Tribal Warfare
11-01-2010, 10:44 AM
Bend-don’t-break strategy pays off for Chiefs defense (http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/31/2375276/bend-dont-break-strategy-pays.html)
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
Four times, the Buffalo Bills were in Chiefs territory Sunday with a chance to win their first game of the season.
And four times, the Chiefs’ defense came up with stops — on Buffalo’s final possession of regulation and all three drives in overtime — before Kansas City managed a 13-10 victory on the game’s last play.
It took an interception, a sure tackle, a bit of luck and pressure on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to keep the Bills from pulling the upset.
“The emotion on the field was, ‘We’ve got to have a stop,’ ” said defensive end Shaun Smith. “We were trying to get the ball back to our offense, and hopefully we’re in overtime and get a field goal, which we did.”
•Stop No. 1 came with 32 seconds left in regulation. With the score tied 10-10 and the Bills at the Chiefs 41, Buffalo needed another 8 yards to get in range for a field goal for kicker Rian Lindell, whose only two misses this season had come from 51 and 63 yards.
But Chiefs rookie strong safety Eric Berry intercepted Fitzpatrick’s errant pass intended for Lee Evans at the Kansas City 27.
“It’s always our job to go out there and make stops,” said Berry, whose fourth-quarter interception last week sealed the victory against Jacksonville. “Whatever position we’re put in, whatever the circumstances, we’ve just got to keep fighting and playing our hardest, hopefully something good will come out of it.
“Pressure by the defensive line made that play. They got in there and caused some confusion. I was just there to clean it up.”
•Stop No. 2 came on the first possession of overtime when the Bills, combining a 13-yard run by Roscoe Parrish with a face-mask penalty on Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel, moved the ball to the KC 43.
The Chiefs forced two incompletions, and Glenn Dorsey made an open-field tackle of Fred Jackson, holding him to 3 yards on a pass play and forcing Buffalo to punt.
“We saw on film that they score a lot of points,” said Dorsey, referring to Buffalo’s hanging 34 points on Baltimore, 26 on Jacksonville and 30 on New England this season. “The quarterback is really good, he can run, and they do a lot of good things. We knew we were going to be in for a fight.”
•Stop No. 3 included a bit of good fortune. Buffalo had moved from its 10 to the Chiefs’ 34. Lindell’s line-drive field goal from 53 yards appeared to win the game, but the Chiefs had called a timeout. On the subsequent try, Lindell hit the right upright, giving the Chiefs possession at their 43.
“We’re a defense that bends, but doesn’t break,” Smith said.
•Stop No. 4 followed the miss from 39 yards by Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop with 3:38 left in overtime. The Bills moved from their 29 to the Chiefs’ 42, when Fitzpatrick, under intense pressure from Tamba Hali, who already had 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a deflected pass, threw the ball into the turf and was called for intentional grounding.
That forced the Bills to punt, and when Brian Moorman shanked a 26-yarder, the Chiefs had a short field before Succop made his game-winning 35-yarder.
“I was over there praying on my knees,” Smith said of Succop’s winning kick. “We won. I don’t care if we gave up 500 yards, we won, that’s all that matters.
“This is football. It’s about to be November and that was the type of game you want to see.”
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
Four times, the Buffalo Bills were in Chiefs territory Sunday with a chance to win their first game of the season.
And four times, the Chiefs’ defense came up with stops — on Buffalo’s final possession of regulation and all three drives in overtime — before Kansas City managed a 13-10 victory on the game’s last play.
It took an interception, a sure tackle, a bit of luck and pressure on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to keep the Bills from pulling the upset.
“The emotion on the field was, ‘We’ve got to have a stop,’ ” said defensive end Shaun Smith. “We were trying to get the ball back to our offense, and hopefully we’re in overtime and get a field goal, which we did.”
•Stop No. 1 came with 32 seconds left in regulation. With the score tied 10-10 and the Bills at the Chiefs 41, Buffalo needed another 8 yards to get in range for a field goal for kicker Rian Lindell, whose only two misses this season had come from 51 and 63 yards.
But Chiefs rookie strong safety Eric Berry intercepted Fitzpatrick’s errant pass intended for Lee Evans at the Kansas City 27.
“It’s always our job to go out there and make stops,” said Berry, whose fourth-quarter interception last week sealed the victory against Jacksonville. “Whatever position we’re put in, whatever the circumstances, we’ve just got to keep fighting and playing our hardest, hopefully something good will come out of it.
“Pressure by the defensive line made that play. They got in there and caused some confusion. I was just there to clean it up.”
•Stop No. 2 came on the first possession of overtime when the Bills, combining a 13-yard run by Roscoe Parrish with a face-mask penalty on Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel, moved the ball to the KC 43.
The Chiefs forced two incompletions, and Glenn Dorsey made an open-field tackle of Fred Jackson, holding him to 3 yards on a pass play and forcing Buffalo to punt.
“We saw on film that they score a lot of points,” said Dorsey, referring to Buffalo’s hanging 34 points on Baltimore, 26 on Jacksonville and 30 on New England this season. “The quarterback is really good, he can run, and they do a lot of good things. We knew we were going to be in for a fight.”
•Stop No. 3 included a bit of good fortune. Buffalo had moved from its 10 to the Chiefs’ 34. Lindell’s line-drive field goal from 53 yards appeared to win the game, but the Chiefs had called a timeout. On the subsequent try, Lindell hit the right upright, giving the Chiefs possession at their 43.
“We’re a defense that bends, but doesn’t break,” Smith said.
•Stop No. 4 followed the miss from 39 yards by Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop with 3:38 left in overtime. The Bills moved from their 29 to the Chiefs’ 42, when Fitzpatrick, under intense pressure from Tamba Hali, who already had 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a deflected pass, threw the ball into the turf and was called for intentional grounding.
That forced the Bills to punt, and when Brian Moorman shanked a 26-yarder, the Chiefs had a short field before Succop made his game-winning 35-yarder.
“I was over there praying on my knees,” Smith said of Succop’s winning kick. “We won. I don’t care if we gave up 500 yards, we won, that’s all that matters.
“This is football. It’s about to be November and that was the type of game you want to see.”