Chargers Blow Out Chiefs - Pioli & Crennel Must Go

The latest embarrassing episode of the Chiefs 2012 season came last night, when Kansas City was throttled on national television by their division rivals, the San Diego Chargers. The team committed four turnovers and let the game slip away in a disastrous fourth quarter, in which the Chiefs were outscored 2103.

Turnovers have been the biggest problem for the Chiefs all season, and the stats at this point are comical. Quarterback Matt Cassel has more turnovers than every team in the NFL save the Dallas Cowboys, despite missing nearly two games’ worth of action due to injury. As a team, the Chiefs have committed more turnovers in the first eight games of the season than any NFL team in the last 15 years. When you can’t protect the football and routinely give the other team great field position, you are going to lose.

Last night’s game was bad, but it is time for Kansas City Chiefs fans to look at the bigger picture here. The Chiefs General Manager, Scott Pioli, has completely failed. Pioli has drafted poorly and missed on most first and second round picks, has made poor free-agent signings and has assembled a team that is not very good. Throw in a coach who appears to be clueless, and you have a recipe for disaster. Why exactly did Romeo Crennel get another head coaching opportunity after being terrible in Cleveland? Because he beat a Green Bay team last year that had wrapped up a home field advantage and had nothing to play for? Romeo Crennel is a better option than Todd Haley, who won the division three years ago and kept a depleted roster competitive last season? The list of poor decisions this franchise has made just goes on and on.

The team needs to absolutely clean house and spend some money to find a solid GM and coach. The good news is that Kansas City should have some high picks in next year’s draft. The Chiefs need to trade the veterans that don’t want to be here anymore (Dwayne Bowe) for draft picks and give the next GM something to work with.

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Chiefs Fall To Chargers, 37-20

In our preview for today’s Chiefs-Chargers game, we noted that it was essential that Kansas City win the turnover battle to have a chance against a good San Diego team. It is only fitting that the Chiefs turned the ball over six times in route to a 37-20 loss to the Chargers that was never close. The loss drops the team’s record to 1-3 on the season.

Last week, Kansas City was able to overcome a slow start to pull off a thrilling comeback win over the Saints. Today was a different story, as the Chiefs once again started slow but never really threatened to make it a game. San Diego scored the first 20 points of the game, capitalizing on three Matt Cassel first half interceptions. The first quarter was so bad for the Chiefs that the team found itself down 17-0 after only running five offensive plays. After Jamaal Charles scored on an eye-popping 37 yard run, the team cut the score to 20-6 (Kansas City botched the PAT). Cassel threw a pick six only a few minutes later, and the fat lady was warming up at halftime.

The Chief showed a little life early in the second half, scoring a touchdown to make it a two score game. However, the offense went three-and-out on the team’s next two possessions, and Shaun Draughn fumbled on the next to essentially end the game.

Kansas City was won only three of its last 11 home games, a startling statistic for a team that prides itself on its home field advantage. Home or away, this team simply has no shot to win when it turns the ball over. The Chiefs once again ran the ball effectively today; it just found itself in a hole because the Chargers routinely had a short field. Kansas City has been outscored 41-6 in the first quarter this season, terrible news for a run-oriented team.

Things don’t get any easier for the Chiefs, as they host the Baltimore Ravens next week. Unless the team pulls off a big upset, it looks like this will be another losing season in Kansas City.

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Chiefs Chargers - Why We Lost the Game on the First Drive

The Chiefs lost this game on the very first drive.  What moron would call 4 running plays in a row when The Chargers KNOW that the running game is all we have? (oh, that link goes to a Charger's website where they talk about the fact that they KNOW that the run is all we have) - Today, the Chiefs did the classic idiotic play calling sequence:

Run - small gain
Run - amazingly a first down
Run - small gain
Run - small gain
3rd Down - yeah, great time to pass now that they fucking KNOW we're going to pass.  FAIL.

At this exact point this game was over.  Not overreacting here, this actually ended the game.  Why?  Because once the Chargers knew that we weren't going to throw the ball, they got nice and comfortable and teed off on our running game.  Great scheme guys.

Here is what an intelligent NFL team would have done on the first drive:

1st play of the game - LONG BOMB.  Incomplete, interception, who cares?  As long as they know that we're going to test them deep.

2nd play of the game - PLAY ACTION PASS.  They are sitting on the run - the play action would have been PERFECT - even just a short pass would have been effective here.

3rd play of the game - PLAY ACTION PASS.  That's right - ANOTHER pass.  Let them think that we're going to pass all damn day.

If the Chiefs had anyone on staff who knew anything about football, we could have had a chance in this game.  But it is obvious that they do not.  4 fucking runs in a row - great strategy guys, IDIOTS.

This is why the Chiefs haven't won a playoff game in 200 years or so.  The funny part is, there was a girl watching the game with us and she didn't know anything about football - her EXACT quote was "why are they running the ball so much right off the bat when they know that our quarterback is hurt and that we're going to have to run the ball for the whole game?"  - Yes, ladies and gentleman, even a girl who knows nothing about football knows more than the Chiefs coaching staff.  I turned the game off after the 1st quarter.  No need to watch any more of THAT.

Let me know what the final score is - or no, wait, how about don't.  I'm going out to eat.

Matt Cassel Appendectomy Injury Report for Chiefs

Matt Cassel Has Appendectomy Surgery - Injury Report for The Kansas City Chiefs
by Kansas City News

Today the question about why Matt Cassel was suddenly absent from Wednesday's practice was answered when it was reported from The Chiefs camp that Cassel had an emergency Appendectomy this afternoon.  Cassel, who has been performing great on the field for the Chiefs of late will likely miss up to 4 weeks due to this injury.  At the very least he will miss this Sunday's game when the Chiefs play the San Diego Chargers - a must win game for the Chiefs.  According to medical sports experts, the earliest that a player has returned from an appendectomy was 10 days, but the injury should likely sideline a player for up to 4 weeks.

While we are all happy that Cassel will be okay, this will surely affect the outcome of the game against San Diego this Sunday.  Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will really have to step up and carry The Chiefs to a victory this week.  With Cassel out, Chiefs backup quarterback Brody Croyle will be the starter.  Croyle has not thrown a pass in regular season this year, while Matt Cassel has thrown for 2503 yards, with an astonishing 23 - 4 touchdown / interception ratio with a passer rating of 98.4.

The Chiefs officially gave Cassel a 50% chance of starting once the news of his appendectomy was announced, but this statistic is very doubtful according to medical experts.

Chiefs Beat Chargers

After a season filled with close (and not so close) loses, unanswered questions and a somewhat promising finish, the Kansas City Chiefs made starting out the 2010 season on the right foot a priority. The team did just that, upsetting AFC West juggernaut San Diego in the rain, 21-14.

The Chiefs hadn't won on opening day since this guy was in office, and more importantly, had lost to San Diego in its last five meetings. After falling to the Chargers by a combined 59 points last year, the Chiefs win was essential for the team to prove it will be, at the very least, no longer a guaranteed win for other teams around the league.

While the Chiefs played well, two aspects of the team are still troubling. First, the Chiefs continue to underuse Jamaal Charles. Despite showing his big-play ability time and time again, Charles continues to split carries with Thomas Jones. Jones is a steady, productive back, but Charles must be given more touches a game with his home run ability. Also troubling is the continued poor play from quarterback Matt Cassel. If the Chiefs are to make a push for the playoffs, it is important for Cassel to make plays and limit mistakes.

The good news for the Chiefs is the team is loaded with young playmakers to go along with Charles, most notably Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas. Both have big-time return ability and have given the special teams a much needed boost. If the Chiefs can continue to run the ball effectively, find a few big plays from its special teams and Cassel can start playing like he gets paid to, a shot at the playoffs isn't out of Kansas City's reach.