Teicher: Chiefs not anticipating shootout with Bills

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs not anticipating shootout with Bills
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

The prevailing wisdom after a most unusual offseason was that defenses would rule the early weeks of the NFL’s schedule.

Offenses, which rely more on timing than brute strength, would need a few games to catch up.

Then came Thursday night’s opener between the Saints and Packers. The teams combined for 76 points and 876 yards and seemed to trash the defense-is-king theory.

Some of the principal figures in Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium aren’t necessarily buying into that. They warn that their game won’t likely resemble the one in Green Bay.

“You’re dealing with a lot of guys who played football for a long time, so to say one side of the ball has an advantage over the other maybe is not accurate,” Chiefs linebacker Andy Studebaker said.

“(Thursday) night, you maybe had a shootout. But who knows? There will probably be low-scoring games this weekend. It’s the NFL. There are shootouts every week and then there are defensive games every week, and I think that will continue to be the case.”

The Saints and Packers are built to win scoring wars, but not so for either the Chiefs or Bills. Neither was among the league leaders in scoring last season; both will ask their defenses to keep them in the game.

Last season, the Chiefs and Bills played five full quarters at Arrowhead Stadium and combined for just 23 points. The Chiefs won 13-10 on a Ryan Succop field goal with no time left on the clock in overtime.

The Chiefs and Bills also struggled to score points in the preseason. The Chiefs were last in preseason scoring, and Buffalo was not much better.

“If anything, it should put the defense ahead,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said of the offseason training lost due to this summer’s lockout. “Generally, offenses take longer to jell. But this has been a crazy year. Teams have done things differently to kind of prepare for it. Considering the circumstances and the new rules that we had to work under, I think we were efficient and I think we got a lot done.”

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said he wasn’t thinking of early-season advantages in terms of offense or defense. Instead, he said, the teams that will prosper in the first few weeks are the ones with continuity on their coaching staff and roster.

Haley is in his third season with the Chiefs; Chan Gailey his second with the Bills.

“The teams that have been together and in relatively the same system for an extended amount of time with the same players are going to be at an advantage, especially early on,” Haley said. “We’re kind of in the middle. I’m grateful that I feel like we have a core group of guys that have been together now going into our third year. The system hasn’t changed a whole bunch, though we’re always evolving.”

The Packers-Saints game featured two touchdowns on special teams. New Orleans’ Darren Sproles, a former standout at Olathe North High and Kansas State, brought back a punt 72 yards, while Green Bay’s Randall Cobb returned a kickoff 108 yards.

Big plays in the kicking game could be the norm early in the season if teams didn’t spend enough practice time in training camp trying to prevent them.

“You haven’t had time to cover everything quite as thoroughly as it needs to be covered,” Haley said. “Coaches played percentages probably on just what they felt was most important to them.”

Judging from Thursday’s results in Green Bay, special teams weren’t adequately covered.

“As a guy covering, you’ve got to expect every time that a guy is coming out of the end zone,” Chiefs special-teams player Terrance Copper said. “You can’t slack off just because the ball is 5 yards deep.”

A new rule passed by a majority of NFL owners this last offseason moved kickoffs to the 35-yard line instead of the 30. The result, Thursday night excepted, should be more touchbacks. Fewer kick returns, the owners have said, should cut down on injuries.

“Before the rule change, you kick a ball 5 yards deep and they’re staying in the end zone,” Copper said. “Now, it’s more of a trend to bring it out from 5 yards deep. So the cover team better be expecting it regardless of how deep it is.”

SEASON OPENER
•WHO: Bills at Chiefs

•WHEN: noon Sunday

•WHERE: Arrowhead

•TV/RADIO: Chs. 5, 13; KCFX (101.1 FM)

[Bump]

maybe it will come down to a field goal with time running out in overtime.

[007]

Originally Posted by Bump

maybe it will come down to a field goal with time running out in overtime.

Shut your mouth

[Chiefshrink]

Shootout?? Seriously??

Until we get a serious O-line that can truly provide some lanes and protect our QB (a la 2003-2005 O-line) I say we don't average more than 17-20pts a game if we are lucky.

Please don't give me the 1st in rushing in 2010 stat because we had a weakass schedule. This year you will see how truly weak our O-line is with a 'real schedule' and the Balt playoff game from last year was a good hint of how weak our O-line was and still is IMO.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Shootout?? Seriously??

Until we get a serious O-line that can truly provide some lanes and protect our QB (a la 2003-2005 O-line) I say we don't average more than 17-20pts a game if we are lucky.

Please don't give me the 1st in rushing in 2010 stat because we had a weakass schedule. This year you will see how truly weak our O-line is with a 'real schedule' and the Balt playoff game from last year was a good hint of how weak our O-line was and still is IMO.

imma turn it around n say untilw e get serious qb that can make some plays and carry the team, i dont say we average more then 17-20 pts a game

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

imma turn it around n say untilw e get serious qb that can make some plays and carry the team, i dont say we average more then 17-20 pts a game

I actually forgot to put Cassel in there and yes you are correct

But I would even bump it up to 20-23 pts a game if Cassel had the O-line from 2003-2005 but no more than that because well you know it's Matt.

[TimeForWasp]

I'm not getting on this wagon. I really think Haley wants to open it up.

[dannybcaitlyn]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Shootout?? Seriously??

Until we get a serious O-line that can truly provide some lanes and protect our QB (a la 2003-2005 O-line) I say we don't average more than 17-20pts a game if we are lucky.

Please don't give me the 1st in rushing in 2010 stat because we had a weakass schedule. This year you will see how truly weak our O-line is with a 'real schedule' and the Balt playoff game from last year was a good hint of how weak our O-line was and still is IMO.

We need a serious QB also. Watching them QB'S thursday made me want to slap Cassel.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by ChiefsNow

I'm not getting on this wagon. I really think Haley wants to open it up.

He may want to open it up but Cassel will be on his ass with our RBs having no lanes and only one WR who consistently catches the ball in Breaston. Please don't give me the Bowe TD stat from last yr either with a weakass schedule. We'll see what he does 'THIS' Year with a real schedule and I predict he will continue to have ADD of the hands at the most "inopportune time" assuming Cassel has enough time to throw.

Not trying to be a "Debbie Downer" but I deal in reality and am already preparing myself emotionally so much so I did not purchase the NFL Ticket this year.

[007]

Originally Posted by ChiefsNow

I'm not getting on this wagon. I really think Haley wants to open it up.

He'll need a different QB for that.

[Thig Lyfe]

I'd think defenses would actually have more trouble since they have to react to what the offense does, meaning if they're a little rusty it would be harder to adjust in-game.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Shootout?? Seriously??

Until we get a serious O-line that can truly provide some lanes and protect our QB (a la 2003-2005 O-line) I say we don't average more than 17-20pts a game if we are lucky.

Please don't give me the 1st in rushing in 2010 stat because we had a weakass schedule. This year you will see how truly weak our O-line is with a 'real schedule' and the Balt playoff game from last year was a good hint of how weak our O-line was and still is IMO.

Charles averaged like 8 ypc in that playoff game last year. We were pretty much having our way with them on the ground until Charles coughed it up and didn't touch the ball anymore... pass protection was a whole different story, I know.

[KC_Connection]

I did pick up the Chiefs defense in fantasy for this reason. Don't fail me now.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by SportsRacer

I'd think defenses would actually have more trouble since they have to react to what the offense does, meaning if they're a little rusty it would be harder to adjust in-game.

I would agree if we had a good O-line at this point but we don't so therefore D's will dictate the trench(a la no pass and no run) and that is not good.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I did pick up the Chiefs defense in fantasy for this reason. Don't fail me now.

I was tempted myself but here is what is going to happen our D will be on the field 2/3rds of the game and you know what that means. Until Houston starts I won't even think of it. Houston is flat out a playmaker.