New Whitlock: CHIEFS SHOW GUTS
 

That was beautiful.

Ty Law jumping a route and intercepting a fourth-quarter pass. Greg Wesley spiraling into Anquan Boldin and dislodging the ball on third and 13.

Larry Johnson motoring 78 yards with a screen pass that set up the game-winning field goal. Offensive coordinator Mike Solari mixing patience with aggression and producing 23 points.

The Chiefs digging out from a 14-point first-quarter deficit and a 10-point fourth-quarter disadvantage. Lawrence Tynes kicking field goals with the precision of Tiger Woods swinging a 9-iron in a major on Sunday. Samie Parker caressing a well-thrown Damon Huard lob and tapping two feet in the back of the end zone.

Herm Edwards stoically pacing the sideline confident that his defense would strike, his punter would pin Arizona deep, Matt Leinart would crack, and Larry Johnson would snap the Cardinals’ back before they snapped his neck.

Call it Martyball, call it Herminator, but just make sure you put a checkmark in the win column for the Chiefs.

Kansas City 23, Arizona 20.

It was beautiful, man. I hope you watched.

No offense to Dick Vermeil, but Carl Peterson hired Edwards because for the previous five years, the Chiefs hadn’t been tough enough to win these types of games on the road.

Playing inside Arizona’s brand-new, sold-out stadium, the Chiefs nearly gave the game away in the first 6 minutes. On their first possession, the Cardinals called the right play and caught Kansas City in the wrong defense. Safety Sammy Knight faked a blitz and then tried to hustle back and give corner Lenny Walls deep help over the top against Boldin. Too late. Leinart taxed Gunther Cunningham for the mistake, connecting with Boldin on a 49-yard score.

Three minutes later, Huard and Johnson mishandled an exchange that the Cardinals recovered at the KC 41. Seven plays later, the Chiefs were down 14-0, staring 1-3 in the face, and JoPo and I were playing rock, paper, scissors on future road trips.

The season appeared to be over.

“We did everything you’re not supposed to do on the road,” guard Brian Waters said.

Well, they did stay calm.

“We got over to the sideline and we just said, ‘Everybody just calm the (expletive) down,’ ” defensive end Jared Allen remembered. “And that’s what we did.”

Punter Dustin Colquitt pinned Arizona inside its 10, and KC’s defense responded by forcing a three-and-out and giving Huard a short field. The Chiefs traveled 25 yards and kicked a field goal.

Two series later, rookie Bernard Pollard blocked a punt, handing KC’s offense the ball at the Arizona 6. Johnson caught a touchdown pass, and suddenly the Chiefs trailed just 14-10.

Arizona somewhat re-established control with a couple of field goals and jumped back ahead 20-10. But it was different. The Chiefs were never out of the game.

“Really, we felt if we could just make a play or two, they weren’t going to score on us anymore,” Edwards said.

Down two scores in the final seconds of the third quarter, Edwards punted from the Arizona 38. You probably cussed and screamed that he was being too conservative.

It was textbook, beautiful football, man. With Huard at quarterback and Johnson slowed in the running game, Herm knew he needed field position more than he needed to roll the dice on fourth and 6.

His defense rewarded him by forcing another Arizona three-and-out. Kansas City’s offense rewarded Edwards by marching 66 yards for a touchdown.

Law’s interception set up KC’s score-tying field goal. Wesley’s hit on Boldin set the stage for Johnson’s 78-yard romp down the Arizona sideline and Tynes’ game-winning boot.

This was a beautiful team victory. Solari’s play-calling was masterly. In the second half, Huard’s primary receivers seemed to always be open (it’s too bad Parker and Eddie Kennison dropped a couple of passes).

“He (Solari) never panicked,” Waters said.

Neither did the Chiefs. For three quarters, they played the way you have to play to win on the road. Of course, it will take a full four quarters to win next weekend in Pittsburgh.

I sure did.

Herm was right. I was wrong.

I didn't even have that thought. That is the past. Now you can trust the defense to come through.

I still didn't like it. We gained 18 yards in field position.

GoChiefs, I like your new avatar, but it looks like Jarred is peeing on Tamba.

Two series later, rookie Bernard Pollard blocked a punt

this is not getting enough credit
two series earlier we pased on 3rd and 2, and it got batted down
all I could think was game over
this gave me and prob'ly the team hope

Hey,

It WORKED, but I'm not so sure it was right.

A number of years ago, a well known university published an economics paper which suggested that NFL football teams were playing too conservative on 4th downs. Now, it was a mathmatical analysis, but it was still rather intriguing. Their theory was that most risk management systems in a competitive market tended toward maximum efficiency. Yet, NFL teams' 4th down behavior wasn't matching that expectation.

I have always wanted to see some hs or college team with no expectations try to play the way the paper suggests.

ever read TMQB on espn page2
don shula says that will be the next great coach move in the NFL, and easterbrokk quotes that paper

A big play got us back in it. It is what we needed...Bad.

Looks to me that Pollard was just doing what he does...

I hope its a preview of things to come. Albert Ross style...

Yes, he didnt fly around the corner like Albert did, but still :)

Albert Ross? You mean Albert Lewis, right? Or Kevin Ross?

Whitlock ate a sunshine sandwich.

Sounds like someone had some loaded brownies in the media center.

DT

That was not a beautiful game, that was an ugly game. What was beautiful was that we won an ugly game, because we haven't been winning these lately.

Albert and Kevin had a love child? :shrug:

Solari's play calling may have been beautiful, but the execution was often excrutiating. Was anyone else ready to break the television if Huard threw to the flat?