Chief's Passing Game - Receivers to Blame

Much talk around Kansas City this week has focused on the play of Chief's QB Matt Cassel. Cassel has not come close to living up to his enormous contract and has been average at best in his short time in Kansas City. However, blaming all of the Chief's passing woes on Cassel is wrong - Kansas City's mediocre receiving corps should shoulder most of the blame.

Until Cassel has a legitimate number one receiver, it is impossible to fully analyze his accomplishments. The Chiefs spent a first round pick on WR Dwayne Bowe, who has, to put it mildly, failed to live up to expectations. Bowe's drop of an easy touchdown catch against the Colts (that would have given the Chiefs a fourth quarter lead) has prompted SI's Peter King to name him the goat of the week. This is the Chief's best wideout? Chris Chambers has all but dissapeared this season as well, leaving Cassel with little to work with with his receivers.

Despite the poor numbers, the Chiefs do have some hope to improve in the passing department. Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki looks like a futre Tony Gonzalez, and has produced at a high level while also providing a few eye-popping grabs. The Chiefs have playmakers who can do a lot after the catch like Dexter McCluster and Jamaal Charles, and the team's strong running game should keep the passing game open.

The team needs to address its problem at receiver quickly for Matt Cassel to have any chance to be a legitimate NFL QB. Until he has the proper talent at wideout, Cassel's performance grade remains an "incomplete."

Chiefs Lose to Colts, Fall to 3-1

The Kansas City Chiefs' magical start to the 2010 season finally hit a roadblock today, as the Indianapolis Colts beat the NFL's last unbeaten team, 19-9. The loss drops Kansas City to 3-1, and brought the team back down to earth after the Chiefs became the talk of the NFL en route to a 3-0 start.

Despite the loss, Kansas City fans can still remain optimistic about this season. The Chiefs lost on the road to Indianapolis, who never loses at home and was hungry after losing at Jacksonville last week. The Chiefs continued to run the ball extremely well and Matt Cassel played well and minimized mistakes. The Chiefs once again were plagued by drops, which has been a theme in Kansas City over the last couple seasons. Dwayne Bowe, known for having a bit of a history with dropped balls, failed to haul in a perfectly thrown ball in the endzone for a touchdown. The running game remains Kansas City's biggest threat, but the passing game must continue to evolve for the Chiefs to remain a contender.

While Kansas City's offense struggled, the Chief's defense played well, frustrating Peyton Manning all afternoon and forcing the Colts to settle for field goals every time it sniffed the end zone. The Chiefs defense under Romeo Crennel has quickly turned into one of the league's better units, and should only get better.

Despite the loss, Kansas City still remains in great shape to have a shot at the playoffs. With the easiest schedule in the league, the Chiefs can afford to drop a few tough games like facing Peyton Manning on the road.