Chiefs Fall To Chargers…Ugly
The Kansas City Chiefs got humiliated by the San Diego Chargers Sunday, 31-0.
There is a lot of blame to go around following Sunday’s loss and to try to pin the failure on any one player would be short sighted.
Yes, I’m talking about Brodie Croyle.
Sure, Croyle didn’t have the game of his life but make no mistake, the Chiefs would have lost Sunday with or without Matt Cassel.
The Kansas City offensive line was dominated all day by the Chargers front seven. Everyone from Norv Turner to Herm Edwards knew the Chiefs were going to try to come out and run the football and that is exactly what they did. KC’s pathetic and unimaginative play calling on offense, combined with their soft and uninspired defense spelled doom for the AFC West leaders.
More after the jump.
The problems began when the Chiefs started the game with Thomas Jones running up the middle. They quickly realized their error and gave the ball to Jamaal Charles but to know avail. You see, everyone knew the Chiefs would try to run the ball, including the Chargers and the Chiefs’ coaches did exactly what San Diego expected them to do.
The Chiefs showed absolutely no faith in Brodie Croyle and put him in third and long situations time after time after time. Todd Haley seemed to be under a delusion that the Chiefs would be able to run the ball no matter how many men the Chargers put in the box. This was a big mistake and the Chargers took advantage of it.
The Chiefs never attempted to loosen up the Chargers defense with the pass and the results were disastrous. Branden Albert was victimized all day long. Casey Weigmann got blown off the ball on every play. Barry Richardson was terrible. When they did throw no one was open. It was offensive ineptness we haven’t seen since Herm Edwards was coaching.
On defense the Chiefs were also terrible. They were out of position, they didn’t run to the ball and the Chargers constantly seemed one step ahead of them. Eric Berry seemed to be the only Chiefs defender playing with any intensity.
It was embarrassing. It was humiliating.
And now we move on.
Just like the loss to the Broncos, the Chiefs can bounce back from this. Young teams are traditionally brilliant one day and terribly inconsistent the next. The Chiefs are young and for the most part, they have been good far often than they have been bad. Their lack of depth and battle tested veterans caught up with them today.
And that is ok.
The Kansas City Chiefs are a growing football team. They aren’t terrible and they aren’t great but they are no longer the pushover squad of years past.
Take solace in that and join me in wishing Matt Cassel a speedy recovery. After all, following the Chiefs last humiliating loss, they responded by winning three straight games.
If they can do that again, today’s loss will be just a bitter memory.
So put your anger away. Save the blame game for another day. It was everyone’s fault. Especially Big Matt’s. Damn you Big Matt!
We’ll need that energy fot St. Louis. =)