Hammock Parties
12-24-2007, 01:16 AM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/416407.html
DETROIT | If you picked up the newspaper hoping to read a column shredding the Chiefs for losing to the sorry Lions, you’re going to be disappointed.
The Chiefs may have lost the “shame game,” a battle pitting two franchises with a combined 13-game losing streak, but their effort in Detroit left them no reason to be ashamed.
To the contrary, in losing 25-20 to the Lions, Kansas City demonstrated an unexpected resolve and fire given the trying circumstances.
Delayed more than six hours at the Kansas City airport on Saturday by inclement weather, the Chiefs arrived in the Motor City way off schedule and with a built-in excuse for a poor Sunday performance.
By the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs trailed 9-0. Six minutes into the second quarter, not only had Detroit’s lead ballooned to 19-0, but the Chiefs lost starting quarterback Brodie Croyle to a hand injury when he tried in vain to prevent a pick-6 interception with a diving-rolling tackle attempt.
All signs were pointing to the Chiefs reaching a new low. All three phases of their game — offense, defense and special teams — misfired in the game’s first 20 minutes. Journeyman running back T.J. Duckett gashed KC’s run defense. The Lions blocked a Dustin Colquitt punt. And linebacker Paris Lenon raced 61 yards with a Croyle pass.
A team averaging 14 points per game couldn’t expect to score 20 in less than three quarters with an immobile backup quarterback playing behind the leakiest offensive line in football.
Somehow, the Chiefs did just that, rallying within a two-point conversion of tying the game early in the fourth quarter.
Actually it’s not some mystery. They bounced back because:
•Tony Gonzalez impersonated Kellen Winslow, catching pass after pass with defenders bracketing him. In one of his finest performances as a pro, Gonzalez grabbed 10 passes for 137 yards.
•Dwayne Bowe mimicked a young Otis Taylor, making awkward catches while sliding, in traffic and along the sideline. Bowe’s 34-yard TD reception in the fourth was his best catch of his promising rookie season. He outfought a defender for the ball and fell backward out of the end zone. It was an amazing grab.
•Kolby Smith gave Kansas City the threat of a running game and dipped out of the backfield as a receiver with much success, totaling 115 yards on 24 touches.
•Jared Allen put the finishing touches on his contract push, recording two sacks and hauling in his second TD grab of the season.
•And Damon Huard, again and again, climbed off the turf, shook off the stars dancing in his head and delivered the football to Gonzalez, Bowe and Smith.
“I told them they deserve to win a game, as hard as they play,” Herm Edwards responded when asked what his postgame message was to his team. “I told them I was proud to be their football coach.”
Yeah, that sounds cheesy when your team falls to 4-11, loses its eighth straight game and is on the verge of tying the franchise record for most consecutive losses. But the truth is the Chiefs showed a little bit of character on Sunday.
“No one quit,” Huard said.
They did more than that. They made a desperate attempt to win the game. And, for the most part, the right players led the charge. It was a mix of veteran leadership and young ascending players giving a tremendous effort late in the season when the outcome really didn’t matter.
Perhaps Huard’s effort was most impressive. He took a beating and refused to come out.
“I got hit in the (groin) on the play where I dumped the ball to Kolby,” Huard explained. “And it still hurts. I’m just glad I already have three kids and have been snipped.”
I was proud of the Chiefs. They had no reason to believe they could win on Sunday. They walked their Green Mile with an unbowed head, legs stiff as crowbars and eyes locked straight ahead. That’s as much as we can ask at this point.
DETROIT | If you picked up the newspaper hoping to read a column shredding the Chiefs for losing to the sorry Lions, you’re going to be disappointed.
The Chiefs may have lost the “shame game,” a battle pitting two franchises with a combined 13-game losing streak, but their effort in Detroit left them no reason to be ashamed.
To the contrary, in losing 25-20 to the Lions, Kansas City demonstrated an unexpected resolve and fire given the trying circumstances.
Delayed more than six hours at the Kansas City airport on Saturday by inclement weather, the Chiefs arrived in the Motor City way off schedule and with a built-in excuse for a poor Sunday performance.
By the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs trailed 9-0. Six minutes into the second quarter, not only had Detroit’s lead ballooned to 19-0, but the Chiefs lost starting quarterback Brodie Croyle to a hand injury when he tried in vain to prevent a pick-6 interception with a diving-rolling tackle attempt.
All signs were pointing to the Chiefs reaching a new low. All three phases of their game — offense, defense and special teams — misfired in the game’s first 20 minutes. Journeyman running back T.J. Duckett gashed KC’s run defense. The Lions blocked a Dustin Colquitt punt. And linebacker Paris Lenon raced 61 yards with a Croyle pass.
A team averaging 14 points per game couldn’t expect to score 20 in less than three quarters with an immobile backup quarterback playing behind the leakiest offensive line in football.
Somehow, the Chiefs did just that, rallying within a two-point conversion of tying the game early in the fourth quarter.
Actually it’s not some mystery. They bounced back because:
•Tony Gonzalez impersonated Kellen Winslow, catching pass after pass with defenders bracketing him. In one of his finest performances as a pro, Gonzalez grabbed 10 passes for 137 yards.
•Dwayne Bowe mimicked a young Otis Taylor, making awkward catches while sliding, in traffic and along the sideline. Bowe’s 34-yard TD reception in the fourth was his best catch of his promising rookie season. He outfought a defender for the ball and fell backward out of the end zone. It was an amazing grab.
•Kolby Smith gave Kansas City the threat of a running game and dipped out of the backfield as a receiver with much success, totaling 115 yards on 24 touches.
•Jared Allen put the finishing touches on his contract push, recording two sacks and hauling in his second TD grab of the season.
•And Damon Huard, again and again, climbed off the turf, shook off the stars dancing in his head and delivered the football to Gonzalez, Bowe and Smith.
“I told them they deserve to win a game, as hard as they play,” Herm Edwards responded when asked what his postgame message was to his team. “I told them I was proud to be their football coach.”
Yeah, that sounds cheesy when your team falls to 4-11, loses its eighth straight game and is on the verge of tying the franchise record for most consecutive losses. But the truth is the Chiefs showed a little bit of character on Sunday.
“No one quit,” Huard said.
They did more than that. They made a desperate attempt to win the game. And, for the most part, the right players led the charge. It was a mix of veteran leadership and young ascending players giving a tremendous effort late in the season when the outcome really didn’t matter.
Perhaps Huard’s effort was most impressive. He took a beating and refused to come out.
“I got hit in the (groin) on the play where I dumped the ball to Kolby,” Huard explained. “And it still hurts. I’m just glad I already have three kids and have been snipped.”
I was proud of the Chiefs. They had no reason to believe they could win on Sunday. They walked their Green Mile with an unbowed head, legs stiff as crowbars and eyes locked straight ahead. That’s as much as we can ask at this point.