Chiefs Gretz: Offense, Defense, Kicking Game All Fail in 30-20 Loss

**Tribal Warfare** · 11-16-2008, 05:45 PM

Offense, Defense, Kicking Game All Fail in 30-20 Loss
November 16, 2008 - Bob Gretz |

From Arrowhead Stadium

The offense had trouble in the red zone. The injury-riddled defense could not slow down the potent New Orleans offense. The special teams were atrocious. That doesn’t leave much left to be able to go out and win a football game.

Those factors combined to leave the Chiefs on the short side of the scoreboard once again, losing 30-20 to the Saints at Arrowhead Stadium.

Unlike the previous three games that came down to the final minute and where the Chiefs had an opportunity to win the game, this one was controlled throughout the second half by the Saints, who with the victory are now 5-5 on the season.

“The first half was a pretty good game,” said Herm Edwards. “What killed us was we got down in the red zone and we couldn’t score. When you play a team like this (New Orleans), you know they have a pretty good offense, with a good quarterback.

“That’s never good to get down there and settle for field goals against a high-powered offense like them.”

The visitors grabbed a three-point lead on the final play of the first half and then scored a pair of third quarter touchdowns that had the Chiefs fighting from behind and uphill for the game’s final 30 minutes.

Without four starters, the Chiefs defense actually held the Saints offense under its season average. But they still gave up 369 yards to QB Drew Brees and the No. 1 ranked NFL offense. The Saints scored three touchdowns and got three FGs from rookie kicker Garrett Hartley. WR Lance Moore finished with 102 yards on eight catches.

Offensively the Chiefs had a pair of touchdown passes between QB Tyler Thigpen and WR Dwayne Bowe and 330 yards in total offense. But the fact they had to settle for a pair of field goals in the red zone instead of touchdowns stymied their chances to break what is now a six-game losing streak.

“We knew we had to score more points than we did,” said Edwards. “We figured it was going to have to be 30 points unless we got some turnovers. We got the one and got the score. We just bogged down in the Red Zone and if those are scores, it’s an entirely different game.”

New Orleans won the pre-game coin toss and elected to start with the football. The teams traded possessions, but when the Saints got their second chance with the ball, the Chiefs defense forced another turnover, their 10th in the last four games. S Jarrad Page picked off a Brees pass and gave the Kansas City offense possession at the New Orleans 47-yard line. Unfortunately, it would prove to be the only takeaway in the game for the Chiefs.

Thigpen drove the offense nine plays to the end zone. On first down, Thigpen found Bowe for a 14-yard gain. RB Larry Johnson took a direct snap on a fourth-and-one play and picked up the first down on a four-yard run. Thigpen later found WR Mark Bradley for a 12-yard gain to the New Orleans four-yard line.

On second-and-goal, Thigpen lofted a ball into the end zone where Bowe out-jumped Saints CB Usama Young for the touchdown. K Connor Barth’s PAT kick gave the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead.

New Orleans came right back with a 54-yard kickoff return by WR Courtney Roby that set up Brees and the Saints offense at the Chiefs 44-yard line. Nine plays later, the drive stalled and Hartley came in and hit his first three-pointer, this one from 30 yards to cut the Chiefs lead to 7-3 just before the end of the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, P Dustin Colquitt got off a kick from his own end zone with good hang time but poor distance as the 38-yard punt was fair-caught by the Saints at the Kansas City 43-yard line.

Brees took seven plays to punch the ball into the end zone. The big play was a third-down throw where the New Orleans quarterback beat a Chiefs blitz with a 24-yard gain to uncovered RB Pierre Thomas. Four plays later, RB Deuce McAllister dove over the right side of the Saints offensive line for the touchdown. Hartley added the PAT kick and the Saints had a 10-7 lead.

Thigpen brought the Chiefs right back and drove them to within inches of the end zone but could not get the touchdown. The big play of the possession was a 42-yard completion from Thigpen to WR Will Franklin as the quarterback ran away from pass rush pressure. Four plays later the Chiefs thought they had a touchdown when Johnson leaped over the line and appeared to cross the goal line. Game officials ruled no score and upheld that decision on replay review after head coach Herm Edwards challenged the call.

Johnson lost one-yard on the second down run and Thigpen’s pass for Bowe in the end zone went incomplete on third down. Barth came in and kicked a 20-yard FG to end the 14-play, 78-yard drive and tie the score at 10-10.

“We didn’t get any push at all,” said Edwards. “They pushed us back and we didn’t get any yards.”

New Orleans regained the lead just as the half ended. Brees took the Saints offense 62 yards on 12 plays before Hartley kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Saints a 13-10 lead at intermission.

On their first possession of the third quarter, the Saints burned the Chiefs for a TD on just two plays. After a short Colquitt punt gave them field position at the New Orleans 48-yard line, Brees threw incomplete on first down. A five-yard penalty against the Chiefs moved the ball into Chiefs territory at the 47-yard line.

Brees and WR Lance Moore then hooked up on a 47-yard TD throw where Moore beat Chiefs nickel back Ricardo Colclough with an inside move before racing down the sidelines and into the end zone. Hartley’s PAT kick gave New Orleans a 20-10 lead.

The Chiefs came back and put together a 14-play drive, but once again could not get into the end zone, despite having a first-and-goal at the Saints three-yard line. Johnson was stopped for no gain and then Thigpen threw twice for Bowe but both passes went incomplete. Barth’s 21-yard FG pulled the Chiefs closer, as they trailed 20-13.

But the Saints roared right back down the field and put another touchdown on the board. With Brees throwing often and effectively and Thomas picking up yardage on the ground and through the air, New Orleans ended up with another touchdown. Thomas scored on a one-yard run and with the PAT kick the Saints led 27-13.

Kansas City’s offense responded with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that finally finished in the end zone. The big moment in the possession was the first play of the fourth quarter. On a fourth-and-two play Thigpen ran a quarterback draw that broken open for big yardage. He ran for 32 yards and the officials tacked on three yards more for a horse-collar tackle against New Orleans and the Chiefs had first-and-goal at the Saints three-yard line.

Johnson was stopped for a two-yard loss, but Thigpen and Bowe hooked up on second down for a five-yard TD pass. Barth’s PAT kick made the score 27-20 in favor of the Saints.

After the defense forced a three-and-out by the New Orleans offense, the Chiefs took over at their own 27 and moved the ball to the New Orleans side of the field. With a fourth-and-two at the Saints 40-yard line, Edwards decided to punt the ball away this time, rather than go for a first down.

“At that point, it’s a one-score game and you still feel like you can hold them and make them punt,” said Edwards. “If you miss getting the first down you give them a short field again and they’re pretty good on a short field.”

Colquitt’s punt was downed at the Saints 12-yard line. The New Orleans offense was then able to run six minutes, 27 seconds off the fourth quarter clock on a 12-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 35-yard FG by Hartley that gave the Saints a 10-point lead that they carried home to the Crescent City.

Halfcan · 11-16-2008, 05:54 PM

To sum up this article-the Chiefs have a reeruned coach that has no business still being around, have a GM that should have been fired a decade ago and an out of state owner that Only cares about $$$$$$.

I had Free tickets (Good ones) and a free parking pass- and I still feel cheated by this POS team.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 11-16-2008, 05:58 PM

Herm will be here next year, but there is no ****ing excuse for Prieffer or Gunther to still be here. They are ****ing horrendous coaches. Gunther isn't even a good LB coach.

DaWolf · 11-16-2008, 05:59 PM

If it hasn't been clear by now, it should be crystal: This team is just poorly coached on all sides of the ball. ESPECIALLY defense and special teams. I am fully convinced that, like Miami, we have enough talent to win games. We do not have the coaching to win games...

runnercyclist · 11-16-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaWolf

If it hasn't been clear by now, it should be crystal: This team is just poorly coached on all sides of the ball. ESPECIALLY defense and special teams. I am fully convinced that, like Miami, we have enough talent to win games. We do not have the coaching to win games...

Amen!

**DaneMcCloud** · 11-16-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaWolf

If it hasn't been clear by now, it should be crystal: This team is just poorly coached on all sides of the ball. ESPECIALLY defense and special teams. I am fully convinced that, like Miami, we have enough talent to win games. We do not have the coaching to win games...

Then you haven't been watching the games.

The Chiefs have so many street free agents on defense that I can't believe that they held the Saints to only 30.

This rosters has no depth and lacks talent at nearly every position.

You guys that think the Chiefs should be 4-5 or 5-4 or 3-7 are ****ing smoking crack.

11-16-2008, 05:45 PM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2947187	Gretz: Offense, Defense, Kicking Game All Fail in 30-20 Loss Offense, Defense, Kicking Game All Fail in 30-20 Loss November 16, 2008 - Bob Gretz \| From Arrowhead Stadium The offense had trouble in the red zone. The injury-riddled defense could not slow down the potent New Orleans offense. The special teams were atrocious. That doesn’t leave much left to be able to go out and win a football game. Those factors combined to leave the Chiefs on the short side of the scoreboard once again, losing 30-20 to the Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. Unlike the previous three games that came down to the final minute and where the Chiefs had an opportunity to win the game, this one was controlled throughout the second half by the Saints, who with the victory are now 5-5 on the season. “The first half was a pretty good game,” said Herm Edwards. “What killed us was we got down in the red zone and we couldn’t score. When you play a team like this (New Orleans), you know they have a pretty good offense, with a good quarterback. “That’s never good to get down there and settle for field goals against a high-powered offense like them.” The visitors grabbed a three-point lead on the final play of the first half and then scored a pair of third quarter touchdowns that had the Chiefs fighting from behind and uphill for the game’s final 30 minutes. Without four starters, the Chiefs defense actually held the Saints offense under its season average. But they still gave up 369 yards to QB Drew Brees and the No. 1 ranked NFL offense. The Saints scored three touchdowns and got three FGs from rookie kicker Garrett Hartley. WR Lance Moore finished with 102 yards on eight catches. Offensively the Chiefs had a pair of touchdown passes between QB Tyler Thigpen and WR Dwayne Bowe and 330 yards in total offense. But the fact they had to settle for a pair of field goals in the red zone instead of touchdowns stymied their chances to break what is now a six-game losing streak. “We knew we had to score more points than we did,” said Edwards. “We figured it was going to have to be 30 points unless we got some turnovers. We got the one and got the score. We just bogged down in the Red Zone and if those are scores, it’s an entirely different game.” New Orleans won the pre-game coin toss and elected to start with the football. The teams traded possessions, but when the Saints got their second chance with the ball, the Chiefs defense forced another turnover, their 10th in the last four games. S Jarrad Page picked off a Brees pass and gave the Kansas City offense possession at the New Orleans 47-yard line. Unfortunately, it would prove to be the only takeaway in the game for the Chiefs. Thigpen drove the offense nine plays to the end zone. On first down, Thigpen found Bowe for a 14-yard gain. RB Larry Johnson took a direct snap on a fourth-and-one play and picked up the first down on a four-yard run. Thigpen later found WR Mark Bradley for a 12-yard gain to the New Orleans four-yard line. On second-and-goal, Thigpen lofted a ball into the end zone where Bowe out-jumped Saints CB Usama Young for the touchdown. K Connor Barth’s PAT kick gave the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead. New Orleans came right back with a 54-yard kickoff return by WR Courtney Roby that set up Brees and the Saints offense at the Chiefs 44-yard line. Nine plays later, the drive stalled and Hartley came in and hit his first three-pointer, this one from 30 yards to cut the Chiefs lead to 7-3 just before the end of the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, P Dustin Colquitt got off a kick from his own end zone with good hang time but poor distance as the 38-yard punt was fair-caught by the Saints at the Kansas City 43-yard line. Brees took seven plays to punch the ball into the end zone. The big play was a third-down throw where the New Orleans quarterback beat a Chiefs blitz with a 24-yard gain to uncovered RB Pierre Thomas. Four plays later, RB Deuce McAllister dove over the right side of the Saints offensive line for the touchdown. Hartley added the PAT kick and the Saints had a 10-7 lead. Thigpen brought the Chiefs right back and drove them to within inches of the end zone but could not get the touchdown. The big play of the possession was a 42-yard completion from Thigpen to WR Will Franklin as the quarterback ran away from pass rush pressure. Four plays later the Chiefs thought they had a touchdown when Johnson leaped over the line and appeared to cross the goal line. Game officials ruled no score and upheld that decision on replay review after head coach Herm Edwards challenged the call. Johnson lost one-yard on the second down run and Thigpen’s pass for Bowe in the end zone went incomplete on third down. Barth came in and kicked a 20-yard FG to end the 14-play, 78-yard drive and tie the score at 10-10. “We didn’t get any push at all,” said Edwards. “They pushed us back and we didn’t get any yards.” New Orleans regained the lead just as the half ended. Brees took the Saints offense 62 yards on 12 plays before Hartley kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Saints a 13-10 lead at intermission. On their first possession of the third quarter, the Saints burned the Chiefs for a TD on just two plays. After a short Colquitt punt gave them field position at the New Orleans 48-yard line, Brees threw incomplete on first down. A five-yard penalty against the Chiefs moved the ball into Chiefs territory at the 47-yard line. Brees and WR Lance Moore then hooked up on a 47-yard TD throw where Moore beat Chiefs nickel back Ricardo Colclough with an inside move before racing down the sidelines and into the end zone. Hartley’s PAT kick gave New Orleans a 20-10 lead. The Chiefs came back and put together a 14-play drive, but once again could not get into the end zone, despite having a first-and-goal at the Saints three-yard line. Johnson was stopped for no gain and then Thigpen threw twice for Bowe but both passes went incomplete. Barth’s 21-yard FG pulled the Chiefs closer, as they trailed 20-13. But the Saints roared right back down the field and put another touchdown on the board. With Brees throwing often and effectively and Thomas picking up yardage on the ground and through the air, New Orleans ended up with another touchdown. Thomas scored on a one-yard run and with the PAT kick the Saints led 27-13. Kansas City’s offense responded with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that finally finished in the end zone. The big moment in the possession was the first play of the fourth quarter. On a fourth-and-two play Thigpen ran a quarterback draw that broken open for big yardage. He ran for 32 yards and the officials tacked on three yards more for a horse-collar tackle against New Orleans and the Chiefs had first-and-goal at the Saints three-yard line. Johnson was stopped for a two-yard loss, but Thigpen and Bowe hooked up on second down for a five-yard TD pass. Barth’s PAT kick made the score 27-20 in favor of the Saints. After the defense forced a three-and-out by the New Orleans offense, the Chiefs took over at their own 27 and moved the ball to the New Orleans side of the field. With a fourth-and-two at the Saints 40-yard line, Edwards decided to punt the ball away this time, rather than go for a first down. “At that point, it’s a one-score game and you still feel like you can hold them and make them punt,” said Edwards. “If you miss getting the first down you give them a short field again and they’re pretty good on a short field.” Colquitt’s punt was downed at the Saints 12-yard line. The New Orleans offense was then able to run six minutes, 27 seconds off the fourth quarter clock on a 12-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 35-yard FG by Hartley that gave the Saints a 10-point lead that they carried home to the Crescent City.
Posts: 43,447

11-16-2008, 05:54 PM	#2
Halfcan In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7327995	To sum up this article-the Chiefs have a reeruned coach that has no business still being around, have a GM that should have been fired a decade ago and an out of state owner that Only cares about $$$$$$. I had Free tickets (Good ones) and a free parking pass- and I still feel cheated by this POS team.
Posts: 43,200

11-16-2008, 05:58 PM	#3
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $7149572	Herm will be here next year, but there is no **ing excuse for Prieffer or Gunther to still be here. They are **ing horrendous coaches. Gunther isn't even a good LB coach. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
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11-16-2008, 05:59 PM	#4
DaWolf Cry havoc... Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10007725	If it hasn't been clear by now, it should be crystal: This team is just poorly coached on all sides of the ball. ESPECIALLY defense and special teams. I am fully convinced that, like Miami, we have enough talent to win games. We do not have the coaching to win games...
Posts: 6,798