuit.
this defense is terrible across the board. Early in the season, it was passing over the top, now it’s 8-10 ypc on the ground that they’re giving up it seems.
they are what we thought they are
Anyone get the idea that we will be looking for a new linebackers coach in the offseason?
how about new linebackers, too?
I just don`t understand how a team that has invested so many picks on the defensive side of the squad ,Just keeps getting worse .The bunch of clowns out there now are every bit as bad as when Vermeil was coach .
Thats what I don`t get ,new players ,new coaches ,new GM same results…As Vince Lombardi once said “what the hell is going on out there”
Wow…..
Someone needs to get fired…. This performance can not go un-punished. Fire Clancy right now, fire the Defenseive line coach, fire the linebacker coach, fire the special teams coach and even fire the friggen waterboy.
Pioli needs to nut up, accept he made several mistakes and start fixing things now, not in the off season but NOW!
Start a friggen petition, write letters and start cheering for change. Any fan with half a brain can see whats wrong with this team.
Why can’t Pioli?
Why can’t Haley?
Why can’t Hunt?
Ohh and anyone who dares have the nerve to say we are better off without Pollard please speak up?
I dare you! Tell me in what universe would you rather Mike Brown to Pollard?
Seriously…. someone please. Please try and justify another mistake made by these fools… Please.
Tim:
I’m not saying I don’t wish we still had Pollard, because I do. I think he provided nice depth and hard hits but he is also the top most burned Safety in the league this year.
We would probably be better off if we still had Pollard but not by much.
With the loss to Cleveland, we just pretty much guaranteed ourselves the #4 pick in the upcoming draft. What does everyone think the chances are that Pioli will over-react to yesterday’s game by reaching for a SS with that pick instead of addressing the real problems up front? Don’t think he’ll reach? See Tyson Jackson . . .
Defensive lineman often take time to develop in the NFL.
Dorsey has shown steady improvement in his second year and in a new position. I see no reason to worry about TJ unless he fails to show progress next year. It should take about 3 years for him to develop.
I agree that it takes minimum 2-3 years to fully develop a DL however I also firmly believe that anybody drafted in the first round, particularly a top 5 pick< should provide immediate help in the position for which they are drafted. That has not happened with Tyson.
There were much better options than Tyson. I can name at least 5 players off the top of my head that would have been better choices for the Chiefs without even taking into consideration their rookie year performances. In other words, guys that I argued we should take at the time. If you factor in actual rookie year performances to date, that number probably jumps to about 10.
I guess what I’m saying is that the talent evaluation process and skills under the new regime so far raise a lot a question marks and in general leave much to be desired.