Tribal Warfare
09-26-2010, 10:13 PM
Cassel throws three touchdown passes, Chiefs beat 49ers 31-10 (http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/26/2251646_chiefs-lead-49ers-10-3.html?storylink=omni_popular)
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs don’t need perfect. But Sunday, Kansas City was as close to perfect as it has been in years.
This team entered Sunday’s contest at Arrowhead Stadium with a history of losing and a mandate of winning ugly. It left Arrowhead after dominating the 49ers on offense and defense, and surprising or not, this team looks like it’s for real.
Kansas City 31, San Francisco 10.
Soak this in: Kansas City is 3-0, heading into its bye week, and all of a sudden, those upcoming playoff contenders on the schedule, Indianapolis and Houston, don’t look so unbeatable anymore.
On this day, the Chiefs’ defense was terrific. But then again, as the team’s strength, it was supposed to be. San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith was forgettable, running back Frank Gore was bottled up, and tight end Vernon Davis never put his money where his mouth is.
Davis said earlier this week that, not only did the 49ers need to beat the Chiefs, but they would beat the Chiefs. Maybe that motivated Kansas City, or maybe this is the way things are. Maybe the Chiefs are better than anyone thought.
The team’s coaches behaved that way, anyway. For a group that needed slop and rain to beat San Diego and big plays to get past Cleveland, Kansas City left no doubt Sunday. Coach Todd Haley and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis used a game plan that centered on aggressiveness and ended with results.
For the second consecutive week, Haley decided to try for a fourth-and-1, and the same as a week earlier, the gamble paid off. He later tried an onsides kick, which the Chiefs recovered before an offsides penalty nullified it.
It all worked, and that appeared to relieve pressure on quarterback Matt Cassel, who was imperfect but proved that the Chiefs don’t need perfect. They need him to be adequate, and he was better than that against the 49ers.
When Cassel plays that role, he and the Chiefs can let his supporting cast do the work. Like when Cassel hit rookie Dexter McCluster on a swing pass, which McCluster turned into a 31-yard touchdown. Or when Cassel lofted a deep pass over tight end Tony Moeaki’s head, and Moeaki hauled it in with one hand for another score. Or when cornerback Brandon Flowers had his second interception in as many weeks, this one bouncing up and then, after Flowers fell to his back, landing right in his hands.
Whatever the Chiefs did Sunday, it all seemed to pay off. And, yes, they looked as if they belong in the discussion for up-and-coming teams. Up until now, Kansas City has passed all its tests. If it can repeat what it did Sunday, the NFL will have a far different opinion of what these Chiefs are capable of.
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs don’t need perfect. But Sunday, Kansas City was as close to perfect as it has been in years.
This team entered Sunday’s contest at Arrowhead Stadium with a history of losing and a mandate of winning ugly. It left Arrowhead after dominating the 49ers on offense and defense, and surprising or not, this team looks like it’s for real.
Kansas City 31, San Francisco 10.
Soak this in: Kansas City is 3-0, heading into its bye week, and all of a sudden, those upcoming playoff contenders on the schedule, Indianapolis and Houston, don’t look so unbeatable anymore.
On this day, the Chiefs’ defense was terrific. But then again, as the team’s strength, it was supposed to be. San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith was forgettable, running back Frank Gore was bottled up, and tight end Vernon Davis never put his money where his mouth is.
Davis said earlier this week that, not only did the 49ers need to beat the Chiefs, but they would beat the Chiefs. Maybe that motivated Kansas City, or maybe this is the way things are. Maybe the Chiefs are better than anyone thought.
The team’s coaches behaved that way, anyway. For a group that needed slop and rain to beat San Diego and big plays to get past Cleveland, Kansas City left no doubt Sunday. Coach Todd Haley and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis used a game plan that centered on aggressiveness and ended with results.
For the second consecutive week, Haley decided to try for a fourth-and-1, and the same as a week earlier, the gamble paid off. He later tried an onsides kick, which the Chiefs recovered before an offsides penalty nullified it.
It all worked, and that appeared to relieve pressure on quarterback Matt Cassel, who was imperfect but proved that the Chiefs don’t need perfect. They need him to be adequate, and he was better than that against the 49ers.
When Cassel plays that role, he and the Chiefs can let his supporting cast do the work. Like when Cassel hit rookie Dexter McCluster on a swing pass, which McCluster turned into a 31-yard touchdown. Or when Cassel lofted a deep pass over tight end Tony Moeaki’s head, and Moeaki hauled it in with one hand for another score. Or when cornerback Brandon Flowers had his second interception in as many weeks, this one bouncing up and then, after Flowers fell to his back, landing right in his hands.
Whatever the Chiefs did Sunday, it all seemed to pay off. And, yes, they looked as if they belong in the discussion for up-and-coming teams. Up until now, Kansas City has passed all its tests. If it can repeat what it did Sunday, the NFL will have a far different opinion of what these Chiefs are capable of.