Chiefs Drop Heartbreaker to Chargers, 20-19
From San Diego, California
There was no doubt in Herm Edwards mind. Not after everything his football team had been through on Sunday afternoon at Qualcomm Stadium.
He was going for the victory.
And when Tyler Thigpen’s two-point conversion pass to Tony Gonzalez was knocked down in the end zone, the Chiefs lost a third consecutive game that they had the chance to win.
San Diego 20, Chiefs 19.
For the third week in a row the Chiefs were positioned in the game’s final five minutes to pull out a victory. Like the previous two weeks, they came up short. They are now 1-8 on the season and have lost four straight games. They’ve also lost 17 of their last 18 games dating back over the last calendar year.
This defeat may have been the most gut wrenching of the three recent games, maybe of the 17 that came before Sunday. It had a different plot than the previous two games. This time the Chiefs fell behind in the fourth quarter. But they came back and put together a 14-play, 60-yard drive and scored on a three-yard TD pass from Thigpen to Gonzalez.
Edwards decided immediately to go for two points and the victory rather than the tie.
“This team has played too hard to settle for anything less,” said Edwards who had seen his game push several games into overtime over the last three years only to lose the coin toss and never get a chance to have the ball back.
Thigpen ran a bootleg right. He had Mark Bradley at the goal line and Gonzalez deeper in the end zone. San Diego’s LB Shaun Phillips played the boot and forced Thigpen to make the throw. The pass for Gonzalez was broken up. The Chargers then recovered the Chiefs onside kick and the outcome was sealed.
 It was another top-notch performance for Thigpen who again outperformed his more experienced rival, in this case Chargers QB Philip Rivers. Gonzalez finished with 10 catches for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
A battered Chiefs defense seemed to be losing players on every series to injury, but they were able to force a pair of Rivers interceptions and hold the Chargers to just a pair of second-half touchdowns.
The Chiefs won the opening coin toss as LB Donnie Edwards called heads, but they deferred their choice until the second half. San Diego’s offense got the ball first and kept it for over four minutes, 30 seconds but eventually the Chiefs defense stopped them and the Chargers were forced to punt. P Mike Scifres kick was downed at the Chiefs five-yard line.
Thigpen then led the offense on a 12-play 85-yard drive for the game’s first touchdown. Working out of the spread offense with no huddle on most plays, Thigpen hit seven of eight throws. The big one came on second-and six at the San Diego 30-yard line when Thigpen beat the blitz and lofted a TD pass into the right end zone to WR Mark Bradley. Coming off the line of scrimmage, Bradley badly beat CB Quentin Jammer and caught the scoring throw. K Connor Barth added the PAT kick and the Chiefs had a 7-0 lead.
San Diego’s offense began its next drive at their own 20-yard line and Rivers drove them into Chiefs territory with a first-and-10 at the Kansas City 21-yard line. But the Chiefs defense was again able to hold them on three plays. K Nate Kaeding kicked a 34-yard FG and early in the second quarter the score was 7-3 in favor of the Chiefs.
On its next offensive possession, San Diego again drove down the field and had a first-and-10 situation at the Chiefs 15-yard line. The Kansas City defense again was able to get the stop, as Kaeding kicked a 26-yard field goal and the Chiefs held a 7-6 lead with just under seven minutes to play in the half.
Thigpen came right back and directed a seven-play, 83-yard scoring drive where he was four for four throwing the ball, including the 34-yard scoring pass to Gonzalez. It was just a short toss, but Gonzalez caught the ball, broke away from S Clinton Hart and ran down the left sideline for the score. The PAT kick was botched on a bad snap from Thomas Gafford and the Chiefs held a 13-6 lead with just over three minutes to play.
That mistake would prove to be a huge one by the end of the game.
The San Diego offense again drove into Chiefs territory, but this time S Bernard Pollard snuffed out the possession with an interception of Rivers in the end zone and the half ended with the Chiefs holding that seven-point lead.
After the teams traded punts to start the second half, San Diego finally got its offense moving after taking possession at its own 42-yard line following a Colquitt punt. Rivers drove the Chargers 58 yards on eight plays finishing up with a five-yard TD pass to WR Malcom Floyd. The two big plays in the drive were a 17-yard run by RB LaDainian Tomlinson and a 15-yard completion on third down to TE Antonio Gates. Kaeding added the PAT kick after the Floyd TD catch and the score was tied at 13-13.
The Chiefs defense did force another turnover before the quarter was over when DT Tank Tyler pressured Rivers and the quarterback’s fluttering throw was picked off by S Jon McGraw.
San Diego grabbed the lead with a drive that started on the final play of the third quarter. Rivers moved the offense down the field, converting three first downs and finally ending up in the end zone with an eight-yard TD pass to Gates. It was a 14-play 94-yard drive that took 8:28 off the clock. Kaeding’s PAT kick put the Chargers up 20-13.
The Chiefs eventually got the ball back and with three minutes to play, they were on their own 40-yard line. Thigpen led them down the field, converting several third down plays and a big fourth down throw to Bradley that continued the possession. On third-and-three from the Chargers three-yard line with 29 seconds to play, Thigpen threw a dart to Gonzalez in the end zone for the touchdown that gave the Chiefs a chance for victory.
The right decision was made to go for it. The team fought hard to get into that position and you dont allow a coin flip to potentially decide the outcome, plus we were on the road and the defense was tiring. this team needs to learn how to win and you dont play to tie to teach them that. I wouldnt mind the play call if they attacked Cromartie’s side, our left side would have probably blocked it better. But another good game from thigpen.
Plus, we were missing players on defense, and even some of those were dinged up.
At that point, stopping them from passing on defense was kind of a crapshoot.
It was the right call, I agree.
At least we are competitive. That is all I ask. I can live with not agreeing with a call or two. He made a lot of the right calls obviously or they wouldn’t have been in this football game. Good game.
Although I disagree about going for the 2 (and yes, I documentation showing I said that before the call was made), I dont blame Herm for going for it.
Great game. Players on offense, defense, and ST stepped up today. Thigpen is showing that he is for real.
As much as the loss of another tight game hurt, my hat off to ALL the coaches and the ENTIRE team this week - offense, defense, and special teams.
Pass protection has really improved the last three weeks! Did anyone else notice that Adrian Jones came up limping after the first play of the 2nd half and Wade Smith played the remainder of the game? Also, Herb Taylor played the first series of the 2nd half, Damion McIntosh then played until the 2:00 minute warning, and Taylor finished out the game.
* Houston- er, front office this is KC fan base - we have a problem here, over.
- This is front office, say again please fan base.
* We’re tracking something strange, what seems to be a…naw, it couldn’t be, it can’t be - can it?
- What is it you think you’ve found KC fan base, over?
* Well, it ‘must’ be a phantom…there hasn’t been one of these seen around here since-
- Can you describe it?
* Well, it looks to be a young yet full grown & mature sample of the species, adequate size, it moves both quickly & efficiently, is producing strong indications via its numbers of-
- What?
* It’s…
- WHAT?! ‘WHAT IS IT’ FAN BASE!?!
* WE’VE LOCATED A QUARTERBACK!
- HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING AGAIN FAN BASE?!
* NEGATIVE! - It sure looks like the real thing! We’re jettisoning our paper bags but we won’t be coming back down to earth for awhile. Over & out.
Tyler Thigpen - a star is born!
Even when you have something smart to say, you still say it like a douche bag Rin.
Great effort but short again I thought both sides of the ball played well. But I did not like the fact that during the first half the closing of the second quarter with 1:08 left that there was no hurry up offense they should have moved ball and at least come up with a field goal. I thought that there was no urgency in getting something out of the minutes they had to score. Herm again has a problem with clock management. I am starting to open my eyes when it comes to Glenn Dorsey he played great . Great job! and last but not least let’s cut our ties with Devard Darling because Bradley looks like a great compliment in getting Bowe and Gonzalez open. He played excellent so there is no moral victories in this league but they were competitive . I still think Herm should go but I notice this team does not want him to go. Okay I will give him a couple of years . Like he said about 2010 that this team is going to be a playoff team. Well we will see but changes in the coaching staff has to be made.
“To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is, a dissatisfaction with self” - Joan Didion
heh heh heh
To quote some 60’s writer from Berkeley on a football site can mean only one thing Tin Tin…..batting for the other side. Go read some old woman’s novel and stay away from football discussion. Worry yourself with polka dot umbrella’s and designer shoes.
“To quote some 60’s writer from Berkeley on a football site can mean only one thing”
- verily…she must be nee is ’some’ writer
“batting for the other side.”
- like every iconoclast, I have broken my idols in order to offer sacrifices to their debris…
“Go read some old woman’s novel”
- could you suggest some your personal favorites?
“and stay away from football discussion.”
- is that how it came to be predicament yours?
“Worry yourself with polka dot umbrella’s and designer shoes.”
- I gallivant through the days like a prostitute without sidewalks.
Maybe Salvador Dali is more your style:
“The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents.”
Don’t you know, green eyes…
heh heh heh
Thanks for proving JP’s point, Rin. Yet another “I’ve been shown up so I’m going to take everything everyone says out of context and try to be cute and funny” post. New day, same old, tired material.
Vess, I’m with you. I can’t stand Herm’s inabilities and short-comings. He makes Frank Ganz look like Chuck Noll. I don’t think, however, that it’s necessarily the team that doesn’t want him to go as much as it is the fact that he’s doing everything he can to hold on to his job and some of it is paying off. The Spread Offense? Not his style…that’s “Circus” football, to use his terminology. Going for two at the end of a game when 99% of the coaches in the NFL would have gone for the tie? Again, that’s not Herm Edwards football, nor is his excuse that one of the main reasons he did it was due to the fact that he feared the defense wouldn’t be able to stop the Bolts’ offense if the Chiefs didn’t win the toss in the OT frame. The man is grasping at straws trying to keep his job…and I can’t fault him with that. If he were at least a “decent” head coach, some things might fall his way, and this team might not be looking at one win in the past 13 months.
completely agree with you Josh about Rin who is seriously annoying.
I don’t think we’re in the minority on that one.
Thanks for proving JP’s point, Rin.”
- don’t mention it J, er JP, er J,er (wink wink) -pointy objects atop the heads serviles are larger than e’en first they appear, swaddling cloth nee username any…
“New day, same old, tired material.”
- and still canst but help self, must but sup from the fount Rin’s daily…heh heh heh
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. All of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
:_)
Two buffoons…no waiting!
Plenty o’ room at the Heartbreak Hotel the Herm’s gonna be here forever clique…of two.
heh heh heh
anyone else notice how many tackles “napolean harris” had? pretty impressive for someone who wasnt in the game
Yeah, I stopped listening to the TV guys a few years ago. I turn on 101 and listen to the radio broadcast with the sound turned down on the TV.
Oh, and Rin. Please post AFTER you take your Ritalin, not before. Thanks.
“I stopped listening to the TV guys a few years ago.”
- in fact, J stopped going to games too, because whenever he’d see the players in a huddle he was certain they were talking about him - he was right
“I turn on 101 and listen to the radio broadcast with the sound turned down on the TV.”
- alas he was in error nee ‘arrears’ - not only regards failure to pay the utility bill, ‘butt’ too via mistaking visceral parts stern his for any said cerebral…which is to say “muddy” is much in the dark his hovel as here the blog.
The kicker was when he called the radio station complaining of muffled audio…
heh heh heh
That’s the best you’ve got? Sad.
THAT ONE GOT THE ATTENTION OF OLD GREEN-EYES J - DIRECT HIT BY RIN TIN TIN!
heh heh heh
ehhh…Nope. You’ve really dropped off in the past few days. Everything okay at home?
“ehhh . . . ”
- gesundheit
heh heh heh
…and that was your worst yet. Congrats.
Lo siento per no… usted es, pero usted necesita parar el comer de esas mentas blancas grandes del tocador - usted está pareciendo muy pálido.
heh heh heh
WOW! just like every thing else you do, you suck at it!
This is what he was trying to say……
Aqui siento por no… usted E, contendiente DEL de parar de necesita de usted de pero de tocador de del de grandes de blancas de mentas de aee - pálido de muy de pareciendo de esta de usted.
Perro! le chupan en cada cosa que haces.
Su español es una mierda (la misma manera en que su aliento es estoy seguro.
Logramos la meta de su superior, de cĂłmo se siente?
heh heh heh heh
Don’t be too hard on J, either one, because. . . it’s not easy bein’ ‘green’ - and poetic license illiterate nee intolerant
heh heh heh
Poor Rin. Times must really be rough at home.
Cue Nilsson, “Me and my Arrow” (’shadow’ for arrow adaptation courtesy Rin Tin Tin) -
“Me and my shadow(do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do) straighter than narrow, everywhere ‘me’ goes everyone knows’ it’s Rin and (his) J shadow
(so forth and so on)…
J digs me, obviously
heh heh heh
That’s got to be it…or could it be that you are addicted to the attention you receive from me? Sounds a more likely scenario, methinks.
Yup, it’s settled then…J digs me!
heh heh heh
…and you are quite addicted to the attention you receive from me!
Rin’s addiction (not Jane’s) be the de-wingment nee dis-enwinging nee deunouement small insect, J
heh heh heh
Ah, poetic license again. Such a clever way to cover all your errors!
“Ah”
- still constipated are you? Ex-Lax…EX-LAX; now remember, don’t mistake it for the airport or the delivery company (your reputation preceeds you.)
“poetic license again.”
- no, it’s a laxative…pay attention borborygmus
“Such a clever way”
- yes, it’s Rin’s way - always
“to cover all your errors!”
- to err is human, to forgive is divine; so, now that I’ve forgiven you, arise up off that bended knee thine…
heh heh heh
Rin, congrats on your worst post yet!
“congrats”
- the adulation line mine forms to the right…
heh heh heh
Rin, your prose is quite poor as of late.
“Rin”
- He who wags J
“your prose is quite poor as of late.”
- how would you know?
heh heh heh
On the contrary, how would YOU know?
Au contraire, how would Y-O-U know? You remember Thomas ‘Hollywood’ Henderson? He remembers you -’J couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him both the ‘c’ and ‘t’…
heh heh heh
Spelling? Really? The King of Grammatical Errors and Contextual Flaws wants to call me out on spelling? That’s rich.
“Look, who comes here! a grave unto a soul; Holding th’ eternal spirit, against her will,
In the vile prison of affected breath” - yours
heh heh heh
Bravo. You ought to try that one out at the Memorial tonite.
Yup, he digs me - or would shouldst Rin let him; alas J’s dashed hopes, will not
heh heh heh
“Judges?” (horn sounds, crowd moans) “Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Rin. That was incorrect. We would have accepted “My name is Rin and I’m a moron” or “Rin is so jealous of Josh that he checks bobgretz.com every five minute to see if Josh has commented on his post.” Good try though. Unfortunately, you answered nothing correctly and we can’t send you home with any prizes.”
“horn sounds, crowd moans”
- J has just ‘released’ himself upon nee greeted a delighted captive audience his- own olfactory -again…and the crowd flees
“Oh, I’m sorry”
- agreed…try Beano
“Mr. Rin.”
- yes soupy?
“That was incorrect.”
- Kaopectate nee Imodium to the rescue you? (as we & our Paranasal sinuses plead, hopefully.)
“We would have accepted”
- sitting happily in our own effluvium because, it offers the rigor of a rite & too security J…
“My name is Rin and”
- J’s got me (e’en deeper now) under his skin…
“I’m a moron”
- consensus…
“Rin is so”
- rapier wiited that J cannot stand it…
heh heh heh
And witted too…
heh heh heh
Typical Rin drivel. Come back when you actually have something worth while to say.
J now comatose, his memory accumulates prostrate horizons…
heh heh heh
That’s the best you’ve got? It’s hardly worth my time to even acknowledge you exist.
Echo . . .echo . . .echo . . . J’s ad nauseam responses, same . . .echo . . . echo . . .echo . . .
heh heh heh
If it sounds the same, its because I’m hoping you’ll bring something more to the table. I guess you’ve already come to grips with the fact that you are my inferior and are just amusing yourself with nonsensical crap.
“If it sounds the same”
- it must be because J is stuttering…again
heh heh heh
Rin, you are completely worthless. Great job on wasting bandwidth!
J’s home away from home, home on the range (back burner) & where this big dumb animal nee buffalo roams: http://www.stutterers.com
heh heh heh
I hate to break it to you, Rin, but I don’t stutter. Ever. You, however, are a loser to the nth degree. Why don’t you give your mom’s 1992 IBM PS/2 a rest and go hang out at Vintage Stock and waste your allowance on some more Star Wars figurines.
“I hate to break it”
- your Kit Kat bar…
“to you, Rin”
- here’s to ME!
“I don’t stutter.”
- no, you’re just an (drum roll) IDJIOT! (rim shot/cymbal crash!)bet you do…
“Ever”
- and always…
“You”
- Rin, I’m Rin…
“however”
- yes, what is it…you’re…you’re a - what’s that? Speak up & stop stuttereing, you’re what?
“a loser to the nth degree.”
- I can vouch for you on that…
“Why”
- because you’re an (drum roll, rim shot, cymbal crash!!!) I-D-J-I-O-T !
heh heh heh
Extra ‘e’ heh heh heh
Why do you waste your time, Rin? Your posts are poorly written and are far from contextually sound.
Beacause (audience & those of you watching at home- everybody join in) J is an . . .IDJIOT!
heh heh heh
‘Beacause’ he’s an IDJIOT, thas a y eye writed id dis way, so for he culd understan
heh heh heh
Now, in addition to poorly written and contextually unsound posts, Rin is adding a new element: embarrassing attempts at humor. Rin, you are so pathetic. Is there a reason you wake up in the morning and arise out of the basement of your parents’ house, making your way up to your mother’s bedroom (your father sleeps in a separate room…probably because he can’t stand the way she smells, i would imagine) other than to use her 1992 computer with 56k modem connection and see if I’ve graced you with more attention?
You ought to be spending more time on eBay. You could get those Star Wars figurines there and then the guys down at Vintage Stock wouldn’t have to Lysol the countertop after you leave.
“Now, in addition to poorly written and contextually unsound posts”
- J the IDJIOT will ‘attempt’ the ponderment via a preponderance the evidence therein to ponder nee contemplate the fuzz his navel…looking for the meaning his life, any
“Rin”
- yes IDJIOT?
“is adding a new element: embarrassing attempts at humor-”
- fun? No, not a good look for you, because…you’re an IDJIOT
“Rin”
- yes IDJIOT? Tell me what you say to yourself when you look in your mirror, between pep talks?
“you are so pathetic.”
- yes! Now you’re making progress, seeing the real U, er J. ANything else, say…do you ever ask yourself any questions? You do? Like what?
“Is there a reason you wake up in the morning and arise out of the basement of your parents’ house, making your way up to your mother’s bedroom (your father sleeps in a separate room…probably because he can’t stand the way she smells, i would imagine) other than to use her 1992 computer with 56k modem connection and see if I’ve graced you with more attention?”
- heavy, very heavy - even for an IDJIOT like U, er J. For how long now have you hated your mother? And for how long have you been ashamed your father? Do you like anyone?
“You”
- well thank you, I know that. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now IDJIOT?
“ought to be spending more time on eBay. You could get those Star Wars figurines there and then the guys down at Vintage Stock wouldn’t have to Lysol the countertop”
- uh huh, uh huh…that’s ok, start out with minscule expectations for yourself, and try & build yourself up from there! Remmebr though, you’re not required to but continue suffering here on this earth nor at the hands, nee paws Rin…do you think you might end it all?
You’ve already made the decision & set the date your extinction? When?
“after you leave.”
- well then, seeing as how your life (such as it is) be in my paws - TAXI!!!
heh heh heh
Remmeber? What the hell does that mean, Rin? It looks like all those remedial classes in elementary school and all those hours your mother spent with you (studying, you perv! I wasn’t talking about the times you two made out) never really paid off.
Context. Learn it. Know it. Use it. Love it.
Doofus.
“Remmeber?”
- http://www.stutterers.com
“What the hell does that mean, Rin?”
- you’re illiterate, enjoy nuance nee poetic license (even if incapable of understanding said), and…taste Rin’s booted paw ‘pon your lips
“It looks like all those remedial classes in elementary school and all those hours”
- hasn’t helped you one iota, huh…
“your mother”
- is better than yours
“spent”
- what J told the hooker aft a good :03 seconds of work his applied toward the ‘objective’ as it were…
“with you (studying”
- what was it your mother said to you nee called you as you were ‘matriculating’ under the sheets in your bedroom at night growing up?
“you perv!”
- yes, that was it…she was right
“I wasn’t ”
- had your mouth full too, eh?
“about”
- right, thought so…
“the times”
- yes, how they must have been for you - the only part childhood yours worth remembering, huh…
“you two”
- no, Rin had actual girlfriends for that…the non-vinyl type which you later graduated to from your five hand maidens tack…
“made out) never really paid off.”
- no, pin hole leaks, ma’s disappointment in you and those tell tale spots on the sheets did you in
“Context. Learn it. Know it. Use it. Love it.”
- J having another pep talk afore mirror his; why here - allow Rin to assist: once more J, what are you? A…?
“Doofus”
- correct! More so, an IDJIOT!
heh heh heh
“”your mother” -is better than yours”…This is what happens when you take things out of context, Corky; you get confused and flustered and make no sense. Why don’t you leave the sports posts to the adults and go back to lining your Star Wars figurines up.
Rin, you are so pathetic that I have to come back just so I can laugh at your feeble attempts at slamming me. What a doofus.
“What a doofus”
- more self-pep talk from J
heh heh heh
“heh heh heh”
-The trademark of the continuing saga that is the growing list of horrid attempts at a successful life by one, Rin.
“The trademark”
- stamped on J’s foot: made in Hong Kong (phooey)
“of”
- inferior quality…
“the continuing saga”
- a shrinking US dollar…
“that is the growing list of horrid attempts at”
- breaking the ties that bind to these loggerheads…
“a successful life by”
- Rin Tin Tin, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd.
“one, Rin.”
- under God, indivisble, with liberty and justice for He/Me!
heh heh heh
Great comeback…if you’re a 12-year-old girl.
“Great comeback…”
- of course it was, Rin wrote it…you must hope to aspire to such glib panache an intrent pen as I, Rin.
“if”
- if what?
“you’re”
- no, this is all on you…time to grow up and take off the diapers.
Now, can you start acting your age? How old are you anyway?
“a 12-year-old”
- oh…Rin surmised you were closer to five. And your sex, what be you?
“girl.”
- thought so…explains alot
heh heh heh
And whence you finish intrent, canst take a step back nee down to internet you (drum roll) IDJIOT (rim shot/cymbal crash!)
heh heh heh
“And”
- You suck, Rin? Yes we know. What was it you were saying you said to your mother in bed last nite, laying beneath her?
“whence you finish”
- That’s right, because you had finished two hours prior ( nee, two minutes after she stradled you).
Interesting. Not only are you lacking ‘neath the sheets, but that impotence has manifested itself in your writing. Who knew there was any correlation!
heh heh heh
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”…
…if you can’t beat Rin, well then, least you can “pretend’ you ‘are’ Him!
heh heh heh
Hey Rin Tin?!
Yes Rin Rin!?
heh heh heh
Rin is so hard up for attention, he posts to himself if no one is around to read his crap. THAT is incredibly sad and small.
“THAT is incredibly sad and small.”
- the $2 hooker said to J when trying to locate the offending member his
heh heh heh