Chiefs Pete Moris:Chiefs Seek to Close Out the Regular Season on a Winning Note

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-23-2008, 07:06 PM

Seek to Close Out the Regular Season on a Winning Note

Dec 23, 2008, 7:19:23 AM by Pete Moris

Kansas City is Seeking a Road Victory to Close Out the Season
The Chiefs have been extremely competitive on the road during the second half of the 2008 campaign and are seeking to close out the regular season with a victory. Kansas City has been outscored by a combined total of just fi ve points (85-80) in its last four road contests. Despite posting a 1-3 record, the Chiefs have been within striking distance in all those games.
Kansas City is seeking to secure a victory in a regular season fi nale for the third time in the past four years. The Chiefs dropped a 13-10 OT decision at the N.Y. Jets (12/30/07) after posting a 35-30 win vs. Jacksonville (12/31/06) and a 37-3 victory vs. Cincinnati (1/1/06). Herm Edwards is 4-3 in seven previous regular season fi nales as an NFL head coach.
The Chiefs are seeking a road win in the season’s fi nal contest for the fi rst time since posting a 31-24 decision at Oakland (12/28/98). The Bengals are 2-3 in regular season fi nales under head coach Marvin Lewis. Cincinnati hasn’t won a regular season fi nale at home since producing a 16-14 win vs. Baltimore (12/21/97).
Kansas City is Looking For It’s First Win in Cincy Since ‘84
Sunday’s contest will mark just Kansas City’s third trip to Cincinnati since ‘87. The last Chiefs road victory against the Bengals was a 27-22 decision at Riverfront Stadium (9/9/84). Current Chiefs defensive line coach Tim Krumrie was a starting defensive tackle for the Bengals in that contest. There are only four teams other than Cincinnati that the Chiefs have gone longer without beating on the road. Here’s a look . . .

Kansas City Would Love a 30-Point Performance at Cincinnati
The Chiefs will try to jumpstart their offense against a Bengals squad that ranks 31st in the NFL, permitting 23.9 ppg. Although Cincinnati has permitted just 13 total points in its last two outings, the Bengals have allowed fi ve different opponents to register 30 points or more this season. The Bengals are 3-12 (.200) under Marvin Lewis when allowing 30 points or more, including fi ve straight losses in 2008. The Chiefs are 7-1 in their last eight road contests when scoring 30 points or more. KC is coming off a 31-point performance against a Miami defense that had not permitted a single TD and had given up only 24 points in its three previous games.
The Chiefs have allowed 16.0 ppg in their two victories this season. Kansas City has permitted 20 points or less in each of its last six victories and has allowed 16.1 ppg in its last 15 victories dating back to 2006. The Bengals are 8-31-1 (.213) under Marvin Lewis when being held under the 20-point plateau, including a 1-9-1 (.136) mark this season. Cincinnati’s last two wins when being held under the 20-point barrier have both come vs. Cleveland: 14-0 (12/21) and 19-14 (12/23/07).
Chiefs-Bengals Halftime and Second-Half Stats
Getting an early lead would bode well in this week’s battle against the Bengals. Cincinnati is 1-17-1 (.079) when trailing at the half dating back to 2007. The Bengals have been winless in 15 consecutive games when trailing at the half. The Chiefs have led at the half in both of their victories this season, but have lost 11 consecutive games when trailing at half. The Bengals have led at half in their three wins and one tie. Cincinnati has scored 86 points (12.3 ppg) at home in 2008, the lowest total in the NFL.
Cincinnati has scored a league-low 58 second-half points, including an NFL-low 20 in the third quarter and a league-low 38 in the fourth quarter. In total, the Bengals have been outscored by a 149 point differential in the second half (58 scored/207 allowed). The Chiefs have also endured their share of second-half struggles in 2008 and have been outscored by a 101- point margin in the second half (115 scored/216 allowed).
Chiefs-Bengals Turnover Notes
The Chiefs are tied for sixth in the NFL at +6 (29 takes/23 gives), while the Bengals are tied for 22nd at -3 (23 takes/26 gives). KC has been positive in eight games this season, including six of the club’s last nine contests. The Chiefs have had a negative turnover differential in just three games. Cincinnati has been plus in just four games in 2008, but has been negative in eight games. The Bengals were +3 at Cleveland (12/21) after forcing four INTs, including three by CB Leon Hall.
Kansas City has taken the ball away eight times in its last four games and is tied for fourth in the league with 29 takeaways. Kansas City and Arizona are tied for the NFL lead with 16 opponents’ fumble recoveries apiece. Dating back to 2007, Cincinnati is 4-11 (.267) when committing two or more turnovers, including a 1-6 mark this season.
The Bengals own a 17-1-1 (.921) home record with a positive turnover margin under Marvin Lewis. That lone loss was a 23-17 OT setback vs. Pittsburgh (12/31/06) when the Bengals were +2. Cincinnati has posted a 4-14 (.222) home record with a negative turnover margin under Lewis. The club’s last home win when negative was a 21-19 win vs. JAX (11/2).
QB Comparision - KC’s Thigpen vs. Cincinnati’s Fitzpatrick
Chiefs QB Tyler Thigpen and Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t start the season as their club’s number one signal callers, but both will fi nish the year in those roles. Both players have displayed a propensity for making plays with their feet. Thigpen’s 382 rushing yards lead all NFL signal callers in 2008 and are the highest single-season total in Chiefs history. Fitzpatrick has registered 275 rushing yards to rank third among NFL quarterbacks.
Thipgen is seeking to secure his second victory as a starter after guiding the club to a 20-13 win at Oakland (11/30). Since becoming KC’s full-time starter at the N.Y. Jets (10/26), Thigpen has a postive TD-to-INT differential in all but two games and has at least one TD pass in eight of those nine contests. Despite playing in sub-zero wind chill conditions last week, Thigpen registered career highs with 320 passing yards and 57 rushing yards, throwing two TDs and rushing for another vs. Miami (12/21). He is on pace to fi nish the season with 18 TDs and 2,602 passing yards, the highest totals by a Chiefs signal caller since QB Trent Green had 27 TDs in 2004 and 4,014 yards in 2005.
Fitzpatrick owns a 3-8-1 record as a starter this season. The Harvard product completed fi ve of nine passes for 55 yards with one TD at Cleveland (12/21). Those nine pass attempts were the fewest by the Bengals in a game since they attempted eight passes at Pittsburgh (12/14/74). Fitzpatrick has posted fi ve games with a positive TD-to-INT differential in 2008, but owns an 0-3 record this season when throwing two or more INTs. Dating back to 2002, Kansas City owns a 22-8 (.733) record in all games when it registers two or more INTs, including a 27-20 win vs. Cincinnati (10/14/07) when the Chiefs forced two INTs.
Dating back to 2006, Cincinnati is 1-16 (.059) when allowing an opposing QB to post a rating of 100.0 or higher. Thigpen has thrown a pair of 100.0-rating games in a Chiefs uniform (min. 20 attempts).

Going Gonzo - Chiefs 10-Time Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez
Chiefs 10-time Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez is enjoying one of the most prolifi c seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. Gonzalez has already produced the fourth 90-catch, 1,000-yard campaign of his storied NFL tenure and needs nine catches on Sunday to register the second 100- reception season of his career (102 in 2004).
In four career appearances vs. the Bengals, Gonzalez owns 31 catches for 328 yards with four TDs, an average of 7.8 catches, 82.0 yards and 1.0 TD per game. He caught nine passes for 102 yards with two TDs in a 27-20 win vs. Cincinnati (10/14/07). His fi rst TD reception in that game was the 63rd of his career, giving him the most receiving scores of any TE in NFL history, a number he has since upped to 75 scoring catches.

Chiefs-Bengals Running Back Stats
The Chiefs have a pair of runners with 100-yard games this season. RB Larry Johnson is coming off a 108-yard performance vs. Miami (12/21), his third 100-yard outing of the season. RB Jamaal Charles produced 106 rushing yards vs. Tampa Bay (11/2) and had a 102-yard receiving game that included a career-long 75-yard catch vs. Miami (12/21).
Johnson has averaged 129.3 rushing ypg in three career starts vs. Cincinnati. The Chiefs have posted a 2-1 record in those games with Johnson racking up 57 carries for 320 yards (5.6 avg, 160.0 ypg) with four TDs in those two victories. He was limited to 17 carries for 68 yards in a 23-10 loss (9/10/06). The Chiefs are 22-8 (.733) when Johnson posts a 100-yard game. Cincinnati has lost 11 consecutive games when allowing a 100-yard back since 2006.
The Bengals ran the ball 46 times for 191 yards in a 14-0 win at Cleveland (12/21), Cincinnati’s most rushing attempts in a game since running 47 times for 210 yards in a 34-27 win at San Diego (11/23/03). RB Cedric Benson did most of the damage last week, setting career highs with 38 carries for 171 yards. Benson also had a 104-yard effort in a 21-19 win vs. Jacksonville (11/2). Cincinnati is 15-4 (.789) when producing a 100-yard rusher dating back to 2004.
The Bowe Show Continues to Roll Toward a 1,000-Yard Season
With 81 more receiving yards, WR Dwayne Bowe (D1-07) would join WR Otis Taylor (1,297 in ‘87) as the second player in franchise history to register a 1,000-yard season in just his second pro campaign. Bowe needs one more TD to tie Taylor (13) for the most TD catches by a player in his initial two campaigns with Kansas City.

12-23-2008, 07:06 PM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2937187	Pete Moris:Chiefs Seek to Close Out the Regular Season on a Winning Note Seek to Close Out the Regular Season on a Winning Note Dec 23, 2008, 7:19:23 AM by Pete Moris Kansas City is Seeking a Road Victory to Close Out the Season The Chiefs have been extremely competitive on the road during the second half of the 2008 campaign and are seeking to close out the regular season with a victory. Kansas City has been outscored by a combined total of just fi ve points (85-80) in its last four road contests. Despite posting a 1-3 record, the Chiefs have been within striking distance in all those games. Kansas City is seeking to secure a victory in a regular season fi nale for the third time in the past four years. The Chiefs dropped a 13-10 OT decision at the N.Y. Jets (12/30/07) after posting a 35-30 win vs. Jacksonville (12/31/06) and a 37-3 victory vs. Cincinnati (1/1/06). Herm Edwards is 4-3 in seven previous regular season fi nales as an NFL head coach. The Chiefs are seeking a road win in the season’s fi nal contest for the fi rst time since posting a 31-24 decision at Oakland (12/28/98). The Bengals are 2-3 in regular season fi nales under head coach Marvin Lewis. Cincinnati hasn’t won a regular season fi nale at home since producing a 16-14 win vs. Baltimore (12/21/97). Kansas City is Looking For It’s First Win in Cincy Since ‘84 Sunday’s contest will mark just Kansas City’s third trip to Cincinnati since ‘87. The last Chiefs road victory against the Bengals was a 27-22 decision at Riverfront Stadium (9/9/84). Current Chiefs defensive line coach Tim Krumrie was a starting defensive tackle for the Bengals in that contest. There are only four teams other than Cincinnati that the Chiefs have gone longer without beating on the road. Here’s a look . . . Kansas City Would Love a 30-Point Performance at Cincinnati The Chiefs will try to jumpstart their offense against a Bengals squad that ranks 31st in the NFL, permitting 23.9 ppg. Although Cincinnati has permitted just 13 total points in its last two outings, the Bengals have allowed fi ve different opponents to register 30 points or more this season. The Bengals are 3-12 (.200) under Marvin Lewis when allowing 30 points or more, including fi ve straight losses in 2008. The Chiefs are 7-1 in their last eight road contests when scoring 30 points or more. KC is coming off a 31-point performance against a Miami defense that had not permitted a single TD and had given up only 24 points in its three previous games. The Chiefs have allowed 16.0 ppg in their two victories this season. Kansas City has permitted 20 points or less in each of its last six victories and has allowed 16.1 ppg in its last 15 victories dating back to 2006. The Bengals are 8-31-1 (.213) under Marvin Lewis when being held under the 20-point plateau, including a 1-9-1 (.136) mark this season. Cincinnati’s last two wins when being held under the 20-point barrier have both come vs. Cleveland: 14-0 (12/21) and 19-14 (12/23/07). Chiefs-Bengals Halftime and Second-Half Stats Getting an early lead would bode well in this week’s battle against the Bengals. Cincinnati is 1-17-1 (.079) when trailing at the half dating back to 2007. The Bengals have been winless in 15 consecutive games when trailing at the half. The Chiefs have led at the half in both of their victories this season, but have lost 11 consecutive games when trailing at half. The Bengals have led at half in their three wins and one tie. Cincinnati has scored 86 points (12.3 ppg) at home in 2008, the lowest total in the NFL. Cincinnati has scored a league-low 58 second-half points, including an NFL-low 20 in the third quarter and a league-low 38 in the fourth quarter. In total, the Bengals have been outscored by a 149 point differential in the second half (58 scored/207 allowed). The Chiefs have also endured their share of second-half struggles in 2008 and have been outscored by a 101- point margin in the second half (115 scored/216 allowed). Chiefs-Bengals Turnover Notes The Chiefs are tied for sixth in the NFL at +6 (29 takes/23 gives), while the Bengals are tied for 22nd at -3 (23 takes/26 gives). KC has been positive in eight games this season, including six of the club’s last nine contests. The Chiefs have had a negative turnover differential in just three games. Cincinnati has been plus in just four games in 2008, but has been negative in eight games. The Bengals were +3 at Cleveland (12/21) after forcing four INTs, including three by CB Leon Hall. Kansas City has taken the ball away eight times in its last four games and is tied for fourth in the league with 29 takeaways. Kansas City and Arizona are tied for the NFL lead with 16 opponents’ fumble recoveries apiece. Dating back to 2007, Cincinnati is 4-11 (.267) when committing two or more turnovers, including a 1-6 mark this season. The Bengals own a 17-1-1 (.921) home record with a positive turnover margin under Marvin Lewis. That lone loss was a 23-17 OT setback vs. Pittsburgh (12/31/06) when the Bengals were +2. Cincinnati has posted a 4-14 (.222) home record with a negative turnover margin under Lewis. The club’s last home win when negative was a 21-19 win vs. JAX (11/2). QB Comparision - KC’s Thigpen vs. Cincinnati’s Fitzpatrick Chiefs QB Tyler Thigpen and Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t start the season as their club’s number one signal callers, but both will fi nish the year in those roles. Both players have displayed a propensity for making plays with their feet. Thigpen’s 382 rushing yards lead all NFL signal callers in 2008 and are the highest single-season total in Chiefs history. Fitzpatrick has registered 275 rushing yards to rank third among NFL quarterbacks. Thipgen is seeking to secure his second victory as a starter after guiding the club to a 20-13 win at Oakland (11/30). Since becoming KC’s full-time starter at the N.Y. Jets (10/26), Thigpen has a postive TD-to-INT differential in all but two games and has at least one TD pass in eight of those nine contests. Despite playing in sub-zero wind chill conditions last week, Thigpen registered career highs with 320 passing yards and 57 rushing yards, throwing two TDs and rushing for another vs. Miami (12/21). He is on pace to fi nish the season with 18 TDs and 2,602 passing yards, the highest totals by a Chiefs signal caller since QB Trent Green had 27 TDs in 2004 and 4,014 yards in 2005. Fitzpatrick owns a 3-8-1 record as a starter this season. The Harvard product completed fi ve of nine passes for 55 yards with one TD at Cleveland (12/21). Those nine pass attempts were the fewest by the Bengals in a game since they attempted eight passes at Pittsburgh (12/14/74). Fitzpatrick has posted fi ve games with a positive TD-to-INT differential in 2008, but owns an 0-3 record this season when throwing two or more INTs. Dating back to 2002, Kansas City owns a 22-8 (.733) record in all games when it registers two or more INTs, including a 27-20 win vs. Cincinnati (10/14/07) when the Chiefs forced two INTs. Dating back to 2006, Cincinnati is 1-16 (.059) when allowing an opposing QB to post a rating of 100.0 or higher. Thigpen has thrown a pair of 100.0-rating games in a Chiefs uniform (min. 20 attempts). Going Gonzo - Chiefs 10-Time Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez Chiefs 10-time Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez is enjoying one of the most prolifi c seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. Gonzalez has already produced the fourth 90-catch, 1,000-yard campaign of his storied NFL tenure and needs nine catches on Sunday to register the second 100- reception season of his career (102 in 2004). In four career appearances vs. the Bengals, Gonzalez owns 31 catches for 328 yards with four TDs, an average of 7.8 catches, 82.0 yards and 1.0 TD per game. He caught nine passes for 102 yards with two TDs in a 27-20 win vs. Cincinnati (10/14/07). His fi rst TD reception in that game was the 63rd of his career, giving him the most receiving scores of any TE in NFL history, a number he has since upped to 75 scoring catches. Chiefs-Bengals Running Back Stats The Chiefs have a pair of runners with 100-yard games this season. RB Larry Johnson is coming off a 108-yard performance vs. Miami (12/21), his third 100-yard outing of the season. RB Jamaal Charles produced 106 rushing yards vs. Tampa Bay (11/2) and had a 102-yard receiving game that included a career-long 75-yard catch vs. Miami (12/21). Johnson has averaged 129.3 rushing ypg in three career starts vs. Cincinnati. The Chiefs have posted a 2-1 record in those games with Johnson racking up 57 carries for 320 yards (5.6 avg, 160.0 ypg) with four TDs in those two victories. He was limited to 17 carries for 68 yards in a 23-10 loss (9/10/06). The Chiefs are 22-8 (.733) when Johnson posts a 100-yard game. Cincinnati has lost 11 consecutive games when allowing a 100-yard back since 2006. The Bengals ran the ball 46 times for 191 yards in a 14-0 win at Cleveland (12/21), Cincinnati’s most rushing attempts in a game since running 47 times for 210 yards in a 34-27 win at San Diego (11/23/03). RB Cedric Benson did most of the damage last week, setting career highs with 38 carries for 171 yards. Benson also had a 104-yard effort in a 21-19 win vs. Jacksonville (11/2). Cincinnati is 15-4 (.789) when producing a 100-yard rusher dating back to 2004. The Bowe Show Continues to Roll Toward a 1,000-Yard Season With 81 more receiving yards, WR Dwayne Bowe (D1-07) would join WR Otis Taylor (1,297 in ‘87) as the second player in franchise history to register a 1,000-yard season in just his second pro campaign. Bowe needs one more TD to tie Taylor (13) for the most TD catches by a player in his initial two campaigns with Kansas City.
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