Chiefs Beat Saints: Earning Their Arrowheads
Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE
The Kansas City Chiefs got their first victory of the season Sunday, when they defeated the New Orleans Saints 27-24 in overtime.
We haven’t been able to give out a lot of accolades to players and coaches this season but Sunday the Chiefs finally did some good things. Let’s see what players earned their arrowheads in the victory over the Saints.
Jon Asamoah, Eric Winston, Branden Albert, Ryan Lilja, Rodney Hudson
The offensive line was terrific Sunday. Asamoah had the best day of all of them according to Pro Football Focus and even Rodney Hudson was doing well before he left with an injury. They opened up some huge holes for Jamaal Charles. Special props to Lilja for moving to center and playing well there too.
Nate Euchus
KC’s fullback played 34 snaps and snagged himself a +3.1 frade overall from Pro Football Focus. This was mainly due to his run blocking. Nasty Nate continues to find a way to contribute.
Jamaal Charles
Not much needs to be said here. The Chiefs owe Charles their season.
Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll, like Todd Haley and Charlie Weis, Daboll has finally discovered which side his bread is buttered on. And it is whatever side Jamaal Charles says it is.
He can’t be feeding Charles the ball 33 times every game but hopefully Daboll is realizing now what Charles being on the field will do for his offense. JC is one of those players that, if you can get him going, makes everything else work. Had Matt Cassel been having a better day throwing the football, Daboll wouldn’t have needed to rely on Charles as much late. Still, props to the coordinator for realizing what was going on and continuing to give the ball to the most dangerous weapon on the field.
It saved the season.
Justin Houston
Sunday’s defensive victory begins and ends with Houston. He not only had the best game of his young career but he had the best day of any defender in the NFL. The future is bright for this former third-round pick…huge steal by Scott Pioli.
Derrick Johnson
Solid day by DJ. I also saw him being more active in talking to the other defenders. It was the exact leadership I had said last week had been missing.
Stanford Routt and Brandon Flowers
Both had so/so days in coverage but that was freaking Drew Brees out there. All things considered, KC’s corners manned up and helped minimize the damage. More importantly, both locked things down when it counted in the fourth quarter. Routt interception was key because the Saints were in the scoring zone when he picked off Brees.
Glenn Dorsey
Dorsey had a better than average day against the run. Other than the big run by Sproles, the Chiefs clamped down on the running game, forcing Brees into the not so loving arms of Justin Houston.
Jalil Brown
Brown’s heady special teams play was brilliant and was a key moment in the game.
Ryan Succop
Six for six.
Dustin Colquitt
Brown doesn’t pin the Saints inside their own five if Dustin Colquitt doesn’t give him an opportunity to do so. Sunday’s win was truly a team effort.
Romeo Crennel
Crennel deserved the heat for his team under-performing and so he deserves some credit for their fighting back.
All right, Addicts. Those are the players I think earned their arrowheads. Did I miss anyone?