KC @ CLE Primer...
 

With the impressive Thanksgiving night victory over the hated, cheatin’ Donks, the Chiefs are suddenly a leg up in the wildcard race at 7-4. Right now, the Chiefs are the healthiest they’ve been all season. The last time they went on the road, they lost to a team they should’ve beat (Miami). The Chiefs are still in the playoff hunt as they travel to Cleveland (another game they should win), but the 3-8 Browns are better than their record indicates:

KC Score O – 21 ppg (13) vs CLE Score D – 21 ppg (16)…wash w/homefield
KC Rush O – 134 ypg (5) vs CLE Rush D – 137 ypg (28)...adv KC
KC Pass O – 186 ypg (22) vs CLE Pass D – 191 ypg (7)...adv CLE

CLE Score O – 17 ppg (26) vs KC Score D – 19 ppg (10)...adv KC
CLE Rush O – 83 ypg (30) vs KC Rush D – 109 ypg (15)...adv KC
CLE Pass O – 174 ypg (25) vs KC Pass D – 200 ypg (13)…adv KC

Giveaways:
CLE – 12 INTs & 12 fumbles in 11 games (-7 differential)
KC – 5 INT & 10 fumbles in 11 games (+4 differential)
Adv KC

Weather: hi 36, 30% chance light snow, wind SW 10 mph.

CLE Key Players (WINS: Raiders, Jets, Falcons / LOSSES: Saints, Bengals, Ravens, Panthers, Donks, Chargers, Steelers, & Bengals):
QB Frye – 2145 yds, 63% comp., 9 TD, 16 INT
RB Droughns – 476 yds, 3.1 ypc, 3 TD
TE Winslow – 649 yds, 3 TD
WR Edwards – 641 yds, 3 TD
WR Jurevicius – 205 yds, 2 TD
LB McGinest – 20 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 INT
LB Wimbley – 29 tackles, 7.5 sacks
LB Davis – 63 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT
LB Jackson – 51 tackles
Key CLE injuries: DE Roye (knee) - O, TE Winslow (knee) - Q, CB Bodden (ankle) - Q, RB Droughns (foot) - Q, DE Eason (ankle) - Q, LB McGinest (pectoral) - Q, S Hamilton (back) - Q, S Russell (elbow) - Q, LB Unck (groin) - Q.

Browns’ last game: rolled by the Bengals 30-0.

KC Key Players (Wins: 49ers, Cards, Chargers, Seahawks, Rams, Raiderz, Donks / Losses: Bengals, Donks, Steelers, Dolphins)
QB Green – 353 yds, 62% comp., 0 TD, 2 INT
RB Johnson – 1202 yds, 4.3 ypc, 13 TD
RB Bennett – 170 yds, 6.8 ypc
TE Gonzales – 623 yds, 3 TD
WR Kennison – 537 yds, 2 TD
DE Allen – 48 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 FF
DE Hali – 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 FF
MLB Mitchell – 51 tackles, 1.5 sacks
OLB Johnson – 32 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 FF
P Colquitt – 45 yd avg., 17 I20
Key KC injuries: DT Reed (groin) - O, TE gonzales (shoulder) - P, LB Johnson (ankle) - P.

Chiefs’ last game: at a Thanksgiving night throw-down, LJ rushed for 154 yards and a TD, while the defense held the Donks to 38 rushing yards and 10 points in a 19-10 victory at Arrowhead.

Green still looks rusty in his throwing game, so expect another run-heavy attack from the Chiefs against the Browns’ 3-4 defense. The Browns’ linebackers blitz a lot. This game is a crucial test for the Chiefs; to maintain momentum, they must win on the road in a tough Cleveland stadium. I think the Chiefs will win a close one in Cleveland and return to Arrowhead 8-4 for the Ravens.

I think Cleveland's numbers for pass defense are skewed... most teams that have beaten them have not had to rely on the pass to get back into the game - they can get a lead then start pounding away at the clock. I think we'll do better in our passing game than we have the last two games as Trent continues to burn off the fog.

Hopefully we get a nice lead too and give Bennett ALOT of carries. Maybe it can be like a mini-bye week for LJ. We're gonna need him fresh and rested down the stretch.

Trent was a tad rusty? Dude hasn't been able to complete screen passes the last two weeks.

Fortunately, I don't think he'll have to throw much in this game. Hopefully Solari will pick and choose a few places to go deep and rely on the LJ/MB combination again.

[QUOTE=RINGLEADER] Dude hasn't been able to complete screen passes the last two weeks.QUOTE]


You can say that again. He's been dumping passes in the dirt
too much.

I would like to see a few screens to Bennet if he can break a few tackles he is gone with that speed. Trent will have a welcome back game people dont throw on the Clowns cause they dont have to they cant stop the run. I would give Bennett 10 plus carries this game.

I'd disagree that he was that rusty. He had four passes dropped. Johnson, Kennison twice and Kris Wilson. He completes those and he's 17 for 22.

I think we need to pass more against Cleveland. We need to work the kinks out, because we won't be able to employ this "2 runs for every pass" gameplan against Baltimore and Jacksonville.

huard had been involved of 8 of 10 fumbles... :hmmm:

That's a very good point. Green has gotten racked at least twice in his two games back and only fumbled once.

Bump with updated weather and injury status...

Chiefs will run run run and throw quick outs, screen, and passes in the flats to keep the LBs from storming in on Trent. They'll also run the ball to keep the clock moving because the Clowns will be forced to throw the ball alot due to their lack of a run offense plus they'll get behind in the scoring game. Due to the cold and somewhat-windy weather conditions, look for Herm to play field position and punt rather than have Tynes try to accurately kick a rock-hard football 40-plus yards.
Additionally, KC will grind out the clock with their ground game, relying on the run to wear down the Clowns' run defense.