Chiefs DVOA Analysis: Week 10

So here we are. I sounded the alarm even before the Dolphins game that the Chiefs were in danger of only winning four games this season. Two weeks hence, that is looking like a much more realistic possibility than it did even then, agreed?

Anyway, why is that?

It is because the Chiefs are, generally speaking, a very soft, very weak team in the most important aspects of the game. To make matters worse, even after being humiliated by Miami, they did not rally, they did not refocus, they did not improve, they simply stagnated.

While I feel bad for Matt Cassel, it really does not matter that he got hurt. He was not playing well anyway.

Sigh.

Who or what is this team?

Breaking it down, courtesy Football Outsiders stats, after the jump.

Welp, gaze in wonderment.

Outside of Jackie Battle and Special Teams nobody is standing out. I mean nobody. Even Steve Breaston, a bright spot this season for a while there, apparently took the day off against Denver. Let me rephase all that – division game, in Arrowhead, against the Broncos. See what I’m saying?

For the first time this season, Dwayne Bowe finds himself sporting a below average DVOA percentage. Hmmpph. Didn’t see that one coming.

Generally speaking, the weighted DVOA is further proof that the Chiefs did not rally after the Miami game. More like threw in the towel, actually. No wait, I understand it, they were looking past this game, too, because of the all-important MNF match-up with the Patriots. It would probably be best to just think of the Miami/Denver games as falling under the broad heading of Double Dutch Clutch Combo Trap. Problem analyzed. Problem solved.

I have to raise a painful question here. Our record is 4-5 after playing the easiest nine-game schedule in the league. Playing the way we are, what will that record likely be upon completion of the hardest seven-game stretch in the league?

I’m going to close this out with some tidbits of information that I find rather curious. In terms of attempts, the Chiefs stand at 3rd in the league when it comes to running the ball. So in other words, our identity on offense is that of a running team. We should understand the run well and understand where our strengths and weaknesses lie in that department, correct?

We do our best running when we go the Left B Gap where we rank #1 in efficiency. The league average attempt percentage to the Left B Gap 15%. The Chiefs attempt percentage to the Left B Gap is 12%.

Not done yet.

The Chiefs choose to run outside the Right End 18% of the time but rank 27th in efficiency when doing so. The league average attempt percentage outside the Right End is 10%.

WTF is that all about?

That’s my Double Take.

What’s your take, Addicts?