Tribal Warfare
09-29-2008, 01:23 AM
Chiefs need to repeat Sunday’s inspired effort (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/818285.html)
Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe caught seven passes Sunday, but Denver’s Dre’ Bly kept him from hauling in this one.
The Chiefs demanded our respect Sunday afternoon, and we should grudgingly give them some and issue our own demand:
Do it again.
We liked what we saw Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs slapped the overrated and previously unbeaten Broncos 33-19, ending Kansas City’s 12-game losing streak and momentarily rescuing the Chiefs from the worst-team-in-football debate.
Now do it again.
The Chiefs, 1-3, don’t have to win this weekend at Carolina. The Panthers, 3-1, are pretty good. We just want to see the Chiefs play with the same energy, focus and intensity that blindsided and exposed the Broncos.
“What we finally realized was we had to play with passion,” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said, “just play, not worry about doing everything right or the score. I thought for the most part we did that.”
Yes, they did, and the result was promising.
We can handle the Chiefs losing while they rebuild. We can’t stomach any more embarrassing, half-hearted efforts like the ones that cost the Chiefs against the Raiders and Falcons.
For the rest of the season, we want to see Larry Johnson run like Jim Brown, Derrick Johnson fly like Derrick Thomas and Dwayne Bowe snatch passes like Jerry Rice.
Johnson, Bowe and Johnson are supposed to be Kansas City’s in-their-prime stars. On Sunday, they played like stars, trampling Denver for 198 rushing yards, two touchdowns (Larry Johnson), six tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, a tackle for loss (Derrick Johnson) and seven receptions for 85 yards and critical third-down catches (Bowe).
“Big-time playmakers are supposed to make big plays in games like these,” Derrick Johnson said. “I just went out and played. I was doing too much thinking before.”
It’s unlikely that Johnson, Bowe and Johnson will match their combined production again this season. Maybe only one of them will post superstar numbers next week against the Panthers, but the two others could still chip in with a superstar play or two.
Tony Gonzalez is still capable of gigantic plays. He hauled in a falling-on-his-back, third-down TD catch that stretched Kansas City’s field-goal lead to double digits. Veteran Damon Huard at quarterback gives the Chiefs their best shot at producing points on offense. Huard was efficient, error-free and occasionally courageous in the pocket on Sunday. Defensively, Demorrio Williams, Bernard Pollard and KC’s rookie corners showed significant improvement.
The Chiefs are not on the verge of a playoff push. They’re not the 2007, 0-3 New York Giants.
The Chiefs are a squad that might be good enough to continue earning our respect. And national respect begins at home. If they can win us over, those of us willing to ride out the losing that rebuilding requires, then that’s enough respect for this season.
It might even buy Herm Edwards another season.
Backed against a wall, Herm responded with a terrific coaching performance. We have to credit him for the Chiefs’ inspired performance.
“He did a great job all week,” guard Brian Waters said of Herm. “He told us, ‘You ought to be fed up. You ought to be tired. No one respects you. No one expects anything from you.’”
Just do it again.
My expectations are still low. The Broncos made the mistake of reading the Chiefs’ press clippings. Denver was flat, and its mistakes mounted and built a negative momentum that eventually buried the Broncos.
Denver quarterback Jay Cutler threw two interceptions, including one pick when Kansas City actually played defense with just 10 defenders. The Broncos also coughed up two fumbles. Denver’s errors were mostly unforced.
Rookie fullback Spencer Larsen botched Denver’s perfectly executed onside kick when the game was still within one score (26-19). Larsen leaped in the air, speared the ball and lost it in midflight. The Chiefs recovered the loose ball, and Larry Johnson salted the game away with a couple of nice runs, including a 16-yard TD scramble.
Am I saying the Chiefs got lucky? Maybe.
But I’m also saying their efforts against Atlanta and Oakland were good-luck proof. Everyone in Kansas City could’ve carried four-leaf clovers when the Chiefs played the Falcons and Raiders, and the Chiefs still would’ve lost.
You make good luck with superior effort.
I just hope they can do it again and again and again. If they do, they might win three or four more games this season and be in the hunt to select the best quarterback in the 2009 draft (Nate Davis).
Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe caught seven passes Sunday, but Denver’s Dre’ Bly kept him from hauling in this one.
The Chiefs demanded our respect Sunday afternoon, and we should grudgingly give them some and issue our own demand:
Do it again.
We liked what we saw Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs slapped the overrated and previously unbeaten Broncos 33-19, ending Kansas City’s 12-game losing streak and momentarily rescuing the Chiefs from the worst-team-in-football debate.
Now do it again.
The Chiefs, 1-3, don’t have to win this weekend at Carolina. The Panthers, 3-1, are pretty good. We just want to see the Chiefs play with the same energy, focus and intensity that blindsided and exposed the Broncos.
“What we finally realized was we had to play with passion,” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said, “just play, not worry about doing everything right or the score. I thought for the most part we did that.”
Yes, they did, and the result was promising.
We can handle the Chiefs losing while they rebuild. We can’t stomach any more embarrassing, half-hearted efforts like the ones that cost the Chiefs against the Raiders and Falcons.
For the rest of the season, we want to see Larry Johnson run like Jim Brown, Derrick Johnson fly like Derrick Thomas and Dwayne Bowe snatch passes like Jerry Rice.
Johnson, Bowe and Johnson are supposed to be Kansas City’s in-their-prime stars. On Sunday, they played like stars, trampling Denver for 198 rushing yards, two touchdowns (Larry Johnson), six tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, a tackle for loss (Derrick Johnson) and seven receptions for 85 yards and critical third-down catches (Bowe).
“Big-time playmakers are supposed to make big plays in games like these,” Derrick Johnson said. “I just went out and played. I was doing too much thinking before.”
It’s unlikely that Johnson, Bowe and Johnson will match their combined production again this season. Maybe only one of them will post superstar numbers next week against the Panthers, but the two others could still chip in with a superstar play or two.
Tony Gonzalez is still capable of gigantic plays. He hauled in a falling-on-his-back, third-down TD catch that stretched Kansas City’s field-goal lead to double digits. Veteran Damon Huard at quarterback gives the Chiefs their best shot at producing points on offense. Huard was efficient, error-free and occasionally courageous in the pocket on Sunday. Defensively, Demorrio Williams, Bernard Pollard and KC’s rookie corners showed significant improvement.
The Chiefs are not on the verge of a playoff push. They’re not the 2007, 0-3 New York Giants.
The Chiefs are a squad that might be good enough to continue earning our respect. And national respect begins at home. If they can win us over, those of us willing to ride out the losing that rebuilding requires, then that’s enough respect for this season.
It might even buy Herm Edwards another season.
Backed against a wall, Herm responded with a terrific coaching performance. We have to credit him for the Chiefs’ inspired performance.
“He did a great job all week,” guard Brian Waters said of Herm. “He told us, ‘You ought to be fed up. You ought to be tired. No one respects you. No one expects anything from you.’”
Just do it again.
My expectations are still low. The Broncos made the mistake of reading the Chiefs’ press clippings. Denver was flat, and its mistakes mounted and built a negative momentum that eventually buried the Broncos.
Denver quarterback Jay Cutler threw two interceptions, including one pick when Kansas City actually played defense with just 10 defenders. The Broncos also coughed up two fumbles. Denver’s errors were mostly unforced.
Rookie fullback Spencer Larsen botched Denver’s perfectly executed onside kick when the game was still within one score (26-19). Larsen leaped in the air, speared the ball and lost it in midflight. The Chiefs recovered the loose ball, and Larry Johnson salted the game away with a couple of nice runs, including a 16-yard TD scramble.
Am I saying the Chiefs got lucky? Maybe.
But I’m also saying their efforts against Atlanta and Oakland were good-luck proof. Everyone in Kansas City could’ve carried four-leaf clovers when the Chiefs played the Falcons and Raiders, and the Chiefs still would’ve lost.
You make good luck with superior effort.
I just hope they can do it again and again and again. If they do, they might win three or four more games this season and be in the hunt to select the best quarterback in the 2009 draft (Nate Davis).