Chiefs Can Write Their Own Story By Beating The Broncos
There’s just something about big football games that really captures the hearts and minds of football fans. Am I right?
Whether it’s the Pee Wee Super Bowl or the real-life NFL Super Bowl, there’s nothing better than a big game day.
In fact, sometimes I wonder if it’s just a little slice of heaven coming down to meet us here on earth, but that’s just the poet in me.
Without any doubt, tonight’s clash between the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos is a huge game. Frankly, that may be somewhat of an understatement.
The Chiefs enter at 9-0 and are looking to make a statement. Despite the undefeated record, pundits and “haters” have been, for a lack of a better term, “hating” on the Chiefs—often times saying that they haven’t played anybody worthwhile this season.
(Meanwhile, the smart football fan and/or analyst would point to the schedule and say “Oh hey, look, the Chiefs have played nine NFL teams so far in 2013”. The point being, there’s no such thing as an easy win in the NFL. These players and coaches are paid well, mind you, and spent hours upon countless hours trying to figure out how to win just one game at a time. You earn every win in the NFL, but let’s not continue down this tangent any longer. I’m preaching to the choir.)
Denver on the other-hand is 8-1, boasts an offense that’s first in the league in passing yards (353.4 per game) and one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history: Peyton Manning.
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Throw in the bright lights of Sunday Night Football and some major playoff implications, and you’ve got all the makings of a huge game.
The stage is set, and the NFL world will be watching.
For the Chiefs, much more than a 10-0 record is on the line. It’s about respect. It’s about showing they belong in the “contenders” category in 2013.
The defense, the team’s strength in 2013, has the task of not only shutting down Manning, but slowing down his receivers plus a pretty good running game. The offense has to be able to move the ball and put some points up on the board. Denver is averaging 41.2 points per game, which leads the NFL, so even if Kansas City’s defense plays at an elite level, the offense will have to produce in order to keep up with the Broncos.
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It’s a big game on a big stage, and it demands some big performances from some of the Chiefs biggest players.
Jamaal Charles is going to have to put the offense on his back, run the ball and run the clock. Alex Smith is going to have to shed some of his “game manager” skin and keep Denver’s defense honest with the pass.
Speaking of the passing game, despite his rough week off the field, receiver Dwayne Bowe is going to have to step up and play like the star he really is.
Defensively, the usual suspects are going to have to play even better than they have before. These kind of games demand that good players become great players, and stars become superstars.
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Dontari Poe, Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry, Marcus Cooper. They can all write their names in the stars high above the Denver sky tonight.
Finally, special teams has to be more than special. It has to make game-changing plays, and keep the momentum firmly in Kansas City’s favor. Snaps have to be crisp, blocks have to be solid, returns have to be smart and field goals need to be true.
If legends are made in the playoffs, than heroes are made in mid-November on Sunday Night football.
The stage is set and immortality is on the table. All the Chiefs have to do is go and make it their own.