Chiefs Beat Raiders: Earning Their Arrowheads
The Kansas City Chiefs just demolished the Oakland Raiders on their own field Sunday by a score of 28-0. It was a fun game to watch for Chiefs fans because the good guys had things pretty much well in hand from the start.
Let’s take a look at which players showed up on Sunday and earned their Arrowheads.
Matt Cassel
A glance at the box score will tell you that Cassel had a bad game, but if you were watching you know that really isn’t the case. Sure, Cassel wasn’t spectacular and he had a couple of mistakes but the fact of the matter is that Cassel played a big part in this win. He wasn’t great, but he didn’t have to be.
The Chiefs employed a game plan designed to back the Raiders off. Oakland has been having trouble getting pressure this season and so they start using different blitz looks a week ago against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland couldn’t challenge the Raiders down field and as a result, Oakland was in Colt McCoy’s face all day.
The Chiefs knew they likely couldn’t out-muscle the Raiders up front early so they decided to open things up by taking shots down field right from the start. Even though the passes weren’t completed, it put the Raiders on notice that if they got too blitz-happy, they were going to get burned.
Part of the reason the Chiefs had trouble with the Raiders in 2010 was that KC had absolutely no way to throw the ball down field. The Raiders were able to take Dwayne Bowe out of the game and focus on stopping the run. The Chiefs had no other weapons.
This Chiefs team, however, is different. Defenses now have to worry about Bowe and Breaston. They have to pay attention to Dexter McCluster and now, Jonathan Baldwin.
Cassel did a really nice job getting the Chiefs a crucial first-quarter touchdown to give the team a two-score lead. He orchestrated a nine-play, 61-yard drive that ended in a TD to put the Chiefs up 14-0. The Chiefs took their lead to the locker room and Cassel came out in the third quarter and led his offense on an eight-play, 64-yard drive for another touchdown to put the Chiefs up 21-0.
The defense got KC started and they also put the game on ice but it was Cassel’s two touchdown drives that enabled Kansas City to dictate the pace of the game.
Cassel did what the Chiefs needed him to do and for that he gets his Arrowhead.
Dwayne Bowe
Bowe was spectacular, as usual. He came up an inch short on a potential TD but it mattered not. Bowe looks to be heading back to the Pro Bowl.
Steve Breaston
Breaston continues to impress and continues to make plays after the catch. He hauled in six catches Sunday. The addition of Breaston has KC’s passing game looking flat-out dangerous. Once Jonathan Baldwin gets more acclimated we could very well be seeing a lot of three WR sets in KC.
The Offensive Line
Matt Cassel was hit twice and sacked…he wasn’t sacked. The Raiders tried everything and the Chiefs were up to the challenge. The entire unit deserves praise.
Special spotlight on Jon Asamoah who held up against veteran Richard Seymour and also recovered Le’Ron McClain’s fumble in the endzone. Asamoah won’t get credit for the score as it was awarded to McClain but had the refs reviewed it, it would have gone to Asamoah. Heads up play.
Jackie Battle
Battle didn’t make a huge impact as the Chiefs didn’t use him heavily until the end of the game when they were putting things on ice. That being said, Battle still did a nice job and proved for the second straight week that he is KC’s best back. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry against a tough Oakland front. A lot of those yards came when the Raiders knew Battle would be running.
Javier Arenas
The return specialist got a little action as a wildcat QB. Arenas may not be a lockdown corner but he has a lot of value. He’s excellent when used as in blitz packages and is a very solid return man. If he can improve his corner play his value will continue to soar.
Kendrick Lewis
His pick six was easily his best play as a Chief. Lewis is best when he’s playing center field and when he is ball hawking. Showed some nice balance along the sideline.
Brandon Flowers
That’s more like it.
Brandon Carr
Also turned in a nice pick. Perfect coverage, perfect catch.
Quick Draw
McGraw showed up in run support as usual and came back on the field after getting banged up to snag a tipped ball and help keep the Raiders scoreless. McGraw has proved very valuable this season.
Travis Daniels
Daniels provides solid depth at defensive back and the dude always seems to come up with a pick. Gottta love that.
Tyson Jackson
Let it be known that on Sunday, October 23rd in an American football game in Oakland, California, Tyson “Tin Man” Jackson did a swim move against another professional football player.
And it worked.
That swim move was easily the play of Tin Man’s career. I’ve never seen Jackson beat his man so fast. He whiffed on the sack but flushed Boller right into the not-so-loving arms of Kelly Gregg. Tin Man won’t get it but he deserves a ½ a sack there in my opinion.
Seriously, well done by Jackson. If he can bust out that swim move a few times a game, he might be able to be left in the game on passing downs.
Kelly Gregg
The old man has changed the way the Chiefs play run defense on the goal line. And by that I mean that the Chiefs now actually play run defense on the goal line.
Derrick Johnson
Umm…can we just send him to the Pro Bowl now? DJ was ridiculous. Had his best game of the year.
Ryan Succop
He kept Jacoby Ford in his own end zone all day. Crucial.
Todd Haley
Todd Haley put together one hell of a game plan. He recognized that the Chiefs needed to start fast and by coming out winging it, the Chiefs were able to keep the heat off Matt Cassel all day. I’m impressed that Haley had his team ready to go and focused after the bye week. I’m impressed with his aggressive game plan. I’m impressed with his beard.
Hobo Haley has done a tremendous job the last three games.
Kyle Boller, Carson Palmer, Hue Jackson
Boller and Palmer for sucking. Jackson for being an idiot, trading away two high draft picks and for getting cute all week playing mind games with the media. How’d that work out for ya Hue?
Alright, Addicts, those are my Arrowheads. Who did I miss?