Let’s talk about the Miami Dolphins

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Headed down to a familiar location for the Florida heat and a highly formidable opponent.

The Dolphins have a great defense, a mediocre at best offense. Not all that different from Denver really, but coached better.

A win would clinch the AFCW for the 5th straight season, so there is some added importance. Of course we are on Pittsburgh’s heels, too.

I think we all aren’t totally sure what to make of the team at this point. They’ve been inconsistent in their focus, their execution. There seem to be problem areas that could be upgraded by simply plugging a backup in (hi, Wis), but it remains to be seen if any changes are going to be made.

It’s a weird league where outcomes are all over the place, winning is really damn hard, but they’re still 11-1 and largely look to be on cruise control half the time. I do think there’s something to be said for the GS Warriors comparison where sometimes they just don’t flip the switch until they have to. I guess we will see what happens as the games get bigger and bigger for this team.

This one won’t be easy, but if the offense comes out locked in from the go, it shouldn’t be a scare. I also think it’s another opportunity for the defense to perform well again, but I still feel like we need more from our pass rush along the DL moving forward.

Game is at noon on CBS...

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Weird bounces and refs.

When you think about it, with the exception of the week 5 loss to LV, the only way teams have stayed in games to even have a shot at beating the Chiefs this season is really down to bad bounces and refs throwing flags for some pretty ticky-tack fouls.

I did a quick mental check, and this season we've had at least 6 TDs taken off the board for phantom penalties or just strange circumstances. Then there was the fumble against BAL inside the 23 yard line that should've resulted in some kind of points, a couple puzzling drops by RBs in or at the EZ, etc.

The offense has been executing at least well enough to put a minimum opf 30 points on the board. If not for some bad passes, drops, odd occurrences, and poor officiating we'd have won every game by double digits.

But these things have been happening with some regularity this season, so I can't discount it at this point.

Plus, I don't think the team is going to come into this game with a ton of urgency/intensity. It's getting late in the season and it's been a grind, in spite of the relative weakness of the schedule. If they sleep-walk long enough, and a enough dumb things happen, MIA is just good enough and just hungry enough to steal a W.

Which is why I think it'll be relatively low-scoring and within a score or so. We'll see a better effort against NOR, and maybe even ATL if the 1 seed is still in play. This weekend, I think the Chiefs are going to try to get out to an early lead and cruise to a win, and just try to keep everyone healthy. Maybe work on the run game if their D is so bad against the run.

I am not going to get into the discussion of the NFL changing / rigging the outcomes of games, BUT I will say, that I have never seen anything like this before. Gambling is huge right now and all of these points taken off the board against the Chiefs- have huge ripple effects in betting outcomes.

Maybe it is just the Refs- they are biased, stupid and really shitty at their jobs. They have been horrible this year and not just calling Chiefs games.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

I am not going to get into the discussion of the NFL changing / rigging the outcomes of games, BUT I will say, that I have never seen anything like this before. Gambling is huge right now and all of these points taken off the board against the Chiefs- have huge ripple effects in betting outcomes.

Maybe it is just the Refs- they are biased, stupid and really shitty at their jobs. They have been horrible this year and not just calling Chiefs games.

Oh, I'm not trying imply that the refs are rigging games. I think there are plenty of other reasons calls go the way they do without having to resort to conspiracy theories.

Maybe a ref has a personal beef with a player/coach. Unconsciously the guy could bias a couple calls against that team.

We also have seen quite a few of the veteran refs retire, and new ones are popping up in every game now. We've already seen multiple cases of refs just getting calls wrong because they aren't perfectly familiar with the rules over the last two or three seasons.

And so on.

My point was just that with the influx of new refs, some rules modifications, a few strange plays, etc., KC has been on the negative side of a lot of those calls. Call it bad luck. Whatever. But whatever you call it, KC has had at least 36 points erased this season, and I think it's actually more like 8 TDs. Get half of those on the board and maybe we're undefeated. And the only close game the Chiefs have played would be the Chargers game? Would've won the other three 'close' contests by 10+. And no one would be bitching about the defense.

Maybe that's why the refs are calling back all those TDs. So CP has something to bitch about.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by scho63

Sorry I'm not as smart as you.

However, I did watch the game in a bar WITHOUT SOUND nor Close Caption so I missed Cris Collinsworth explain it 4-5 times and that for a rube like me it just "too" not "to" hard to understand.

Maybe I need to take a lip reading course.

No, I think he’s calling you too stupid to know or learn.

/Steps back to watch a fight.

[Wallcrawler]

For the Chiefs to lose again, it will take the Chiefs beating themselves. If we execute properly, and dont have multiple touchdowns taken off the board, we are an insanely tough out.

It took a 40 point defensive meltdown, and 3 TDs pulled off the board for us to lose the one game.

Broncos game, another 2 TDs taken away. One by complete lack of awareness by the review guys upstairs, and one courtesy of bullshit officiating. Otherwise, the game is a laugher.

The adversity, while exceptionally frustrating, is good for the Chiefs. They arent just cruising to easy wins. We have won games this year just about every way you can win them, with the last few being one possession games where we are required to focus, and finish the game.

Last year, we couldn't run out the clock from 4 minutes to save our life. This season, weve been better. Closing out at Tampa was perfect. Donks game we drained 5 of the 6 minutes, took all their timeouts, and forced them into a 75 yards and TD required to win in under a minute.

All these frustrating games, and the bullshit rhat comes along with them should keep the Chiefs sharp going into the postseason.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Oh, I'm not trying imply that the refs are rigging games. I think there are plenty of other reasons calls go the way they do without having to resort to conspiracy theories.

Maybe a ref has a personal beef with a player/coach. Unconsciously the guy could bias a couple calls against that team.

We also have seen quite a few of the veteran refs retire, and new ones are popping up in every game now. We've already seen multiple cases of refs just getting calls wrong because they aren't perfectly familiar with the rules over the last two or three seasons.

And so on.

My point was just that with the influx of new refs, some rules modifications, a few strange plays, etc., KC has been on the negative side of a lot of those calls. Call it bad luck. Whatever. But whatever you call it, KC has had at least 36 points erased this season, and I think it's actually more like 8 TDs. Get half of those on the board and maybe we're undefeated. And the only close game the Chiefs have played would be the Chargers game? Would've won the other three 'close' contests by 10+. And no one would be bitching about the defense.

Maybe that's why the refs are calling back all those TDs. So CP has something to bitch about.

There is no excuse for the Refs- letting the Donk line hold our defense like they did. And then take an awesome TD off the board for a ticky-tack hold on us. Lock ran the same bootleg a dozen times and we were held on every one of them.

Last week, we were flagged 3 straight times to knock us out of field goal range. Somehow, we are still winning games.

So will the Fix be in this week with the refs? Are they going to artificially keep it close? How many TD's will we be cheated out of this week? How many PI calls on uncatchable passes? Will Chris Jones be Bearhugged and picked off the ground in front of the ref again with NO FLAG? Will Reek have yet another TD taken from him as he backflips into the endzone? Will the refs blow a TD call again and slow play the replay? Will we have to hear how vulnerable the Chiefs are all game? Will they let Kelce be held all game? Will Breeland get pushed off on and still draw a flag?

Guess we will find out/

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by reaper7534

Never joined another teams forum, but I hope KC doesn't throttle Miami. Good luck and this is by far one of the classiest forums compared to some other fanbases.

Has he seen our poop threads?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

For the Chiefs to lose again, it will take the Chiefs beating themselves. If we execute properly, and dont have multiple touchdowns taken off the board, we are an insanely tough out.

It took a 40 point defensive meltdown, and 3 TDs pulled off the board for us to lose the one game.

Broncos game, another 2 TDs taken away. One by complete lack of awareness by the review guys upstairs, and one courtesy of bullshit officiating. Otherwise, the game is a laugher.

The adversity, while exceptionally frustrating, is good for the Chiefs. They arent just cruising to easy wins. We have won games this year just about every way you can win them, with the last few being one possession games where we are required to focus, and finish the game.

Last year, we couldn't run out the clock from 4 minutes to save our life. This season, weve been better. Closing out at Tampa was perfect. Donks game we drained 5 of the 6 minutes, took all their timeouts, and forced them into a 75 yards and TD required to win in under a minute.

All these frustrating games, and the bullshit rhat comes along with them should keep the Chiefs sharp going into the postseason.

Great post. It really does keep the Chiefs from getting complacent. Lots of good obstacles to overcome that hopefully built character. We should be pretty tough for any team in the playoffs.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Has he seen our poop threads?

(currently lurking I eat ass thread)

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

There is no excuse for the Refs- letting the Donk line hold our defense like they did. And then take an awesome TD off the board for a ticky-tack hold on us. Lock ran the same bootleg a dozen times and we were held on every one of them.

Last week, we were flagged 3 straight times to knock us out of field goal range. Somehow, we are still winning games.

So will the Fix be in this week with the refs? Are they going to artificially keep it close? How many TD's will we be cheated out of this week? How many PI calls on uncatchable passes? Will Chris Jones be Bearhugged and picked off the ground in front of the ref again with NO FLAG? Will Reek have yet another TD taken from him as he backflips into the endzone? Will the refs blow a TD call again and slow play the replay? Will we have to hear how vulnerable the Chiefs are all game? Will they let Kelce be held all game? Will Breeland get pushed off on and still draw a flag?

Guess we will find out/

Pretty sure that was Clark that was bearhugged and lifted off the ground.

Honestly, I don't know how much the refs will be involved in this one. Or going forward. I still hold out some belief that rigging isn't' going on. But it's a fact that the Chiefs have been on the wrong side of a lot of calls/non-calls this season.

Just the fact that Bolles wasn't called for a hold is suspect. Guy led the league last couple seasons for offensive holding flags, and somehow this year he's one of the cleanest OTs in football?

But for now I'll put it down to bad luck.

[Gary Cooper]

If we struggle in the red zone and the refs take away highlight reel TDs from Tyreek Hill, this likely becomes another close game.

Most of these games that are closer than they should be are because of these factors. We're outgaining the opposition but not capitalizing enough. When we do, there's frequently a penalty that brings the play back. Very frustrating to keep opponents in the game.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Pretty sure that was Clark that was bearhugged and lifted off the ground.

Honestly, I don't know how much the refs will be involved in this one. Or going forward. I still hold out some belief that rigging isn't' going on. But it's a fact that the Chiefs have been on the wrong side of a lot of calls/non-calls this season.

Just the fact that Bolles wasn't called for a hold is suspect. Guy led the league last couple seasons for offensive holding flags, and somehow this year he's one of the cleanest OTs in football?

But for now I'll put it down to bad luck.

I don't gamble on sports... It does seem strange watching as an outsider- to see the Chiefs cover nearly every week like clockwork. Then- with all of these "strange calls" and TD's being taken off the board- it is not an automatic win now.

Spread is what -7.5 Chiefs this week? That is a lot of points to cover.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

I don't gamble on sports... It does seem strange watching as an outsider- to see the Chiefs cover nearly every week like clockwork. Then- with all of these "strange calls" and TD's being taken off the board- it is not an automatic win now.

Spread is what -7.5 Chiefs this week? That is a lot of points to cover.

Yeah, started the season 6-2 ATs with the Chiefs, then things started to get hinky.

And the Jets were 0-10 vs. the spread (something like that), and then they nearly beat LVR.

So the two easiest ATS sports bets over the last two seasons suddenly both flip on the same weekend.

The curious thing is all the holding calls on the Chiefs OL, but basically none on the opposing teams. How is that possible? Well, maybe it's because we don't have but two actual starters on the OL right now. And probably that's the best explanation. But Bolles not getting any flags seems strange, considering he was leading the league in yellow laundry over the last couple seasons.

[RunKC]

I will always love Miami’s field. It feels like home to me.

That’s where I saw my favorite team win the SB. It just feels right.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I think it can largely be a fan narrative, but I think 'playing down to their competition' doesn't have to mean anything all that extreme for the reason you mentioned.

Maybe a player or 8 aren't laser focused on game planning for the week, maybe those players or others have a few too many drinks the night before, or just aren't focusing at being 100% in the zone for certain plays or out of the gate.

It's not necessarily the difference of playing at 50% effort vs. 100%.... it could be 98% vs 100%, and that's all that's needed to not convert a couple 3rd downs or whatever.

I think the Raiders are a great example... laser focused on beating the Chiefs, and then WTF has happened the past couple weeks? There's clearly a lack of focus due to being emotionally drained or "playing down to their competition" or whatever people want to call it. That margin of focus might not be astronomical, but their ceiling is clearly far higher than the Falcons final score indicates or going down to the last second with NYJ.

And for the Chiefs, maybe they aren't digging deep into the offensive playbook for a certain team, as to not show off things they could save for the playoffs... and I'm sure they know they wouldn't need 40+ points against the Broncos, and whether they want it to or not, it could impact their mentality heading into the game.

I think you sort of nailed the issue, actually.... players and coaches have to be at the highest level of focus, and not every player is going to be at that level for all 16+ games, just like any other job. For every Mahomes, who eats/sleeps/breathes football, you'll have players who relatively take a week off or at least plays off.

They're human. And they're a bunch of guys in their 20's playing a game. And the difference between greatness and meh in the NFL is tiny. So yeah, it's difficult for them to be their absolute laser focused best 16 games a year. Hence 'playing down' to their competition sometimes.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

They're human. And they're a bunch of guys in their 20's playing a game. And the difference between greatness and meh in the NFL is tiny. So yeah, it's difficult for them to be their absolute laser focused best 16 games a year. Hence 'playing down' to their competition sometimes.

This. There's no way every starting player on a football team is going to peaked for every game. that's just not human.

Part of the reason we've seen the Chiefs offense not play great, and the defense have some gaffes, is that it's a long season, and the grind might be starting to get to more and more of them as the weeks go by. We just want them to get their second wind by the playoffs, and then everything will be fine.