Yahoo Sports:Chiefs Team Report

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs Team Report

Yahoo! Sports 12 hours, 49 minutes ago

The winds of change that blew through the Arrowhead Stadium complex all last week turned cold and bitter—10 degrees at kickoff, with the wind chill at minus-12—on Sunday.

The only constant in a week that began with the announced departure of 20-year team president/general manager Carl Peterson was that the Chiefs lost yet another game in the fourth quarter, this time to Miami by a 38-31 count.

Bottom line first.

The Chiefs lost a franchise record 13th game despite rallying nicely from an early 10-0 deficit. In their best offensive half of a 2-13 season, they scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions against a Miami defense that hadn’t given up a TD in the three previous games. Kansas City led 31-24 in the third quarter but faltered late when the offense managed only three second-half points and the defense couldn’t stop an 85-yard, 13-play, 8 1/2-minute game-winning drive by the Dolphins.

It was the eighth time this year the Chiefs lost a game in which they either held a fourth-quarter lead or were within seven points in the final period.

“We get a lead, lose the lead, get it back and then lose it at the end. It’s the same old story over and over,” lamented veteran tackle Damion McIntosh, who combined with rookie left tackle Branden Albert to hold Miami sack leader Joey Porter without a tackle all day.

“But sooner or later,” McIntosh added, “it’s going to fall in our favor.”

Maybe. With only one game left at Cincinnati this week, Kansas City might find a way to get a third victory that would give this lost 2008 team a better winning percentage than the 2-12 all-time worst Chiefs team of 1977.

But what would that mean in the overall scheme of things?

With Peterson stepping down at the end of the season—a mutually agreed upon decision, insisted team chairman Clark Hunt —a new general manager will be brought in from outside the organization to satisfy Hunt’s desire to get a new perspective on his team. It’s highly doubtful that a victory over the Dolphins or one this week against the Bengals would change that perspective.

And though several Chiefs players lobbied on behalf of coach Herm Edwards after the Miami loss, they are hardly arguing from a position of strength.

Notes, Quotes

• The temperature at kickoff—10 degrees, with a minus-12 wind chill—made the Dolphins game the second coldest ever at Arrowhead. It was, however, the coldest temperature ever for a Dolphins game.

• Among the players lobbying for Herm Edwards’ retention as Chiefs coach was QB Tyler Thigpen, whom Edwards has identified as his anticipated starter in 2009 should he be around to make that decision.

“I hope we’re not playing for his job,” said Thigpen, who saw the Chiefs build the “Pistol” offense around his spread-quarterback abilities at midseason.

“We’ve had some tough ones this year, but I don’t think his job should be in jeopardy,” Thigpen added. “He’s done what he should have done this year. Don’t blame him at all. If anyone wants to say that, come take it up with me.”

• Added Pro Bowl G Brian Waters, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl last week:

“Herm, without a shadow of a doubt, is the most resilient person in this organization. He understands the cards he was dealt when he got here (in 2006), and he understands what he has to deal with this season.

“If anybody leads by example, it’s him. He comes to work every day with the same energy, and he has not let this situation affect him one way or another. I don’t know of many coaches that could hold it together through the things we’ve had to go through for the past three years. I think a lot of coaches in that situation would be looking for the door.”

• The Chiefs went a ninth game without a sack against the Dolphins. They now have only nine all year. Barring a four-sack outburst in the season finale in Cincinnati, they will set a league record for fewest sacks. The low for a 16-game season is 13 by Baltimore (1981). But the Chiefs also could challenge the all-time low mark of 11 set by the Colts in the nine-game, strike-shortened 1982 campaign.

• Damion McIntosh, the Chiefs’ right tackle, after he and rookie LT Branden Albert combined to hold loquacious Dolphins LB Joey Porter without so much as a tackle (according to press box statistics): “He was silent as a mouse.”

• “We’re a passing team now, we’re not a running team anymore. Let’s not kid ourselves. When we run the ball, that’s second (option) for us. Runs to us are the swing passes we throw out to Jamaal Charles. That’s what we consider a sweep now.”—Coach Herm Edwards, after Kansas City threw 41 passes and ran only 21 times on a bitterly cold, windy day against Miami.

Strategy And Personnel

PLAYER NOTES

• TE Tony Gonzalez declined to talk to reporters Sunday—uncharacteristic for him—despite topping the 1,000-yard receiving mark for a fourth time in his career. No other tight end in NFL history has had four 1,000-yard seasons.

• RB Larry Johnson wasn’t talking—which is his pattern—despite getting his second 100-yard rushing game of the season against the Dolphins. Silent Larry hadn’t gone for 100 since Week 4, when he gashed Denver for 198 in one of the Chiefs’ two victories this year.

• T Damion McIntosh had a two-for-one block on Jamaal Charles’ 75-yard run with a short pass to the flat. McIntosh knocked down the cornerback, which was his first assignment, then had time to take out a safety in the vicinity.

• RB Jamaal Charles, the fastest guy on the Chiefs, was a little embarrassed after getting caught from behind at the 2 by Miami’s Yeremiah Bell. “I had all this cold weather stuff on,” a smiling Charles offered as his weak excuse. Charles finished the day with 102 receiving yards, his most as a rookie.

• QB Tyler Thigpen had 226 of his career-best 320 yards in the first half of the loss to Miami. Thigpen’s previous best game was 280 yards against the Jets.

REPORT CARD VS. DOLPHINS

Passing Offense: B—Tyler Thigpen was terrific in the first half, throwing through a cold wind for 226 yards and three touchdowns while leading TD drives on four of five possessions. But down the stretch he hit only four of 13 passes, with two of his three interceptions coming in the fourth quarter of a close game.

Rushing Offense: A-minus—For what little of it there was. Kansas City ran only 21 times on a frigid day when running games usually get emphasized. Larry Johnson had a strong 9.0 average after runs of 33, 25 and 13 yards. His 25-yard bolt was his first carry from scrimmage, which set the day’s tone. Thigpen added 57 rushing yards, getting 43 on three scrambles in one TD drive.

Pass Defense: C-minus—Chad Pennington’s dink-and-dunk, ball-control passing will put up some good numbers—26 of 34 for 235 yards and three touchdowns, in this case. The Chiefs didn’t give up anything deep, but they got hurt by a lot of underneath stuff, and it all adds up. Jarrad Page did get his fourth interception of the year.

Rush Defense: D—WR Ted Ginn Jr. skewed the numbers with his 31-yard end-around for a TD on Miami’s first play from scrimmage. Patrick Cobb later added a breakaway 44-yarder as the Dolphins had five runs of 10-plus yards.

Special Teams: F—Patrick Cobb returned the opening kickoff 60 yards to set up the Dolphins’ first TD before some fans reached their seats. Miami’s average drive start was its own 49. The Chiefs’ coverage teams have failed much of the year, and their return teams have given them little, as was the case against the Dolphins.

Coaching: C-minus—Give the staff some credit for holding this team together in a week that began with notice of Carl Peterson’s departure, one that sends uncertainty through the entire organization. Then to rally from 10-0 down in the first five minutes with TDs on the next four possessions was pretty impressive. Give offensive coordinator Chan Gailey some points for daring to pass on a bitterly cold day when throwing the ball 41 times by choice didn’t seem likely. But the Chiefs had their typical second-half meltdown—only three points scored on offense, a game-winning touchdown drive yielded by the defense in the fourth quarter. The inability of this young team to put four quarters together isn’t all on the coaches, but they’re the ones likely to pay most heavily when a new administration comes on board.

[Bowser]

Almost good enough to be mediocre, but not quite.

[chiefbowe82]

I think we'll actually get to look forward to chiefs football next year with some hope, we need a productive offseason, and we have the high picks and cash for that. Gun, Krummie, and Priefer must go though

[xbarretx]

Originally Posted by KC_CHIEFS_06

I think we'll actually get to look forward to chiefs football next year with some hope, we need a productive offseason, and we have the high picks and cash for that. Gun, Krummie, and Priefer must go though

yes yes yes YES YES !! REP REP REP!

while atm im not a huge Herm fan, he did start the youth movement in KC.. breaking from tradition was a good move regardless of our record this year. that being said.... the above mentioned need to go

[Rausch]

The important thing is not to see the dreaded 3-13 record in any combination...

[BigChiefFan]

The youth movement only works, when the youth is quality. I'd say barring picking up Haynesworth in the offseason, we're still a few years away from becoming a dominate team.