Chiefs vs. Colts: Earning Their Arrowheads
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
It’s tough to find anything positive in a 7-23 loss, especially when that loss comes at home against a potential playoff opponent.
The Chiefs simply didn’t show up against the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday, and despite the fact that they’ve already secured a playoff spot, there’s a lot to be disappointed about.
The offense only scored 7 points, and the team as a whole turned the ball over four times. Three of those turnovers came from the quarterback, Alex Smith, and the other was an atrocious fumble from backup Knile Davis. The defense allowed Ronnie Brown to gash them on the ground, and Andrew Luck made enough plays through the air to keep Kansas City behind the eight ball all afternoon.
I’m no longer at the point of denying this team any praise like I did during the three game losing streak, because I do think Kansas City showed us its potential with wins over the Redskins and Raiders. With that said, the Chiefs have lost four out of their last six games, and three of those losses have come at home.
I do think that this team can still be a playoff contender, but they’ll have to clean up some of their issues really quick. So, what are the Chiefs doing right at this point, and which players can the team count on to get them back on the winning track?
Let’s turn to the Arrowheads to find out.
Arrowhead #3: Dustin Colquitt, P
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You know it’s a rough game when Colquitt gets an Arrowhead, especially when the defense allows 23 points. With that said, it’s hard to deny that he had some tremendous punts against the Colts, and at the very least, he put the defense in some good positions. Unfortunately, the defense couldn’t capitalize. Colquitt punted five times, averaged 54 yards a kick and had a long of 61.
Arrowhead #2: Derrick Johnson, ILB
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Even though the defense was largely inefficient against Indianapolis, Johnson did make some good plays for the Chiefs. To be frank, he did miss a few plays too, but overall, he was all over the field for Kansas City. He’s been the Chiefs most consistent defender, and even though he didn’t lead the team in tackles on Sunday, his presence was still felt. Johnson notched five tackles, one sack, one pass defended and two quarterback hits.
Arrowhead #1: Jamaal Charles, RB
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If Johnson has been the Chiefs most consistent defender in 2013, Jamaal Charles has been the most consistent player overall. Despite the loss, Charles still was able to be his normal productive self. On a day when the offense only scored seven points, he was the lone bright spot. Charles carried the ball 13 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, averaging a terrific 8.2 yards a run. He also caught five passes for 38 yards.