Understandable. Most of the time they were a bad team in a small market, exceedingly not who the NFL powers-that-be wanted occupying one of the two premium prime-time ultra-revenue-generating slots on a Thursday, Sunday, or Monday night.
But since the Andy Reid-Alex Smith era, the Chiefs have actually become good. Really good.
So here we are on national television yet again.
Thing about that is, for the purposes of this weblog endeavor, it is hard to put in a post after the game. I've always just blogged my thoughts about Chiefs game day football after the game -- get the whole overview and put it into words I can share with a few fellow Chiefs fans readers.
But when there are all these primetime games, I simply cannot do that. I work very early the next morning every time there is a Thursday, Sunday, or Monday night primetime game. Huh. The fact I've always been able to blogpost after a game has been because we've rarely had this kind of attention. Now I've got to do more of this. Huh. Kinda nice actually.
Anyway, I thought I'd put down a little of a preview of tonight's game with the Houston Texans -- hey, it's still "Chiefs Game Today," it's just I'm remarking more about it beforehand. Again, I don't follow any of anything else but Chiefs -- although I do confess as I have frequently before, my sports radar still picks up things here and there. But what I know is this.
Last year we played an early game against the Texans in Houston and did pretty miserably -- it was one of our four losses on the year. Alex Smith had a terrible day, much because Houston's defense has been very good -- from what I hear.
I know they've got a solid defensive line, yet another good one this season our offensive line has to address. They have super-DE J.J. Watt, and while I don't know how good he is I can't imagine No. 1 overall pick from a few years ago Jadeveon Clowney isn't really good.
I've also heard brand spankin' new QB Deshaun Watson is doing phenomenally -- this is the guy picked in the draft this year right after the Chiefs snatched Pat Mahomes. The Texans also have that fine WR DeAndre Hopkins. I know of no other weapons they have on offense, but I'm sure they're helping Watson be very good for such a youngster. In fact I also caught that they clobbered the Titans last week, scoring 57 points against them. Wow.
With all this Texans information in mind, I'm just not sure we'll be able to keep up our perfect record, honestly. Yes we have the playmakers -- yes, we've got Smith and Kelce and Hill and now this Hunt kid. But I'm very nervous about our makeshift offensive line holding off their defense. I'm also nervous about a defensive backfield that is playing way over their heads -- no Eric Berry, no Steven Nelson... Will our fine play back there continue? And the pass pressure is muted by not having Dee Ford in there, and I'm wondering why we're not going with the rookies Tanoh Kpassagnon and/or Ukeme Eligwe.
Andy likes to bring in his youngsters gradually, so having a cushy 4-0 record gives him a window not to rush guys, that may be okay.
Thing is this is definitely one of the distinct edges the Chiefs have.
Andy Reid.
It appears he's doing some of the best coaching of his career right now. Really, he's got the game planning going (all the misdirection), the stamina going (the finishing games late), the Alex Smith talent unleashed (the playmaking in the clutch).
Let's see how this all plays out with a few in-game notes as we go.
1st qtr. Chiefs 3-0. We had a nice drive to open the game and got a field goal. They got the ball and moved a bit but we got them to punt. We now have the ball again at about mid-field yet the Texans have thoroughly stuffed Kareem Hunt. They're actually tackling him, doing a good job on the initial push and wrapping him up.
Thing is, J.J. Watt and another of their significant defensive players have been injured and may not return. Watt messed up his knee on a simple rush with little contact. The Houston stadium has that ugly artificial tar-bit-peppered field, which I think should be outlawed. Any artificial turf field just makes it too likely somebody like Watt is going to having something awful to a knee or something.
Aside from our running game being stuffed our passing game is fantastic so far. It isn't just because of those Texans' defenders being absent. Smith has been making terrific connections all game long, converting a number of tough 3rd downs with laser sharp passing.
Halftime. Chiefs 23-7. The Texans' ability to get their running backs deep into the 2nd level is disturbing. They just had a drive in which they got down the field just running the ball right at us. Our D-line isn't doing the job and our linebackers are being stressed. That set up an easy touchdown pass from Watson to Hopkins.
We did get a nice drive that concluded in a Smith-to-West touchdown pass, and have dominated time-of-possession.
On our side of the ball Travis Kelce is having his way out there. Right at the end of the 1st half he made more big plays getting us deep into Houston territory, on one deep catch he got the penalty flag after some Texans D-back did a helmet-to-helmet. He's then had to go into the concussion protocol, though, so that isn't good.
We finished the half with another nice touchdown catch for Charcandrick! This was all him, taking the swing pass at about the 10 and weaving around to get into the end zone.
And how about the Standing-Line-Pointing Play! On one play half of our O-linemen were standing with their fingers pointing at defenders but perfectly still to be set, then the ball is snapped to Smith who swings a pass to Hunt who runs for a 1st down. All Andy Reid...
3rd qtr. Chiefs 23-13. Houston scored another touchdown on some nifty Deshaun Watson improvisation close to the goal line.
Just as the quarter closes here, though, Tyreek Hill makes the play of the game so far when on 3rd-&-16 he catches a bomb from Smith barely getting both feet inside the sideline.
So we're deep in Houston territory as the 4th opens, still a ball game, and while I must say our offensive proficiency is really really good tonight especially with the pass, our defense is being not-as-stout as it should be. Our D-line isn't getting the push it needs and our linebackers aren't a shut-down unit tonight. Our D-backs are holding their own but Houston hasn't been throwing the ball down the field and they haven't even had the ball a whole lot to begin with.
Notice we did not score at all in that quarter. A lot of that? Travis Kelce has not returned. This is definitely a concern.
End of the game. Chiefs 42-34. This was too close until...
Andy Reid and Tyreek Hill happened.
When it got toooo close at 26-20, Andy Reid turned on the jet sweep stuff and it all finished up with a nice De'Anthony Thomas sweep touchdown.
Then our defense put up their standard 4th quarter resilience forcing Houston to punt, right to Tyreek Hill who made the first tackler miss and after that --
See ya!
Really, the thing that got us all these points was our offensive line giving Alex Smith splendid pass protection so he could perform his marvels. Tonight was a showcase night for us all to behold the real talents Smith has when he has the fine coaching, the exceptionally skilled players around him, and the time to make things happen behind the line.
To our defense's credit, Houston's touchdowns came with amazing plays made in spite of fine coverage. One of their touchdowns was a bomb that Hopkins snatched in the end zone with our safety Ron Parker swatting it away only to have it drop right back into his hands.
Finally, when are the injuries going to end. More Texans went down, and we even lost Chris Conley to an ugly looking calf injury on a Texans on-side kick recovery in which, yes again on this turf, no one laid a hand on him.
So yeah, with a lot of other issues I have with the NFL, you can add my deep desire that they get rid of this turf thing, everywhere. They even said at the very end of game that Justin Houston has some kind of calf injury.
Good thing we're 5-0 because our schedule doesn't get any easier. I like it, but I'm concerned about our injuries to all these Chiefs players... really, to all the NFL players. I know there are other factors besides the turf, but there are things that can be done.
It can be made right, it can.
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