The Chiefs go to Detroit and start the game with a different attitude…but end the game with the same result. Another Kansas City star injured and another lopsided loss.
COACHING: The Chiefs appeared to be more prepared this week when they started the first offensive series by grabbing big chunks of yardage with a ground attack that had the Lions on their heels. Then, Jamaal Charles got hurt and a little air seemed to come out of the Kansas City attack. Jamaal touch the ball 2 times and gained 27 yards…and he was done. And so were the Chiefs.
So what does the coaching staff do now? Eric Berry, Tony Moeaki, Jamaal Charles. The Chiefs had a tough road with their schedule when those players played every down. The players, not the coaches, are going to be the foundation which stands or falls. If the Chiefs stand firm, look respectable, and perform it won’t be because of good speeches or game planning. It will be because the players refused to go down. Every KC eye is on you…
PASSING GAME: 15 for 22 and 133 yards in a game in which the Chiefs needed to pass to come back. That is not very encouraging for a Chiefs fan. The Chiefs don’t appear to be much of a passing threat so here is hoping the run game and the defense can stay healthy enough to keep them in the game.
RUNNING GAME: The Chiefs ended the game with 151 yards on 29 carries. That is not really that bad. Any team would take 5.2 yards per carry. Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, an LeRon McClain all did well in Jamaal Charles’ absence. But the running game cannot carry the Chiefs if they have to come from behind each game.
LINEMAN: You don’t have a good run game without lineman blocking defenders. The Kansas City lineman did a decent job in the running attack and gave adequate protection for the quarterback. The Chiefs attempted to pass the ball 23 times against the Lions and ended the day allowing 13 pressures. That’s a free and clear rate of 44%. A pressure is a defender that gets in the quarterbacks space or drives an o-lineman into his space but might not hit him or touch him. Pressures distract quarterbacks (some more than others).
In comparison, the Chargers thew the ball 40 times against the Patriots and had 25 pressures for a clear and free-to-throw rate of 38%.
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