Chiefs' Timid, Depleted Offense Needs to Wake Up Ahead of Divisional Round

[oaklandhater]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...visional-round

n paper, the results from their Saturday Wild Card victory over the Houston Texans indicate that the Kansas City Chiefs are a force to be reckoned with entering the NFL's Divisional playoffs.

The Chiefs, after all, are coming off a 30-0 first-round win, extending their winning streak to 11. On the road against a division winner, that sure looks impressive.

Most lopsided road playoff wins
Year Game
1940 Bears 73, Redskins 0
1968 Colts 34, Browns 0
1987 Vikings 44, Saints 10
2015 Chiefs 30, Texans 0
1975 Cowboys 37, Rams 7
1978 Cowboys 28, Rams 0
1943 Redskins 28, Giants 0
Pro Football Reference

But don't be fooled, because this was the type of game in which the real winners were the rest of Kansas City's competition in the AFC.

The Chiefs were actually extremely lucky that the Texans didn't show up on Saturday.

Houston's best defensive player, J.J. Watt, wasn't a factor even before leaving with a groin injury, the Texans turned the ball over five times, and the Kansas City offense was buoyed by a way-too-easy 106-yard kickoff return to start the game.

Quarterback Alex Smith didn't have to break a sweat.

Against the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots, he won't be so lucky.

The Chiefs offense—which scored two touchdowns against a toothless Texans defense in the second half but went out of its way to keep Houston hanging around before that—lacked energy before and after losing star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to a knee injury in the third quarter.

That injury looked serious, which means Andy Reid's team—already without stud running back Jamaal Charles and starting center Mitch Morse—may not have its regular-season touchdown leader the rest of the way.


They're not out of hope. Kansas City's opportunistic defense—which ranked third in football in terms of points allowed in the regular season—still had to unwrap the gifts Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer was throwing their way.

According to the ESPN broadcast, this was the first shutout we've had in the playoffs in a decade and the third-most-lopsided playoff road shutout win in NFL history.

Worst home playoff passer ratings this century
Quarterback Year Rating Result
Brian Hoyer 2015 15.9 Lost to Chiefs
Shane Matthews 2001 17.9 Lost to Eagles
Donovan Mcnabb 2003 19.3 Lost to Panthers
Matt Cassel 2010 20.4 Lost to Ravens
Rich Gannon 2000 22.0 Lost to Ravens
Pro Football Reference

But Smith will have to do more next Saturday, and he'll likely have to do it without his only receiver who had more than two touchdowns this season.

Against Houston, especially in the first half, we saw far too many of those overly-conservative, short-of-the-sticks third-down plays the Chiefs have become famous for. And it was a flawed performance beyond that.

Smith missed on a wide-open deep ball that should have been a first-half touchdown and had an uncharacteristic interception in the first quarter, and they also settled for long field goals rather than gambling on 4th-and-1 twice, which actually defies logic and precedents and can cripple an offense under more difficult circumstances.

Next week, they'll undoubtedly face more difficult circumstances.

You'd be crazy to argue that a team that hasn't lost since the middle of October can't rise to that occasion, but Saturday's performance wasn't nearly as impressive as the final score might indicate.

"Confidence and momentum are real", Smith told Evan Washburn on CBS Sports following the game. And on Saturday, confidence and momentum were enough to beat a Texans team that did everything in its power to lose.

The Patriots will likely have more than 112 net passing yards next week, and it's been seven years since New England has turned the ball over as often as Houston did Saturday.

Denver's dominant defense will likely feast on an offense lacking its best two players, and the Broncos have lost just three home playoff games since 1997.

Pick your poison.

Hate to rain on a parade 22 years in the making, but if the depleted Chiefs want to keep rolling and resisting the law of averages, they'll have to be much better in the Divisional Playoffs.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by Sandy Cheeks

wow... if Bob or Flops don't kick your miserable ass to the curb, then that really speaks to the integrity of CP.

I'll tell you this though.. nothing... NOTHING.. you can say or post will take away from the joy of this victory tonight. Sad that you can't just be a good part of the joy though.... sucks to be you.

I can't point out what I like and didn't like about the game I'm glad we won holy hell.

[Shekelsteinberg]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...visional-round

n paper, the results from their Saturday Wild Card victory over the Houston Texans indicate that the Kansas City Chiefs are a force to be reckoned with entering the NFL's Divisional playoffs.

The Chiefs, after all, are coming off a 30-0 first-round win, extending their winning streak to 11. On the road against a division winner, that sure looks impressive.

Most lopsided road playoff wins
Year Game
1940 Bears 73, Redskins 0
1968 Colts 34, Browns 0
1987 Vikings 44, Saints 10
2015 Chiefs 30, Texans 0
1975 Cowboys 37, Rams 7
1978 Cowboys 28, Rams 0
1943 Redskins 28, Giants 0
Pro Football Reference

But don't be fooled, because this was the type of game in which the real winners were the rest of Kansas City's competition in the AFC.

The Chiefs were actually extremely lucky that the Texans didn't show up on Saturday.

Houston's best defensive player, J.J. Watt, wasn't a factor even before leaving with a groin injury, the Texans turned the ball over five times, and the Kansas City offense was buoyed by a way-too-easy 106-yard kickoff return to start the game.

Quarterback Alex Smith didn't have to break a sweat.

Against the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots, he won't be so lucky.

The Chiefs offense—which scored two touchdowns against a toothless Texans defense in the second half but went out of its way to keep Houston hanging around before that—lacked energy before and after losing star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to a knee injury in the third quarter.

That injury looked serious, which means Andy Reid's team—already without stud running back Jamaal Charles and starting center Mitch Morse—may not have its regular-season touchdown leader the rest of the way.


They're not out of hope. Kansas City's opportunistic defense—which ranked third in football in terms of points allowed in the regular season—still had to unwrap the gifts Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer was throwing their way.

According to the ESPN broadcast, this was the first shutout we've had in the playoffs in a decade and the third-most-lopsided playoff road shutout win in NFL history.

Worst home playoff passer ratings this century
Quarterback Year Rating Result
Brian Hoyer 2015 15.9 Lost to Chiefs
Shane Matthews 2001 17.9 Lost to Eagles
Donovan Mcnabb 2003 19.3 Lost to Panthers
Matt Cassel 2010 20.4 Lost to Ravens
Rich Gannon 2000 22.0 Lost to Ravens
Pro Football Reference

But Smith will have to do more next Saturday, and he'll likely have to do it without his only receiver who had more than two touchdowns this season.

Against Houston, especially in the first half, we saw far too many of those overly-conservative, short-of-the-sticks third-down plays the Chiefs have become famous for. And it was a flawed performance beyond that.

Smith missed on a wide-open deep ball that should have been a first-half touchdown and had an uncharacteristic interception in the first quarter, and they also settled for long field goals rather than gambling on 4th-and-1 twice, which actually defies logic and precedents and can cripple an offense under more difficult circumstances.

Next week, they'll undoubtedly face more difficult circumstances.

You'd be crazy to argue that a team that hasn't lost since the middle of October can't rise to that occasion, but Saturday's performance wasn't nearly as impressive as the final score might indicate.

"Confidence and momentum are real", Smith told Evan Washburn on CBS Sports following the game. And on Saturday, confidence and momentum were enough to beat a Texans team that did everything in its power to lose.

The Patriots will likely have more than 112 net passing yards next week, and it's been seven years since New England has turned the ball over as often as Houston did Saturday.

Denver's dominant defense will likely feast on an offense lacking its best two players, and the Broncos have lost just three home playoff games since 1997.

Pick your poison.

Hate to rain on a parade 22 years in the making, but if the depleted Chiefs want to keep rolling and resisting the law of averages, they'll have to be much better in the Divisional Playoffs.

First half score of the Steelers Bengals game is 3-0, The Bengals and Steelers offense will have to step it up a notch if they hope to beat the Chiefs going forward.

[notorious]

I just now realized I walked into a hornet's nest.

The Chiefs played AWESOME today. I am just soaking it in. Happy, mellow, surreal.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by Shekelsteinberg

First half score of the Steelers Bengals game is 3-0, The Bengals and Steelers offense will have to step it up a notch if they hope to beat the Chiefs going forward.

Yup big ben looks like trash right now I don't think a steelers fan would disagree with you.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

in all fairness Cincy doesn't have Dalton right now.

In ALL fairness Dalton has never won a playoff game in his life.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

Broncos defense being a little undersold don't you think ?

No.

Plus, I don't expect the Chiefs to see Denver again.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by notorious

I just now realized I walked into a hornet's nest.

The Chiefs played AWESOME today. I am just soaking it in. Happy, mellow, surreal.

I should have waited a day to post

it holy hell I didn't know I'd be dodging tomatoes

[temper11]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

*pre-game media talk*
"It'll be a defensive battle, the score right in the teens for both teams."

*after winning 30-0(!!!)*
The Chiefs are lucky the other team didn't even try.

It's so f**king laughable.

This. Same story after chiefs dismantled Denver. It's crazy that the chiefs keep winning because their offense clearly sucks. Look at what a real QB can do like raplesburger... He's lighting up the scoreboard in the first half!

[notorious]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

No.

Plus, I don't expect the Chiefs to see Denver again.

Yes, a lot of my friends are texting "Bring on the Broncos!".

I guess people don't understand how the playoffs work.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

In ALL fairness Dalton has never won a playoff game in his life.

That is true but he was having an amazing year before he went down I would say he was playing in the TOP 10 of QB's before he went down.

[CupidStunt]

- Team wins first playoff game in 22 years

- Pathetic loser runs to any source he can find (ending with the infamously sad Bleacher Report) putting team down

= you're awesome

[CapsLockKey]

My gut says that Reid got the luxury of not having to dig out much if anything from his playoff trick bag thanks to getting spotted 7 points to start the game and the way the defense played.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by notorious

Yes, a lot of my friends are texting "Bring on the Broncos!".

I guess people don't understand how the playoffs work.

I think we match up pretty well vs the Pats I'm okay going in to new england.

[underEJ]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

I want to win it all but if we did/do Smith Goes in to the Dunce QB class with Dilfer and Johnson.

If the Chiefs won the SB...

with Alex Smith, who the **** cares what lists he is on afterwards. He will take his place next to Dawson as a ****ing hero. Even if the game score is 2-0 with only a safety putting points on the board.

You can certainly come here afterwards and bloviate about QB class but no one will read it because we'll all be burning everything we own in celebratory bonfires and getting ready to die happy!

[Shekelsteinberg]

JET SWEEP