Defense Struggles & Notes
From Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
The game had turned into a game again in the second quarter when QB Matt Cassel and WR Mark Bradley hooked up on a 13-yard touchdown pass. The score was 14-7 and momentum was now wearing a red jersey.
But then Eagles WR DeSean Jackson ran a slant, caught a pass from QB Kevin Kolb and roared off on a 64-yard touchdown that pushed the difference back to 14 points and Philadelphia was never bothered by the Chiefs again.
The Chiefs were in a nickel defense on the play, and nickel CB Maurice Leggett had the coverage on Jackson. Leggett allowed him to get inside of him and that started off the play. After the catch, Jackson made FS Jarrad Page look bad when he ran past him on the way to the score.
The next time the Chiefs came out in the nickel defense, rookie CB Donald Washington was working as the nickel back. It was all part of another very frustrating afternoon. Philadelphia racked up 420 yards, and averaged 6.7 yards per play. They also hit on six of 13 third-down conversion plays.
“I think the Eagles caught us a little off balance on defense,” said SS Mike Brown. “I think our defense and team can be competitive right now and the Eagles just beat us today pretty good. They got to us early and just kept the pedal to the metal on us.”
Getting pressed to the metal is also leaving the Chiefs defense very ornery and happy.
“I am frustrated because we cannot give up that many yards in the game and expect to win,” said Brown. “That’s just how it is. This is the NFL and when you give a good offensive team room to make plays they will do it. I think today their offense was really tough to stop.”
STILL CAN’T GET TO THE QUARTERBACK
The Chiefs finished the game without a sack, even though they faced 36 passing plays. They now have just three sacks in 106 passing plays or one every 35 passing plays.
They actually had Eagles QB Kevin Kolb on the ground once, as OLB Mike Vrabel dragged him to the ground. But CB Donald Washington was called for a 15-yard facemask penalty, wiping out the sack.
“I don’t think we rushed the quarterback well today and it really hurt us on third downs,” said NT Tank Tyler. “We could not get off the field and it starts with the defensive line. We need to get to the quarterback and we did not do that.
“The Eagles were able to complete way too many passes against us.”
THE NUMBERS FOR DEFENSE WERE NOT PRETTY
Press box statistics had ILB Demorrio Williams leading the Chiefs with eight total tackles. CB Brandon Flowers was credited with seven tackles.
It’s the names that didn’t make the tackle list that stand out – RDE Glenn Dorsey and LDE Tyson Jackson were not given credit for even an assist on a tackle. Rookie Jovan Belcher who was inserted into the base defense in the second half had three tackles, or more than starter Corey Mays, who had two.
Eagles LB Omar Gaither led his team with nine tackles and one sack. DE Trent Cole had eight tackles with a half sack.
NOTHING MUCH FROM THE SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chiefs kicking game was solid against the Eagles. They pulled off a fake punt that produced a first down for the offense. They kept Philly’s powerful punt returners DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin under wraps.
But they got no big plays from the return game and while punter Dustin Colquitt’s final numbers were good, he started the game poorly and that helped put the Chiefs in a first quarter hole that gave Philadelphia good field position.
Colquitt kicked nine times for a 44.3-yard gross average. His net average was 44.7 yards, a very good figure. But his first two punts went just 37 and 35 yards and hurt the Chiefs in the field position battle.
“I got a little too cute early because we were worried about him,” Colquitt said of Jackson, who came into the game as the league’s leading punt returner. “I was trying to do some things with the ball. I just kicked it from there and things worked out pretty good.”
Overall, Jackson and Maclin returned just two punts, for a total of minus-3 yards. Between them they had four fair catches. Two punts were downed and one went out of bounds inside the 20-yard line.
The punt fake came in the third quarter, on a 4th-and-2 at the Chiefs 40-yard line. S Jon McGraw took the snap and ran to the left side for four yards, moving the sticks. It was all for naught, as RB Larry Johnson fumbled the ball away two plays later.
The Chiefs return game struggled again. RB Dantrell Savage averaged 22.8 yards on five kick returns, his longest being 29 yards. WR Bobby Wade returned two punts, for an average of 7.5 yards, with a long of 10.
A LAUNDRY LIST OF PENALTIES
When a team finishes a half with more penalties than first downs, it’s a pretty good indication there are some problems. That was the story with the Chiefs, who had six flags walked off against them, while picking up just five first downs.
They ended up with 10 penalties for 90 yards from referee John Parry’s group. The Eagles were flagged just three times for 20 yards.
Those flags wiped out some good plays for the Chiefs. Here are the offenders:
- Offense: WR Mark Bradley called for offensive pass interference. Penalty-10 yards; yards lost-0.
- Offense: Delay of game. Penalty 5 yards.
- Offense: LT Brandon Albert called for holding, wiping out a 15-yard run. Penalty-10 yards; yards lost-10.
- Special Teams: Charles called for offsides on a kickoff. Penalty-5 yards.
- Offense: LG Brian Waters flagged for a false start. Penalty-5 yards.
- Defense: CB Donald Washington hit with facemask call, wiping out a sack. Penalty-15 yards; yards lost-3.
- Offense: RT Ikechuku Ndukwe called for holding, recalling a Charles 11-yard run. Penalty-10 yards; yards lost 11.
- Offense: TE Sean Ryan flagged for offensive pass interference, killing a six-yard play. Penalty-10 yards; yards lost-6.
- Special Teams: CB Brandon Carr hit for an illegal block above the waist. Penalty-10 yards.
- Offense: Bradley called for offensive holding, wiping out an 8-yard run by Charles. Penalty-10 yards; yards lost-8.
COACH SUPPORTING COACH
As he was talking about his team’s victory, Eagles head coach Andy Reid wanted to throw something out to the Chiefs and Todd Haley.
“I understand what Coach Haley is doing with that football team,” said Reid. “He’s doing it his way and he’ll continue to get it the way he wants it. My hat’s off to him. I’ve sat in that seat before and that’s a tough position. He’s doing some good things and good things will happen for him in the future.”
PERSONNEL MATTERS
The inactives for the Chiefs were WR Quinten Lawrence, QB Matt Gutierrez, CB Ricardo Colclough, LB Derrick Johnson, WR Dwayne Bowe, TE Jake O’Connell and LB Pierre Walters. Tyler Thigpen was the inactive third quarterback.
The moves made G Andy Alleman active for his first game with the Chiefs.
Inactive for the Eagles were QB Donovan McNabb, CB Dimitri Patterson, RB Brian Westbrook, S Quintin Demps, G Mike McGlynn, OL Todd Herremans, WR Kevin Curtis and DE Jason Babin. Philly had all three of their quarterbacks active: starter Kevin Kolb, Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick.
With Westbrook out, rookie LeSean McCoy got into the starting lineup. With Curtis out, rookie Jeremy Macklin was in the starting lineup.
I think all three of Charles runs were good runs, the refs absolutely screwed us on his three runs, he had 34 yards taken away because of crappy calls by the refs, including a TD.
I want Herm Edwards back as our Head Coach.
Harold . . . only an idiot would want herm back….
Every time there was a positive play it was called back, all I can say is I hope Haley made everyone run extra that caused those penalties that was complete B.S. Momentum killer everytime. The only thing is maybe thats the reason for the positive play, they were cheating,,,,, AAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH……GO CHIEFS