Worst Offense in 22 Years Sinks Chiefs
From Charlotte, North Carolina
Over the last three seasons, the Chiefs have had some bad offensive performances.
None matches the stinker they left on the field at Bank of American Stadium against Carolina on Sunday.
This was as bad as bad can be. Here’s the evidence:
- The Chiefs were shutout for the first time since the final game of the 2002 season when in a rain storm in Oakland they lost 24-0. It was only the second time in the last 225 games that they finished without a single point.
- It was the worst shutout defeat in franchise history since November 4, 1984 when they were blanked 45-0 by Seattle. In 1987, the Chiefs strike replacement team was shutout by Miami 42-0.
- They produced 127 yards in total offense. That’s the fewest offensive yards they’ve had in a regular season game since October 12, 1986 when they managed just 126 yards against the Browns defense in Cleveland. They lost that game 20-7.
- They had 35 rushing yards, which is a bit misleading since 16 of those yards came from QB Tyler Thigpen scrambling around in the fourth quarter with the game’s outcome already decided. It came a week after the Chiefs ran for 213 yards against Denver.
It was hard to believe how poorly the offense played.
“We couldn’t do anything,” said QB Damon Huard. “We tried things and it didn’t work. None of it … it’s very disappointing. We played such a good game last week and this week we couldn’t get it done. We couldn’t get anything done.”
It started on the Chiefs first offensive play of the game, when RG Adrian Jones was flagged for a false start. On first-and-15, Larry Johnson was stopped for a two-yard loss. On the next play, Carolina DE Tyler Brayton shot the gap between center and right guard and went untouched. He hit Huard, who fumbled and while Johnson recovered, the Chiefs had third-and-25.
“The very first play of the game we had a penalty and we got backed up in field position,” said Huard. “You can’t dig yourself holes like that, especially on the road.”
Added LG Brian Waters: “It all seemed a bit off and it was that way in the first plays.”
The Chiefs are not overloaded with offensive weapons, but they were so poor against Carolina and unable to stay on the field, they couldn’t get anything going with any of their talented players: Johnson, TE Tony Gonzalez and WR Dwayne Bowe.
Johnson went from running for 198 yards against Denver last Sunday to running for two yards against Carolina on seven carries. Here’s how his runs broke down: minus-2, 4, 4, 1, minus-3, zero and minus-2. His last carry came with nine minutes to play in the third quarter and he never stepped on the field again, as the Chiefs went to the two-minute offense.
Gonzalez got his record breaking catch in the first quarter with a six-yard completion, but he ended up with just three catches for 17 yards.
Bowe caught just one pass in the first half, and his first didn’t come until the nine-minute, 30-second mark of the second quarter. He ended up with just five catches for 57 yards.
Rookie RB Jamaal Charles appears to have some flash, speed and skills, but he didn’t touch the ball in the first half. He first got his hands on the ball with 6:42 to play in the third quarter. He ended up with eight touches for 40 yards, which doesn’t seem like much until you consider he was the second most productive offensive player behind Bowe.
There are problems with this offense and they are many. Here’s what happened on Kansas City’s first eight offensive possessions:
- 3 plays, minus-15 yards.
- 3 plays, 0 yards.
- 3 plays, 5 yards.
- 6 plays, 24 yards.
- 1 play, minus-1 yard.
- 1 play, minus-8 yards.
- 1 play, 0 yards.
- 3 plays, minus-2 yards.
In the game’s first 41 minutes, the Chiefs ran 21 offensive snaps and gained 23 yards.
“We couldn’t stay on the field, we couldn’t get any rhythm or sustain anything because we weren’t getting anything done,” said Herm Edwards. “It was another game where we started off with a bunch of three-and-outs. Those just kill you.”
Coming into the game, the Chiefs were averaging three-and-outs on one-third of their offensive possessions each week. They ended up with 13 possessions and five were three plays and out, so that was even worse than their season long average. Eight of the 13 possessions were three plays or less.
“Today we couldn’t do anything right,” said Huard. “We couldn’t run it, block it, throw it. We had turnovers, we had penalties.
“Hopefully we can learn from this and it doesn’t happen again,” said Huard.
One can only hope.
please God…give us a GM and head coach…
I tend to think this poor performance on offense starts with our offensive line. If the Quarterback has no protection then he probably won’t be throwing effectively. If the Running back does not have any holes open for him he probably won’t run effectively. So what do you think….was the poor play of the offensive line due to poor play calling or poor execution of our players? Was it both?
After considering all the haters and rah rah comments since the end of the 2nd qtr, I really only have one comment: You cannot fix stupid. That goes for most bloggers, myself included, vocal fans, the owner, GM and apparently all the coaches. I have to through in most of the players on the KC chiefs. Watch other teams in the NFL and there are always losers. Watch rebuilding teams and there are some who win and some who stay losers.
What does all this mean? I believe the KC chiefs are a lost franchise. Floundering around looking for an identity without enough players. Lastly this edition of coaches have no clue are how to put this bunch together. I always like to include my castration of my particular devil, clark hunt. I feel he has no more interest in the chiefs than anybody who makes a fortune from the thing he cares nothing about.
Both.
First, Herm insisted on handing Adrian Jones and McSack starting jobs on the right side of the line.
At the very least, McSack should have been replaced with Richardson while Taylor is filling in for Albert.
Second, they did a poor job of adjusting. LJ was not getting anything the entire first half and they didnt try anything diffrent (including getting Charles more involved).
Third, Huard really blew it. Even the commentators were thinking he should have been pulled, but Herm stuck with him until there was only minutes left in the 4th quarter. In reality, a switch probably should have been made at halftime or the 3rd quarter at the latest.
Fourth, How bad must Ingle Martin be to be the 3rd qb and be inactive? He essentially was given a 3wk tryout and never got an oppurtunity. Now they will have to decide whether to keep him as their 4th qb on the roster, cut him and claim him on waivers to the PS, or be done with him altogether.
Any of the Damon Huard fans want to step up and talk about how Huard is the Chiefs’ only chance to win games?
Any of Huard’s supporters want to step up to the microhphone and talk about how he should be the starter for the rest of the year?
In Huard’s performance today against the Panthers, I saw a scared quarterback who made poor decisions, held the ball too long despite knowing that pressure was near, threw inaccurately, and whose body language suggested that he was ready to give up and pack it in by halftime.
Where are all of the Damon Huard boosters out there I’ve been hearing from these past few weeks? Any of them want to talk now?
It’s amazing what can happen to a quarterback when he has poor protection and no help from the running game.
Brodie Croyle should be back after the bye week, and rightfully so. Will he play well? I have no idea. Certainly not if the offensive line and running game put up the type of showing we saw against Carolina. But I was dreading having to hear all of the talk about how Damon Huard should remain the starter when Croyle is healthy, and thankfully, I shouldn’t have to worry about hearing it now.
—Tim
Unfortunately, I dont agree with you tmessina. I think that the front office and coaches care.
I just dont think they are capable of doing what they need to get us a superbowl victory.
The biggest concern I have right now is the coaches. Vermiel used to have one of the largest coaching staffs in the NFL…and he had that for a veteran team. Herm has one of the smallest coaching staffs in the NFL.
When you have so many young players, you need coaches to be developing them, to keep an eye on them, and preparing them to be succesful. We dont just need quantity, but quality too.
TimInKC,
to an extent I cant completely blame Huard. At least in the military when there is an incomptent superior officer there is a threat (and sometimes follow-through) of them getting fragged.
Herm refuses to make any changes on the Oline to improve pass protection. It is Huard who is repeatedly getting sacked, hurried, and hit while Herm doesnt get dirty on the sideline.
At some point after over 2yrs of this dont you think it would be demoralizing? Look what it has done to younger qbs like David Carr and Joey harrington among others.
Agreed, we can’t “completely” blame Huard.
Just like we can’t completely pin an 0-6 record on Brodie Croyle, correct?
—Tim
Bright side, Tenn is better defensively. What’s the record for worst output in back to back games?
I maintain that our o’line is the key. If you have an awesome o’line like we once had…any competent QB (like Huard) will look great and any competent running back (like LJ) will gain a lot of yards. If you have an o’line that plays lousy most of the time like we have now then most of the time the QB play and the RB play will not be effective. LJ consistently gained a large amount of yards each game when our o’line was superior. It wasn’t his injury that put an end to that….it was the retirement of certain key players from our old superior o’line. I think our play calling is a bit too easy to read as well. I think we broadcast when it’s going to be a run or a pass.
[...] OFFENSE: Worst performance in 22 years [...]
TimInKC…
I believe you made an arguement for all the Damon Huard boosters with your own comment…
“It’s amazing what can happen to a quarterback when he has poor protection and no help from the running game.”
There have been and will continue to be lots of “worsts” on a Herm Edwards coached team. That’s what he is. Don’t expect to see too many “bests”, though. Those are saved for competant Head Coaches.
As for Huard, the fact that McIntosh continues to play made the strongest case of all for Thigpen, besides his youth. QB Mobility is needed when McIntosh is on your OL. Hopefully Huard has taken his last snap of the year, no matter what happens to Brodie.
SPREAD THE NEWS COWHER IS COMING CHIEFS FANS..IT’S TRUE IT’S TRUE!!.. INSIDE SCOPE!!!SPREAD THE NEWS….YAYYYYYYY