Whitlock: The D comes through

[tk13]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/13329137.htm

Upon review, D comes through
JASON WHITLOCK
Kansas City Star

Of all the heroes — and there were many — in Kansas City’s pulsating 31-27 victory over Denver inside Arrowhead Stadium, referee Bill Leavy was the biggest.

Leavy had the courage to do what was right when it would have been easy and justifiable to do nothing. By erasing Denver’s last first down, overturning a horrendous fourth-and-1 spot after a replay review, Leavy stamped Kansas City’s defensive resurgence as legitimate.

In the biggest game of the year, in the most important game of coach Dick Vermeil’s tenure, Kansas City’s defense held the Broncos to six points in the second half and stoned Mike Anderson on fourth and 1 with 2 minutes, 1 second to play.

Thanks to their big-play defense, the Chiefs, 8-4, control their playoff destiny and, more important, appear to be a team that won’t be an automatic playoff out.

Yes, skeptics can point to Jake Plummer’s unforced error — an end-zone interception in the first half — Mike Shanahan’s curiously conservative play-calling and a ridiculously bad helmet-to-helmet, personal-foul penalty on John Lynch as reasons for KC’s victory.

But the truth is the Chiefs won the game because their defense stopped Anderson on fourth and 1, and Bill Leavy was man enough to correct the spotting error of one of his co-workers. To be honest, the replays were all pretty inconclusive. An avalanche of Chiefs defenders blocked the camera angles from picking up Anderson and the ball. Leavy could have let the spot stand and hid behind “inconclusive evidence.” He could have left KC’s defense on the field and told Gunther Cunningham’s guys to protect those last 52 yards.

“A lot of guys might not have reversed that,” Vermeil said. “That’s a gutsy call.”

“The runner was clearly short by a couple of feet of the 48-yard line,” Leavy said after the game. “He had to reach the 48.”

Anderson was short because defensive tackle Ryan Sims stood up the guard in front of him, which stopped Anderson’s momentum, and Lional Dalton and Jared Allen crashed into Anderson as he tried to cut back.

“Sims blew up the guard,” Dalton said.

The Chiefs blew up the interior of Denver’s offensive line on the play. Linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Derrick Johnson charged the “A” gaps. Safety Sammy Knight blitzed from the outside. Allen didn’t have a gap responsibility. He was just supposed to go with his offensive tackle and then find the football.

After surrendering 283 yards and 21 points in the first half, KC’s defense shut down the Broncos after the break, giving up just 105 yards.

Kansas City’s defensive performance clearly surprised Shanahan. “The Mastermind” coached with an arrogance that surely delighted the Chiefs’ coaching staff. The Broncos entered the game with a two-game lead in the AFC West and thoroughly convinced that there was no way KC’s offense could keep pace with Shanahan’s offensive unit.

Shanahan didn’t acknowledge that Denver’s running game needed its No. 1 running back until the second half. Tatum Bell ran the ball just five times all afternoon. He didn’t play in the first half. He picked up 46 yards on his five second-half carries. His replacements — Anderson and Ron Dayne — carried the ball 21 times for 63 yards.

Given a turnover in KC territory just 15 seconds before halftime, Shanahan ran a draw play on first down that moved the ball to the Kansas City 34. On third down, Shanahan eschewed a 52-yard field-goal attempt or a 34-yard Hail Mary pass. Instead, Shanahan called for another draw play and jogged into the locker room happy with a 21-21 tie.

Early in the third quarter, trailing 24-21, the Broncos were set up first and goal at the 6. Shanahan ran Dayne twice and Anderson once and then trotted out Denver’s field-goal unit.

Shanahan does not respect the Chiefs. He coached the Broncos as if it were 2002 or 2003 and Greg Robinson was controlling Kansas City’s defense. The Chiefs’ defense doesn’t give away points anymore. Shanahan never anticipated Gunther Cunningham regrouping his defenders and slowing Denver’s offense.

Well, that’s what happened in the second half. The effort the Chiefs put forth on Sunday was good enough to beat every team in football except the Colts. Kansas City played its most complete game during Vermeil’s tenure. Against one of the league’s best run defenses, Larry Johnson rushed for 140 yards and two TDs. Trent Green completed 16 of 23 passes for 253 yards, two TDs and two interceptions. The Chiefs overcame adversity. They made big plays on both sides of the ball.

“It’s amazing,” defensive end Eric Hicks said. “We’re 8-4. It’s an amazing feeling. We’re working hard and have won three in a row now. We need to go on the road and get a win and keep this thing going.”

They can. The performance that beat Denver inside Arrowhead Stadium will beat the Cowboys and the Giants on the road.

[007]

"Yes, skeptics can point to Jake Plummer’s unforced error — an end-zone interception in the first half — Mike Shanahan’s curiously conservative play-calling and a ridiculously bad helmet-to-helmet, personal-foul penalty on John Lynch as reasons for KC’s victory."

Always manages to throw something negative in his article and then deflect it. You know he was itchin to throw that in there.

[beer bacon]

I would like to think that Plummer was just stunned when instead of one-three open targets he is used to getting against the Chiefs on his bootlegs he saw a horde of red jerseys.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsguru

"Yes, skeptics can point to Jake Plummer’s unforced error — an end-zone interception in the first half — Mike Shanahan’s curiously conservative play-calling and a ridiculously bad helmet-to-helmet, personal-foul penalty on John Lynch as reasons for KC’s victory."

Always manages to throw something negative in his article and then deflect it. You know he was itchin to throw that in there.

Anderson was short because defensive tackle Ryan Sims stood up the guard in front of him, which stopped Anderson’s momentum, and Lional Dalton and Jared Allen crashed into Anderson as he tried to cut back.

“Sims blew up the guard,” Dalton said.

The Chiefs blew up the interior of Denver’s offensive line on the play. Linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Derrick Johnson charged the “A” gaps. Safety Sammy Knight blitzed from the outside. Allen didn’t have a gap responsibility. He was just supposed to go with his offensive tackle and then find the football.

After surrendering 283 yards and 21 points in the first half, KC’s defense shut down the Broncos after the break, giving up just 105 yards.

This is what I'm talking about! 105 yards is all we gave up in the second half!? That type of D will win games...........


PhilFree

[RedDread]

If this team makes the playoffs they will be battle tested. We are definitely not who you would want to play in the first round.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by tk13

Shanahan never anticipated Gunther Cunningham regrouping his defenders and slowing Denver’s offense.

IN SHANAHAN I TRUST!

Mastermind, my ass.

[the Talking Can]

Shanahan did make some terrible calls...arrogant is right.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by RedDread

If this team makes the playoffs they will be battle tested. We are definitely not who you would want to play in the first round.

I agree but I hope the last 4 games don't take its toll on the aging vets. Unfortunately, playing for broke is the only option the Chiefs have.

[KCTitus]

Feh...it was clear that Anderson was nowhere near where that line judge spotted the ball. There was not 'gutsy' reversal and the evidence was irrefutable. The carrier and tacklers were at least 2 feet from the 48 yard line.

As for the Lynch hit, it was first and 10 on Denver's 12 when the penalty was called. Had it not been called, it would have been 2nd and 10 at Denver's 12. I still think KC scores that touchdown.

Let's not forget the 'holding' call on Dunn that took a TD off the board and forced KC to go with a FG in the 3rd quarter.

[HemiEd]

Best joPo article I have read all season.

[greg63]

Hey, way to jump onto the bandwagon here in week twelve Whitty.

[ExtremeChief]

Originally Posted by KCTitus

Let's not forget the 'holding' call on Dunn that took a TD off the board and forced KC to go with a FG in the 3rd quarter.

It sure looked to me that Dunn was the one being held on that play.


Anytime a game is close these "iffy" calls are going to stand out. It was a hell of a ball game, and Denver has a damn good team. If KC can win on the road in the next two weeks maybe it will show that the do deserve to be in the playoffs.


Man that Eagles game is haunting them now.

[thebrad84]

Originally Posted by tk13

Yes, skeptics can point to Jake Plummer’s unforced error — an end-zone interception in the first half — Mike Shanahan’s curiously conservative play-calling and a ridiculously bad helmet-to-helmet, personal-foul penalty on John Lynch as reasons for KC’s victory.

A ridiculously bad helmet-to-helmet personal-foul penalty on John Lynch ehh? How was that a bad call? John Lynch, like the dirty POS he is, saw a helpless receiver trying to make a catch. He lowered his helmet and went right after Kennison. Instead of putting his shoulder into him, like a clean safety is supposed to do (i.e. greg wesley), he led with his helmet and his helmet hit Kennisons helmet. You could hear the h-2-h contact on live tv. If that isn't a "helmet-to-helmet" hit, then what the hell is? Sometimes I just don't understand Whitlock when he's trying to write a "positive" column about the chiefs. Like someone else already said, it seems like he's always got to throw in some sort of negative rant in there that is pointless. In a close game like this, you can look back and say a lot of crap that went wrong that could have "helped us win" or that could have "caused Denver to lose." Point is, in a game like yesterdays, both teams made their stupid mistakes and had their iffy calls made against them. Anywho, that was a helluva victory for the boys in red. We need to bring this momentum in to Dallas and try to steal a victory from the cowboys. One game at a time boys, one game at a time.

[Lzen]

I don't know about the Lynch hit, but I definitely thought the refs screwed us on that TD that was called back by a lame holding call. Sure didn't appear to be holding from what I saw. Bad calls tend to even out throughout a game. Donkey fans should just admit that KC was the better team yesterday. Hell, if they had had all the injuries and suspensions that the Chiefs gave gone though this year, they would not be leading the division.

[StcChief]

Dunn was the one held...That was a bad call.

Lynch call close but the new rule stands.
Thought he would have learned that last year with the Dante hit.