Teicher: QB Croyle has promising game for Chiefs

[Tribal Warfare]

QB Croyle has promising game for Chiefs
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

BALTIMORE | Brodie Croyle believed most of the week that Matt Cassel would be ready to start at quarterback for the Chiefs on Sunday.

Croyle didn’t get the word until Sunday morning that Cassel would be inactive and that he would be making the start against the Ravens.

Croyle responded with perhaps his best game with the Chiefs. He threw two touchdown passes and made enough other plays to keep the Chiefs alive until the final moments of their 38-24 defeat.

“Brodie Croyle gave us a chance to win, and that’s all I’ll ever ask my quarterback to do,” coach Todd Haley said. “I don’t know what his numbers were. At some point there, it was not pretty, but he was completing the ball where he had to, and most important, he was not turning it over. You cannot against this defense — this specific Baltimore (defense) more than anybody else — you can’t afford to let them get going. He did a very good job of doing that.”

Croyle is 0-9 as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. He might have emerged with his first win had he gotten the Chiefs moving earlier. They didn’t make their initial first down until late in the first half.

The Chiefs fell behind 10-0, and only through big plays on special teams and defense did they eventually take their only lead of the game at 14-10.

“Our defense was basically out there the whole first half,” Croyle said. “We can’t do that to them. We have to stay on the field and make first downs. Even if you’re not scoring points, you can’t go out there and have three-and-outs.”

Later, though, both of Kansas City’s offensive touchdowns came on Croyle passes. He hit Dwayne Bowe in the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown that gave the Chiefs their lead.

He also threw 10 yards to Sean Ryan that tied the score 24-24 midway through the fourth quarter.

In between, he gave the Chiefs their longest offensive play on a 50-yard toss to Mark Bradley.

“Play well, don’t play well — it doesn’t matter if you don’t win,” Croyle said. “You still have the same feeling, and that’s where I’m at.”

The Chiefs used Tyler Thigpen for two plays at quarterback in the second quarter.

Thigpen ran a quarterback draw out of the shotgun formation on one play and pitched out to Jamaal Charles on the other.

Haley said he planned to use Thigpen more than that, but game circumstances led him to stay with Croyle.

[Coach]

Glad he decided to stay with Croyle. Croyle gave the Chiefs a better chance of winning games than Thigpen will.

[Hammock Parties]

“Brodie Croyle gave us a chance to win, and that’s all I’ll ever ask my quarterback to do,” coach Todd Haley said. “I don’t know what his numbers were. At some point there, it was not pretty, but he was completing the ball where he had to, and most important, he was not turning it over."

[T-post Tom]

The deep ball to Bradley was refreshing. Should have kept the Raven's defense honest with more throws over the top early in the game. [With the understanding that the o-line would have had to block.]

[tonyetony]

When calling offensive plays you just can't be scared shitless that our shitty line might get exploited. Hell if your going with conservative plays because the o-line sucks we might as well trot the spread back out there.

[YayMike]

Originally Posted by tonyetony

When calling offensive plays you just can't be scared shitless that our shitty line might get exploited. Hell if your going with conservative plays because the o-line sucks we might as well trot the spread back out there.

Very true, but its hard to call long plays when Brodie was only having 1-2 seconds to throw. I thought TH made some great play calls in the 4th when needed, and even though it was somewhat conservative the rest of the game, it did keep us in the game.

In fact (without the result) we played the type of game Baltimore tries to. Field position, and defense to set up the offense. It just failed for a good part of the game. I personally disagreed with the decisions not to go for it on 4th and short both times, but then again the D came through both times! If the O moves the ball more early in the game....could have been a WHOLE different ball game.

[KC Jones]

Originally Posted by YayMike

If the O moves the ball more early in the game....could have been a WHOLE different ball game.

That's pretty much like saying that if our O-line and D-line weren't completely over matched it would have been a completely different game.

[Reerun_KC]

He looked better than I thought he would with our OL...

Props to Haley and Croyle... pretty solid job for the first game... Now ready for the debut of Mark Castle on Sunday!