Kind of baffled that Andy Reid didn't attempt to get their best playmaker the ball in space a bit more, especially when they've been riding him all year.
Tonight's game saw a "new" version of Alex Smith. One that attempted to actually get the ball down the field. I'm all for an aggressive gameplan, but it didn't seem to work out too well.
And just like I said about KC...their offense is very limited. That "23.9" number that you see on ESPN etc regarding KC's offensive average is very misleading, since their defense and special teams has averaged almost a TD per game for the first half of the season. The reality is that they cannot score more than about what they did tonight. Their "real" offensive average is only about 18 pts per game.
Once those defensive TD's slow down they're toast...although they may give DEN a good game in Arrowhead in 2 weeks and even possibly win. I think they should be proud of their turnaround, but they are still pretenders as far as the AFC goes in my opinion, come the post-season.
I think you make a plausible argument and agree that their passing offense is showing a bit too much limitation. However, I don't agree that KC is toast if their defense isn't creating scores. The Chiefs are a somewhat close version of the 2011 Niners, a team that went to the NFCCG. They both play(ed) good defense, even tougher D in the Red Zone, run the ball with effectiveness, minimal turnovers, a lack of potency in the passing game but relatively efficient (2011 niners had that somewhat better passing O though), and ultimately winning through controlling the game's tempo and tone. It's a formula that can result in victory often enough even with a limited passing offense (there are other teams who have run this formula that have been successful). But with the limited passing O capability, it does require all those listed formula aspects to be executed relatively well. Tonight the defense failed in one of those aspects allowing a high TD conversion rate in the Red Zone (3 of 4). For a team basing their success on controlling the game's tempo and tone utilizing a controlled and limited passing offense, it just isn't going to work when allowing that kind of Red Zone success (plus those couple of brutal third down conversions. IMHO they changed the tone/direction of the game a lot).
Ultimately I think KC has demonstrated they have the right pieces in place to play this formula successfully. The limitations in passing offense does mean there is less room for error but I don't think it's so stark that they need the D to score for them or they are toast.
I know it is the nature of a chat board to take a result and extrapolate its meaning (we all do it), however, tonight was just one game. A game against, arguably, the best team in the league playing in, arguably, a venue with the greatest home field advantage there is. Take away that advantage then add in the advantage of the crowd noise at Arrowhead? I think the game will go much closer to KC's expectations (assuming this time each aspect will do what is needed of them).
KC's remaining schedule has 2 games against a floundering SD, a floundering Washington, a floundering Oakland, a shaky Indy team (I like KC for that game because it is in KC). I think KC actually will win the division IF they win the upcoming Denver game (they can then afford to lose a game if it is the right opponent). And since I think it is good for the Patriots to see KC win the division, I am a big KC fan for the rest of the regular season
