PFF refocused: Ravens/Chiefs

[Hammock Parties]

The part about Houston and Hali is awesome.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...chiefs-week-5/

Kansas City – Three Performances of Note

Game of Two Halves

While his overall stat line (30 carries for 140 yards) looks impressive, running back Jamaal Charles (+0.7) wore down in a big way in the second half as the Ravens did a much better job of containing the Chiefs rushing attack. As a team they ran for 179 yards on 34 carries in the first half but managed just 35 yards on 16 carries in the second half working out at a drop of 3.2 yards per carry from one half to the next. Usually a team runs the ball to that level to wear down an opponent but it was the Chiefs who tired this time. That left a Chiefs offense that had no faith in its quarterback and what looked like no Plan B in the second half against a Ravens team that wasn’t at its best on this occasion.


Complete Pass Rush

Chiefs fans have waited for the defense to get production from both pass rushers in the one game and that wait was rewarded by both Tamba Hali (+3.3) and Justin Houston (+5.6) as the duo combined for 13 total pressures. Houston, our most productive pass rusher amongst 3-4 outside linebackers going into the game outperformed his teammate again on Sunday, generating two sacks and six hurries on his way to a PRP Rating of 28.9. Hali matched him in sacks and added another three hurries of his own. His second sack came in controversial fashion on 2nd-and-10 with 3:42 remaining in the game. Blowing by Osemele on the outside he was able to get his hands on Flacco causing the official to blow the play dead seconds before Flacco fumbled. It’s the right call if he believes the quarterback was in the grasp but it’s a call that could have turned the game nonetheless.


Matt Cassel

With an apparent concussion to starting quarterback Matt Cassel (-1.1), it looks like Chiefs fans will get their wish to see Brady Quinn (+0.9 ) attempt to drive the offense towards the end zone. But while Chiefs fans have been quick to look to Quinn as their saviour (or at least a better option) it’s worth pointing out that Cassel wasn’t necessarily as awful as his stat line shows. While his fumble at the goal line on with 11:54 left in the 3rd quarter was inexcusable (likewise his delay of game penalty at the end of the first half) neither interception was the result of a poor throw or decision. The first came from a pass deflection from cornerback Cary Williams while the second was the result of a dropped pass from Dwayne Bowe. We’re not saying he was good by any stretch, but is a switch to Brady Quinn really going to fix the problem? Time will tell.


Game Notes

- Coming into the game completing 39% of his passes beyond 20 yards, both of Flacco’s deep passes fell incomplete.


- Sticking with the Ravens passing game, the team combined to drop four passes on Sunday – twice as many in this game that they had in their four prior games.

- Jamaal Charles’ yards per carry dropped from 6.3 in the first half to 1.5 in the second half.


Game Ball
While he wasn’t flawless, Paul Kruger stepped his play up in a big way and was played a big role in the team stopping a Chiefs running game that gashed them in the first half.

[Hammock Parties]

He actually had his best game Sunday.

Positive rating by the thinnest of margins.

Extension time for Pioli.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

He actually had his best game Sunday.

Positive rating by the thinnest of margins.Extension time for Pioli.

I just re-watched the game and focused on him alot and that's about the way I saw it.

[Ace Gunner]

DL looks better without Dorsey already.