Another Offensive Performance From Offense
From Arrowhead Stadium
Jamaal Charles almost sounded like he was pleading. Unfortunately, the only people he was talking to was a media scrum that formed in front of his locker after the Chiefs got drubbed by the Chargers 37-7.
“You watch them make plays,” Charles said of the Chargers, “and we’ve got good players too. Why can’t we make good plays like they do?”
Good question! It’s not one that anybody around the Chiefs has much of an answer for right now.
“I don’t know what was going through our heads,” said RB Larry Johnson. “I don’t know whether it was false happiness or thinking that we were going to come in and San Diego was just going to lay down because they just played Monday night. I don’t know what it was.”
The lack of good plays on offense was not something new; it’s been a problem all season. Right now, seven games into the 2009 season, the Chiefs are averaging just 251.6 offensive yards per game. They couldn’t reach that average against San Diego, getting just 203 yards.
Follow the Chiefs offense across the board and it’s ugly. Only twice in seven games have they gone for more than 300 yards. Only once have they gone for more than 400 yards.
QB Matt Cassel threw for 97 yards, but the Chiefs net passing total was just 82 yards, thanks to four sacks allowed to a Chargers defense that came into the game with just seven sacks on the season.
The running game got nowhere, although the 121 total rushing yards was their second best day of the season. Johnson ran 16 times for only 49 yards, his longest run was nine yards. In the season to date, he’s run for 358 yards on 132 carries. That’s 51 yards per game.
The only time the offense got anything done was coming out of the half-time locker room, taking the kickoff and going with the no huddle offense. It produced a seven-yard TD throw from Cassel to WR Dwayne Bowe.
“Coach Haley wanted to come out and do it to try to establish something,” Cassel said of the no huddle. “We got some rhythm going there in the second half and we kind of piddled out a little bit.”
There was a lot of piddling going on with the Chiefs offense on the afternoon. Too many mistakes, both visible and otherwise conspired against them. There was an offensive line shuffle, when C Rudy Niswanger went down with a knee injury. Wade Smith, who started at left tackle for the injured Branden Albert, moved into center and Barry Richardson took over at left tackle.
No matter what seems to happen these days with the offense, there are problems. The Chiefs unveiled a new short-yardage/goal line scheme where OT Ikechuku Ndukwe comes in as a tight end and NT Ron Edwards comes in as a blocking back. They ran the play on a third-and-two play and despite the beef, gained just one yard.
On fourth-and-one, Haley called a passing play. Cassel’s throw to Bowe was knocked down, but San Diego CB Quentin Jammer was called for pass interference and the Chiefs got a first down.
Speaking of first downs, the Chiefs offense had just 10 in the game, their lowest total of the season.
“We tried to go out and execute all the plays that Coach Haley called,” said Charles. “But we were out there dropping balls, overthrowing wide receivers, not opening holes for the backs.
“So we just have to get together as an offense and go out there and make plays and not give up when we’re down.
“We wanted to come in and win the game, especially at home. But then we come in and played an embarrassing game. We did horrible.”
Throw the damn ball on first down! Haley is nearly as predictable at Herm in that regard.
Kudos to you, Bob, for continuing to write. But until the o-line is fixed (read: offseason), nothing substantial is going to change. Teams will continue to blitz us, Cassel will continue to throw short, we’ll see lots of three-and-outs, meaning we continually punt from deep in our own territory and the other team gets good field position. Our defense will spend too much time on the field and will get worn out, or will have to gamble and take more chances in order to make up for the horrible offense.
I’ll continue to watch – at least until they get blacked out!
Cannot get blacked out in 09. Notice the gold seat during the game – all paid for already. The Hunts have their money already in the bank.
Probably my last game this year attending. Yes tickets are paid for but I will still save $400.00 a trip plus lots of driving time. What a pathetic game to sit and watch yesterday!!! First down 8 men in the box and we run no wonder third down sucks so bad we put ourselves in a terrible position on third downs. Haley is going to get a one year window for me because lack of talent they inherited but next year better show improvements.
Cassel is not the answer at QB. He had three picks yesterday, and he should have had four. The TD pass he had was just a great play by Bowe. Granted, he does not get many opportunities with time, but he consistently does not make accurate throws. His incompletions are the main reason the offense’s drives are stalling. Teams know we can’t beat them with the pass so they are stacking up against the run.
LOL.. well the Haley is looking so much better then Herm these days.. At least you could see progress last year and the rookies last year looked like they were getting better…
WIth Guiterrez as the 3d inactive QB, how could he play before Croyle. I thought the rule was Cassel and Croyle had to play and Gutierrez if and only if the first two QBs were injured and unable to finish the game? That is the only question I have from the game, everything else was answered, need better players except for the kickers. This is a bad football team. When was the last time both teams in the Truman Sports complex this berift of talent? It is depressing watching such poor football, at home, against a division opponent. I miss Martyball!!!!!! So does Washington and maybe a few folks in SD.
Colquitt’s leg will fall off before the season is over due to overuse. Has a punter ever punted too many innings in one season??? Instead of rotator cuff injury it will be rotator groin injury. Instead of Tommy John elbow surgery it will be Jerrel Wilson patellar tendon surgery.
Lol. This is poetic justice. The team was making progress last year. Larry Johnson was averaging 4.5 yards a carry. The players never quit on Herm. Some fans were praying for the Chiefs to lose so Herm could be fired. They got their wish. I am laughing because the Chiefs are a joke. They have never been this bad. For the first time in my 55 years I am embarrassed to be a Chief’s fan.