The Kansas City Chiefs’ first three trips inside Green Bay’s 20 two weeks ago netted them a pair of field goals. So did their first three trips against Oakland last Sunday.
     Suffice to say, Kansas City’s red-zone offense has interim coach Romeo Crennel seeing red.
     There is little rhyme or reason to the Chiefs’ ability to move the ball downfield, then have everything come undone when they’re on the doorstep of scoring touchdowns. But their inability to come away with seven points instead of just three might be the biggest reason they’re playing for pride, rather than the AFC West title, when they visit Denver on Sunday.
     “It’s never one guy in this business. It’s always part of a team effort,” Crennel said. “We’ve been able to get down to the red zone, we just haven’t been able to produce.”
     It proved especially costly in an overtime loss to the Raiders.
     Kansas City marched to the Oakland 12 late in the first quarter before a short pass completion and a pair of runs by Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones gained just 7 yards. Ryan Succop came on for what amounted to an extra-point try, though the Chiefs would have preferred that to be the case.
     At least they got three points out of that trip.
     Their next one was even uglier.
     Kansas City had second-and-1 at the 8 when Jones was called for a false start. Now with a more substantial distance for a first down, Kyle Orton was forced to throw. His first pass was dropped by Dwayne Bowe in the end zone, and the next was intercepted by Matt Giordano, the second time in two weeks the Chiefs’ didn’t score any points on a drive inside the red zone.
     Late in the third quarter, the Chiefs faced first-and-goal at the 6 and managed another field goal, leaving them in a 10-6 hole rather than a tie game.
     “If we were able to get that touchdown, just a score sometimes changes the mentality on your team for that particular game. Instead of guys saying, ‘Here we go again,’ guys say, ‘OK, we made it happen,’” Crennel said. “Getting down there is encouraging, so now what we have to do is refine some things so we can get points on the board rather than coming away with nothing.”
     It’s unlikely the Chiefs will solve their red-zone woes before facing Denver on Sunday. After all, it’s hard to figure out exactly who or what is to blame.
     Besides, the problems have existed all season.
     Kansas City has scored a touchdown on red-zone trips just 33 percent of the time; the league-leading Jets have doubled that rate. By comparison, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on 59.62 percent of their trips last year, when they went 10-6 and won the division.
     Inexplicably, the Chiefs are even worse at home, where they don’t have to deal with hostile crowd noise. They’ve scored TDs on only 23.81 percent of their red-zone trips at Arrowhead Stadium.
     Going deeper inside the numbers, Kansas City ranks 25th in the league in red-zone attempts at 2.4 per game. That’s roughly half the number of trips of the league-leading Saints.
     No wonder the Chiefs’ are 31st in the league in scoring.
     “We’ve done a lot of good things,” Orton said, “but we have a lot to improve on.”
     It’s easy to blame the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, or the direction of former head coach Todd Haley, who was fired a few weeks ago. It’s also easy to blame general manager Scott Pioli for not building enough depth to deal with season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and starting tight end Tony Moeaki.
     But there’s still enough blame left over for the guys actually on the field.
     The Chiefs’ running game, which led the league last season, has produced only four TDs rushing all year, and one of them was by defensive back Javier Arenas out of the wildcat formation. There are 37 players in the NFL with at least four touchdowns rushing, four of them quarterbacks.
     Kansas City’s ground game averages 4.02 yards per carry outside the red zone, but that mark dips to 3.0 yards once the Chiefs cross the opponents’ 20. Jones is averaging just 2.3 yards on a team-high 19 carries inside the red zone, well below his career mark of 4.0.
     The struggles aren’t limited to the running game.
     Orton is completing 47.2 percent of his passes inside the red zone. Bowe has only seven catches for 49 yards and three scores after piling up an NFL-best 15 touchdown catches last season, and free-agent acquisition Steve Breaston has four catches for 30 yards in prime scoring territory.
     “Guys have to look in the mirror and know they’re giving their best effort,” Crennel said. “Like I said, it’s never one guy. It’s not always players. Coaches have to do some things better, put guys in better position, better technique. All those things come into play.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs’ first three trips inside Green Bay’s 20 two weeks ago netted them a pair of field goals. So did their first three trips against Oakland last Sunday.

Suffice to say, Kansas City’s red-zone offense has interim coach Romeo Crennel seeing red.

There is little rhyme or reason to the Chiefs’ ability to move the ball downfield, then have everything come undone when they’re on the doorstep of scoring touchdowns. But their inability to come away with seven points instead of just three might be the biggest reason they’re playing for pride, rather than the AFC West title, when they visit Denver on Sunday.

“It’s never one guy in this business. It’s always part of a team effort,” Crennel said. “We’ve been able to get down to the red zone, we just haven’t been able to produce.”

It proved especially costly in an overtime loss to the Raiders.

Kansas City marched to the Oakland 12 late in the first quarter before a short pass completion and a pair of runs by Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones gained just 7 yards. Ryan Succop came on for what amounted to an extra-point try, though the Chiefs would have preferred that to be the case.

At least they got three points out of that trip.

Their next one was even uglier.

Kansas City had second-and-1 at the 8 when Jones was called for a false start. Now with a more substantial distance for a first down, Kyle Orton was forced to throw. His first pass was dropped by Dwayne Bowe in the end zone, and the next was intercepted by Matt Giordano, the second time in two weeks the Chiefs’ didn’t score any points on a drive inside the red zone.

Late in the third quarter, the Chiefs faced first-and-goal at the 6 and managed another field goal, leaving them in a 10-6 hole rather than a tie game.

“If we were able to get that touchdown, just a score sometimes changes the mentality on your team for that particular game. Instead of guys saying, ‘Here

we go again,’ guys say, ‘OK, we made it happen,’” Crennel said. “Getting down there is encouraging, so now what we have to do is refine some things so we can get points on the board rather than coming away with nothing.”

It’s unlikely the Chiefs will solve their red-zone woes before facing Denver on Sunday. After all, it’s hard to figure out exactly who or what is to blame.

Besides, the problems have existed all season.

Kansas City has scored a touchdown on red-zone trips just 33 percent of the time; the league-leading Jets have doubled that rate. By comparison, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on 59.62 percent of their trips last year, when they went 10-6 and won the division.

Inexplicably, the Chiefs are even worse at home, where they don’t have to deal with hostile crowd noise. They’ve scored TDs on only 23.81 percent of their red-zone trips at Arrowhead Stadium.

Going deeper inside the numbers, Kansas City ranks 25th in the league in red-zone attempts at 2.4 per game. That’s roughly half the number of trips of the league-leading Saints.

No wonder the Chiefs’ are 31st in the league in scoring.

“We’ve done a lot of good things,” Orton said, “but we have a lot to improve on.”

It’s easy to blame the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, or the direction of former head coach Todd Haley, who was fired a few weeks ago. It’s also easy to blame general manager Scott Pioli for not building enough depth to deal with season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and starting tight end Tony Moeaki.

But there’s still enough blame left over for the guys actually on the field.

The Chiefs’ running game, which led the league last season, has produced only four TDs rushing all year, and one of them was by defensive back Javier Arenas out of the wildcat formation. There are 37 players in the NFL with at least four touchdowns rushing, four of them quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s ground game averages 4.02 yards per carry outside the red zone, but that mark dips to 3.0 yards once the Chiefs cross the opponents’ 20. Jones is averaging just 2.3 yards on a team-high 19 carries inside the red zone, well below his career mark of 4.0.

The struggles aren’t limited to the running game.

Orton is completing 47.2 percent of his passes inside the red zone. Bowe has only seven catches for 49 yards and three scores after piling up an NFL-best 15 touchdown catches last season, and free-agent acquisition Steve Breaston has four catches for 30 yards in prime scoring territory.

“Guys have to look in the mirror and know they’re giving their best effort,” Crennel said. “Like I said, it’s never one guy. It’s not always players. Coaches have to do some things better, put guys in better position, better technique. All those things come into play.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs’ first three trips inside Green Bay’s 20-yard line two weeks ago netted them a pair of field goals. So did their first three trips against Oakland last Sunday.Suffice to say, Kansas City’s red zone offense has interim coach Romeo Crennel seeing red.There is little rhyme or reason to the Chiefs’ ability to move the ball downfield, then have everything come undone when they’re on the doorstep of scoring touchdowns. But their inability to come away with seven points instead of just three might be the biggest reason they’re playing for pride, rather than an AFC West title, when they visit Denver on Sunday.”It’s never one guy in this business. It’s always part of a team effort,” Crennel said. “We’ve been able to get down to the red zone, we just haven’t been able to produce.”It proved especially costly in an overtime loss to the Raiders.Kansas City marched to the Oakland 12 late in the first quarter before a short pass completion and a pair of runs by Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones gained just 7 yards. Ryan Succop came on for what amounted to an extra-point try, though the Chiefs would have preferred that to be the case.At least they got three points out of that trip.Their next one was even uglier.Kansas City had second-and-1 at the Raiders 8 when Jones was called for a false start. Now with a more substantial distance for a first down, Kyle Orton was forced to throw. His first pass was dropped by Dwayne Bowe in the end zone, and his next was intercepted by Matt Giordano, the second time in two weeks the Chiefs’ didn’t score any points on a drive inside the red zone.Late in the third quarter, the Chiefs faced first-and-goal at the Raiders 6 and managed another field goal, leaving them in a 10-6 hole rather than a tie game.

“If we were able to get that touchdown, just a score sometimes changes the mentality on your team for that particular game. Instead of guys saying, ‘Here we go again,’ guys say, ‘OK, we made it happen,’” Crennel said. “Getting down there is encouraging, so now what we have to do is refine some things so we can get points on the board rather than coming away with nothing.”It’s unlikely the Chiefs will solve their red zone woes before facing Denver on Sunday. After all, it’s hard to figure out exactly who or what is to blame.Besides, the problems have existed all season.Kansas City has scored a touchdown on red zone trips just 33 percent of the time; the league-leading Jets have doubled that rate. By comparison, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on 59.62 percent of their trips last year, when they went 10-6 and won the division.Inexplicably, the Chiefs are even worse at home, where they don’t have to deal with hostile crowd noise. They’ve scored TDs on only 23.81 percent of their red zone trips at Arrowhead Stadium.Going deeper inside the numbers, Kansas City ranks 25th in the league in red zone attempts at 2.4 per game. That’s roughly half the number of trips of the league-leading Saints.No wonder the Chiefs’ are 31st in the league in scoring.”We’ve done a lot of good things,” Orton said, “but we have a lot to improve on.”It’s easy to blame the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, or the direction of former head coach Todd Haley, who was fired a few weeks ago. It’s also easy to blame general manager Scott Pioli for not building enough depth to deal with season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and starting tight end Tony Moeaki.But there’s still enough blame left over for the guys actually on the field.The Chiefs’ running game, which led the league last season, has produced only four TDs rushing all year, and one of them was by defensive back Javier Arenas out of the wildcat formation. There are 37 players in the NFL with at least four touchdowns rushing, four of them quarterbacks.Kansas City’s ground game averages 4.02 yards per carry outside the red zone, but that mark dips to 3.0 yards once the Chiefs cross the opponents’ 20. Jones is averaging just 2.3 yards on a team-high 19 carries inside the red zone, well below his career mark of 4.0 yards per attempt.The struggles aren’t limited to the running game.Orton is completing 47.2 percent of his passes inside the red zone. Bowe has only seven catches for 49 yards and three scores after piling up an NFL-best 15 touchdown catches last season, and free agent acquisition Steve Breaston has four catches for 30 yards in prime scoring territory.”Guys have to look in the mirror and know they’re giving their best effort,” Crennel said. “Like I said, it’s never one guy. It’s not always players. Coaches have to do some things better, put guys in better position, better technique. All those things come into play.”

12/29/2011

By DAVE SKRETTA

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs’ first three trips inside Green Bay’s 20-yard line two weeks ago netted them a pair of field goals. So did their first three trips against Oakland last Sunday.

Suffice to say, Kansas City’s red zone offense has interim coach Romeo Crennel seeing red.

There is little rhyme or reason to the Chiefs’ ability to move the ball downfield, then have everything come undone when they’re on the doorstep of scoring touchdowns. But their inability to come away with seven points instead of just three might be the biggest reason they’re playing for pride, rather than an AFC West title, when they visit Denver on Sunday.

“It’s never one guy in this business. It’s always part of a team effort,” Crennel said. “We’ve been able to get down to the red zone, we just haven’t been able to produce.”

It proved especially costly in an overtime loss to the Raiders.

Kansas City marched to the Oakland 12 late in the first quarter before a short pass completion and a pair of runs by Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones gained just 7 yards. Ryan Succop came on for what amounted to an extra-point try, though the Chiefs would have preferred that to be the case.

At least they got three points out of that trip.

Their next one was even uglier.

Kansas City had second-and-1 at the Raiders 8 when Jones was called for a false start. Now with a more substantial distance for a first down, Kyle Orton was forced to throw. His first pass was dropped by Dwayne Bowe in the end zone, and his next was intercepted by Matt Giordano, the second time in two weeks the Chiefs’ didn’t score any points on a drive inside the red zone.

Late in the third quarter, the Chiefs faced first-and-goal at the Raiders 6 and managed another field goal, leaving them in a 10-6 hole rather than a tie game.

“If we were able to get that touchdown, just a score sometimes changes the mentality on your team for that particular game. Instead of guys saying, `Here we go again,’ guys say, `OK, we made it happen,”’ Crennel said. “Getting down there is encouraging, so now what we have to do is refine some things so we can get points on the board rather than coming away with nothing.”

It’s unlikely the Chiefs will solve their red zone woes before facing Denver on Sunday. After all, it’s hard to figure out exactly who or what is to blame.

Besides, the problems have existed all season.

Kansas City has scored a touchdown on red zone trips just 33 percent of the time; the league-leading Jets have doubled that rate. By comparison, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on 59.62 percent of their trips last year, when they went 10-6 and won the division.

Inexplicably, the Chiefs are even worse at home, where they don’t have to deal with hostile crowd noise. They’ve scored TDs on only 23.81 percent of their red zone trips at Arrowhead Stadium.

Going deeper inside the numbers, Kansas City ranks 25th in the league in red zone attempts at 2.4 per game. That’s roughly half the number of trips of the league-leading Saints.

No wonder the Chiefs’ are 31st in the league in scoring.

“We’ve done a lot of good things,” Orton said, “but we have a lot to improve on.”

It’s easy to blame the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, or the direction of former head coach Todd Haley, who was fired a few weeks ago. It’s also easy to blame general manager Scott Pioli for not building enough depth to deal with season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and starting tight end Tony Moeaki.

But there’s still enough blame left over for the guys actually on the field.

The Chiefs’ running game, which led the league last season, has produced only four TDs rushing all year, and one of them was by defensive back Javier Arenas out of the wildcat formation. There are 37 players in the NFL with at least four touchdowns rushing, four of them quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s ground game averages 4.02 yards per carry outside the red zone, but that mark dips to 3.0 yards once the Chiefs cross the opponents’ 20. Jones is averaging just 2.3 yards on a team-high 19 carries inside the red zone, well below his career mark of 4.0 yards per attempt. The struggles aren’t limited to the running game.

Orton is completing 47.2 percent of his passes inside the red zone. Bowe has only seven catches for 49 yards and three scores after piling up an NFL-best 15 touchdown catches last season, and free agent acquisition Steve Breaston has four catches for 30 yards in prime scoring territory.

“Guys have to look in the mirror and know they’re giving their best effort,” Crennel said. “Like I said, it’s never one guy. It’s not always players. Coaches have to do some things better, put guys in better position, better technique. All those things come into play.”

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The Kansas City Chiefs close out the 2011 NFL season with a trip to Colorado to take on the Denver Broncos. Here are five things to watch for as the Chiefs battle the Broncos.

Kyle Orton Versus Old Team

Kyle Orton was let go by the Broncos in late November. The Chiefs picked him up to stand in for injured Matt Cassel. Orton had two decent games against the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders. If he has the same type of game against his old mates, it will be a long day for Denver. It will help that Orton should have some kind of working knowledge of the Broncos’ defense.

Tim Tebow Versus Chiefs’ Defense

In the first game between the Chiefs and Broncos back on Nov. 13, quarterback Tim Tebow ran for a touchdown and threw for another. He completed just two passes all game long and had 43 yards rushing. Surely the Chiefs would know how to handle the offense by now. Shut down the running game of Denver and then let the vaunted secondary take over after that and the Chiefs will win.

Head Coaches

Interim head coach Romeo Crennel is trying to prove he’s head coaching material. John Fox is trying to avoid another late-season disappointment for the Broncos. Despite not making the playoffs just a year after winning the AFC West, the Chiefs can spoil the postseason hopes of Denver.

Ryan Succop

Placekicker Ryan Succop had a miserable game against the Oakland Raiders Dec. 24. He had two kicks blocked that could have won the game. In the thinner air of Denver, a kicker’s dream exists. Earlier in the season, Sebastian Janikowski of the Raiders tied an NFL record with a 63-yard kick way back on Sept. 12 in Denver. Succop needs to have a good game in the thinner air to regain his confidence.

Momentum

A win for the Chiefs will give them momentum going into the offseason and a positive vibe with the draft and in the front office. With all of the major players coming back next year from their injuries, a season-ending victory may help nudge the team along as they start workouts for next season.

William Browning is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs after latching on to the team during the lean years of St. Louis football. Born in the gateway city, he is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

With the Oakland Raiders facing the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Eve morning, a win by the Silver and Black would make it a much merrier Christmas for the Raider Nation. With the way things have gone this season, I wouldn’t place any bets, but I truly believe we’re going to see a victory for out team on Saturday. Please, Santa? We might have been naughty on occasion, but in general fans of the Raiders have been a good bunch this year, and it’s time we’re treated to a win for Christmas. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

The Raiders are slightly favored over the Chiefs by 2.5 points, not that it really makes a difference one way or another, but I believe Oakland is going to come out on fire Saturday and ready to win. They played well during three and a half quarters last Sunday against the Lions and if they can hang on for four this time, we’ll get our much deserved Christmas present.

The Silver and Black have to be frustrated after losing their last three, and coming so close last time. They’re ticked off, and they should be. They had to play Kansas City just after Jason Campbell was taken down and quarterback Carson Palmer had just arrived. He was in no way ready, throwing three interceptions in the second half, and was partially responsible for the team’s 28-0 loss.

Palmer has developed a rhythm now, and though he wasn’t at his best against the Dolphins or the Packers, he was much improved against Detroit, completing 32 of 40 pass attempts for 367 yards, and scoring a touchdown. And this time, no interceptions.

That’s what we need this Saturday. Palmer at his best, another great day by receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, and a stellar job on defense especially, forcing the Chiefs’ to as many turnovers as possible. And, keep the penalties to a minimum guys.

Yes, the Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers, but as we all know, anything can happen in football, it does, and it did last Sunday. I don’t believe they have it in them to fight another tough battle which is what the Raiders will bring in week 15.

Whether running back Darren McFadden or receiver Jacoby Ford will make a return in the second to last game of the season remains to be seen. Both players were running at practice on Tuesday, which is a good sign, but they still weren’t actually involved in practice. I’d give Ford a slightly better chance than McFadden for making an appearance in Kansas City.

The Silver and Black will have to work with whatever they’ve got, and just win baby!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

More from this contributor:

Top Five Highlights in the Oakland Raiders Vs Detroit Lions Battle: Fan’s Take

A Fan’s Favorite Sports Memory of 2011: Raiders Beat Texans in Honor of Al Davis

Oakland Raiders’ Punter Shane Lechler Named to All-Fundamentals Team: Fan Reaction

Oakland Raiders’ Kicker Sebastian Janikowski Named Special Teams Player of the Week: Fan Reaction

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The Green Bay Packers (13-0) take on the Kansas City Chiefs (5-8) at Kansas City on December 18th, 2011. These two teams are headed in opposite directions. Green Bay has clinched not only the NFC North title, but also a first round bye in the playoffs. The Chiefs are in last place in the AFC West and have lost five of their last six.

Part of the reason the Chiefs are in last place is their inability to score. They have scored just 173 points in 13 games, last in the AFC and second worst in the NFL. Some of this can be attributed to key injuries. Running back Jamaal Charles rushed for nearly 1500 yards in 2010 but went out for the season with a torn ACL back in September. Starting quarterback Matt Cassel went on injured reserve in November. Green Bay is the highest scoring team in the NFL with 466 points, so Kansas City will have to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company off the field to have any chance of winning.

The Chiefs do have a fairly good pass defense, allowing 209.3 yards per game, tenth best in the NFL. They’ll need to bring their A game, as Rodgers is the league’s top rated quarterback with a QB rating of 123.3. He has 39 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Back on November 21st the league’s second rated quarterback, New England’s Tom Brady, threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs in the Patriots’ 34-3 victory. Kansas City can’t allow a similar performance from Rodgers.

The Packers will be without the services of Greg Jennings (949 receiving yards, nine touchdowns) until the playoffs, but they have so many capable receivers it just means more chances for everybody else. Jordy Nelson has 10 touchdown receptions and 957 yards, James Jones has five TD’s, and the venerable Donald Driver has four, including two in the Packers’ victory over the New York Giants on December 4th. With Jennings out, I would expect to see more of KR/WR Randall Cobb on passing downs. Rodgers also has thrown eight TD passes to tight ends, including six to Jermichael Finley. Again, with Jennings out , I would expect Rodgers to utilize the tight ends even more.

There is more bad news for Kansas City’s defense. Green Bay rediscovered the running game in their 46-16 rout of the Oakland Raiders on December 11th. Ryan Grant rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and Green Bay had a total of 136 rushing yards for the game.

The Packers simply have too much offense for the Chiefs to overcome. Green Bay will improve to 14-0, and in doing so, secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Mark Hudziak is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. He has been a fan of the Green Bay Packers since the Vince Lombardi Era.

Sources:

Yahoo! Sports Green Bay Packers team site

Yahoo! Sports Kansas City Chiefs team site

Statistics from Yahoo! Sports NFL

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Milwaukee Brewers Agree to Terms with Aramis Ramirez, Trade Casey McGehee: Fan’s Reaction

Brewers Lose Hairston and Hawkins, Sign Gonzalez at 2011 Winter Meetings: Fan’s View

History of the New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers Playoff Games

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These are the times that try Joe Posnanski’s soul. The Kansas City Chiefs lost 13-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. They had a drive to win the game that ended when their top receiver raised his hand to call for the ball then failed to raise his hands to catch that ball when it was thrown. This is a flawed team that I want to be proud of, but it’s just that mental mistakes and an anemic offense are slowly turning me into a remote-throwing, head-shaking, full-out-cussing-out-my-television-screen citizen of Kansas City.

Let’s just take it quarter by quarter because the game in its entirety is still a little hard to swallow.

Quarter One: It was 36 degrees at game time, and the crowd was roaring, perhaps loudest when Steelers’ safety Troy Polamalu wobbled off the field with what is now being called “concussion symptoms.” The Chiefs are sporting their playoff beards, although the playoffs are seemingly more and more unlikely. Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is looking more and more like Russell Crowe when he lets himself go for a movie role.

The defense has again started the game with purpose. Tamba Hali strips Mewelde Moore at the goal line to prevent a touchdown. The offense also appears to have a purpose, although sadly it appears to be helping the Steelers cover the spread. Tyler Palko muffs the snap on the ensuing Chiefs’ possession, setting up the tone for the night. The defense will shut down an elite offense, while the Chiefs’ offense will make an opposing defense look elite (even without one of its elite players). After another solid stop by the home team, Palko throws a pick on the next snap he takes.

Quarter Two: Three snaps, three turnovers. There may not be anything more frustrating in the world than watching an inept offense attempt to move the football. The screen shows the average starting position for the Steelers — it’s the Chiefs’ 37-yard line. It’s somehow 13-6 at the half.

Quarter Three: Steelers’ offensive lineman Max Starks is holding Tamba Hali like it’s the last slow dance in eighth grade. Meanwhile, Chiefs’ coach Todd Haley is starting to look like a calculated risk taker. A play after Javier Arenas is stoned in the wildcat formation, he runs for a first down on a fake punt with two minutes to go in the quarter. Rather than a no-huddle offense, this could be the most successful Chiefs’ offensive philosophy in the second half of the season — it’s always four-down territory.

Quarter Four: The Chiefs have put together an actual drive with the running and the passing. That is, until, Anthony Becht tackles Jackie Battle on third-and-short. The problem? Becht is a tight end for the Chiefs, and the two bump into each other behind the line. This is a plot device in Little Giants, not the way a pro offense should operate.

Haley opts for a field goal attempt with seven minutes to go and all three of his timeouts left. The lead is cut to four, and somewhere Jack Harry is having an aneurysm. The Chiefs do get the ball back and proceed to move down the field again in five-to-eight-yard chunks in a lurching, ground-churning drive. Palko has appeared to find his rhythm, right up until the moment when he throws this third interception of the night after Bowe fails to even extend his arms to make a potential catch.

The Chiefs have scored one touchdown on their last 45 drives, a span of four games. The defense is being left out on the field in situations bordering on ludicrous. And I’m starting to feel guilty for how often I maligned Haley for appearing angry on the sidelines. This is not Madden football; this is maddening football.

(Sports Network) -

 

Team                            1st Qtr.   2nd Qtr.   3rd Qtr.   4th Qtr.   Score

Kansas City                     

Pittsburgh                        

 

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Click here for the latest news, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more from around the NFL.

Tyler Palko’s run as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting quarterback may not last much longer, but he’ll at least have the chance to face his hometown team.

The Pittsburgh-area native will try to rebound from a bad first impression when he leads the injury-riddled Chiefs into battle against the formidable Pittsburgh Steelers, who’ll be entering Arrowhead Stadium for Sunday’s clash with some health concerns of their own at the position.

Palko made a long-awaited initial start of a vagabond five-year career in Kansas City’s road test with AFC East-leading New England this past Monday, but it turned out to be quite a trying experience for the former University of Pittsburgh star raised in nearby Imperial, Pa. The 28-year-old threw three interceptions and failed to direct a touchdown drive as the spiraling Chiefs were dealt a 34-3 defeat, the team’s second straight loss following a four-game win streak that had put it back in contention in the AFC West.

 “You can’t turn the ball over in this league and have a chance to win football games, especially against a good offense like that,” said Palko, who was elevated to first-string when regular starter Matt Cassel sustained a season- ending broken hand in a Week 10 setback to Denver. “[You] can’t give them more opportunities than they already get.”

The left-handed journeyman did finish with 236 yards while completing 25-of-38 throws on the NFL’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, but now must go up against a sturdy Pittsburgh stop unit that’s yielding just 183.2 yards per game through the air, the third-lowest amount in the league.

The Steelers haven’t been skilled at forcing turnovers, however, as the reigning AFC champions have produced just four interceptions and an NFL-low six takeaways during their 7-3 start.

Palko may not get a third chance anyway regardless of if he improves this week. With the Chiefs still within striking distance in the division race, the defending AFC West title-holders claimed the considerably more tested Kyle Orton off waivers from the Broncos on Wednesday and will ready him to start the club’s game at Chicago next week.

Kansas City enters Sunday’s play trailing Oakland by two games in the standings.

The Steelers, meanwhile, survived a major scare in their last outing, a critical 24-17 victory at fellow AFC North resident Cincinnati on Nov. 13. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger fractured his right thumb during the contest yet remained under center, with the two-time Super Bowl champion managing 245 yards and a touchdown with one interception on 21-of-33 passing.

Roethlisberger was fitted with a splint during Pittsburgh’s Week 11 bye and practiced without incident in the days leading up to Sunday’s tilt, though it’s unclear as to whether the injury will affect his performance.

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“The big thing is just getting used to throwing with a splint on it again and a glove, which I have done before,” he said.

Roethlisberger also broke the same thumb back in 2005, but did not miss any games.

He’ll be attempting to lead Pittsburgh to a sixth win in its last seven tries and put the Steelers back into a first-place tie in the AFC North. The Black and Gold presently trails rival Baltimore by a half-game in the division after the Ravens bested San Francisco on Thanksgiving night.

SERIES HISTORY

Pittsburgh holds a 17-9 overall advantage in its regular-season series with Kansas City, but was dealt a 27-24 overtime loss to the Chiefs in the most recent encounter between the teams, which took place at Arrowhead Stadium in 2009. The Steelers have won just twice in their last six visits to Kansas City and haven’t prevailed as the visitor in this set since a 20-17 triumph on Oct. 14, 2001. Pittsburgh also dropped a 41-20 decision on the road to the Chiefs in 2003, but blasted Kansas City by a 45-7 score at Heinz Field in 2006.

The Steelers and Chiefs have also squared off once previously in the postseason, with Kansas City recording a 27-24 home victory in a 1993 AFC First-Round Playoff.

Both Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Kansas City’s Todd Haley have opposed one another, as well as their counterpart’s respective teams, just one time prior as head coaches, with Haley’s Chiefs downing Tomlin’s Steelers in the above- mentioned 2009 matchup.

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

Pittsburgh owns the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense, averaging 273.2 yards per game via the air, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the team takes a more run-oriented approach this week with Roethlisberger (2877 passing yards, 16 TD, 9 INT) dealing with a wounded thumb. The Steelers haven’t been that effective moving the ball on the ground, however, with top back Rashard Mendenhall (517 rushing yards, 6 TD, 11 receptions) averaging a disappointing 3.8 yards per carry on the season and surpassing 70 yards just once this year. The former first-round pick mustered just 44 yards on 16 attempts against a tough Cincinnati defense in Week 10, but did score a pair of touchdowns in the win. Injuries along the front line have hindered the running game at times and made it hard on Roethlisberger on occasion as well, with the standout quarterback having been sacked a league-high 31 times in his 10 starts. When he’s had sufficient time to throw, Roethlisberger has done plenty of damage with a strong group of receivers headlined by dangerous playmaker Mike Wallace (53 receptions, 922 yards, 6 TD), one of the game’s premier deep threats who’s averaged an impressive 19.3 yards per catch over his three-year career. Second- year pro Antonio Brown (44 receptions, 626 yards, 1 TD) has emerged as an excellent No. 2 target as of late, with the sixth-round find have amassed 26 catches over the last four games and eclipsing 100 yards in two of those tests.

The Steelers may be able to get Mendenhall untracked against a Kansas City defense that’s been rather porous against the run in recent weeks. The Chiefs have yielded 155 rushing yards or more in three of their last five outings, with the pass-happy Patriots gaining 157 in Monday’s blowout and Denver’s read- option scheme accounting for 244 yards the previous week. The team was without one of its anchors up front in the New England game, with end Glenn Dorsey (35 tackles) sidelined with a sprained knee, but is hopeful the former first-round pick can make it back for Sunday’s matchup. Pressuring the passer has also been an issue for Kansas City, which began the week last in the NFL with a mere 12 sacks even after recording three against New England. More than half of that total has been compiled by outside linebacker Tamba Hali (42 tackles, 7 sacks), the club’s lone proven pass rusher who led the AFC with 14 1/2 quarterback takedowns during a Pro Bowl campaign in 2010. A secondary headed up by physical cornerback Brandon Flowers (42 tackles, 4 INT, 15 PD) and free safety Kendrick Lewis (36 tackles, 3 INT, 6 PD) has been a strength, with the Chiefs having come up with 13 interceptions in their 10 games.

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WHEN THE CHIEFS HAVE THE BALL

Haley’s game plan against the Patriots probably didn’t call for Palko (277 passing yards, 0 TD, 3 INT) to throw 37 times, but the journeyman quarterback was forced to air it out more than what was preferred once the Chiefs fell behind by double digits in the second half. Kansas City was able to run the ball with some success early in the contest, with the backfield committee of veteran Thomas Jones (252 rushing yards), Dexter McCluster (336 rushing yards, 30 receptions) and Jackie Battle (436 rushing yards, 1 TD) combining for 126 yards for the game, and all three will likely see their share of touches with Kansas City expected to play it conservatively again this week. Palko was able to hit on a few big passes to wide receivers Dwayne Bowe (48 receptions, 750 yards, 4 TD) and Steve Breaston (39 receptions, 2 TD), with the duo recording 13 catches totaling 160 yards in Monday’s loss, but his three turnovers and two failed chances within the red zone all contributed to the lopsided final score. This is an offense that doesn’t possess much in the way of playmakers, as the Chiefs’ season average of 4.9 yards per play is 27th in the league and they’ve averaged a mere 14.4 points per game (29th overall).

The Chiefs figure to be dinking-and-dunking once again this week considering the Steelers’ stoutness in the secondary and ability to harass enemy quarterbacks. With 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu (62 tackles, 1 sack, 7 PD) and shutdown cornerback Ike Taylor (25 tackles, 6 PD) roaming in the backfield, Pittsburgh has limited the opposition to a league-low 5.8 yards per pass attempt, and the group is backed by a pass rush that’s been slowed somewhat by terrorizing outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley’s (36 tackles, 9 sacks) hamstring injury that’s kept him out of the last two games and has him doubtful for this one. Opposite-side starter James Harrison (35 tackles, 5 sacks) continues to be a force when healthy, however, as evidenced by his three-sack outburst against Baltimore three weeks back. As has usually been the case, Pittsburgh remains a tough team to run on, with inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons (46 tackles, 1 INT) and unheralded end Brett Keisel (29 tackles, 3 sacks) leading a front seven that’s surrendered the sixth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL (96.9 ypg). The Steelers have a paltry total of four interceptions on the year, but two of them came in their Week 10 ousting of Cincinnati.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Roethlisberger’s finger. Though the Steelers don’t seem to be too concerned with their competitive quarterback’s injury, it remains to be seen if a team that’s now built on throwing the football will be as proficient in that area because of it. Pittsburgh doesn’t need to be real explosive to handle the punchless Chiefs, but any struggles on offense would work to Kansas City’s benefit if it can keep the usually-lively Arrowhead crowd fired up by keeping the score close deep into the contest.

Fast starts. Both teams have their reasons for wanting to run the ball here, with the Steelers having a quarterback with an injured hand and the Chiefs forced to trot out a fringe player at the position, and they’ll in better position to do so by sitting on an early lead. It’s especially important for Kansas City not to fall behind by a considerable margin, as Palko has yet to prove he’s capable of leading a team back from a deficit and he’ll be facing a Pittsburgh defense that’s fourth in the NFL in points allowed.

Turnovers. Realistically, Kansas City’s only chance of coming out with a win in this game is if the Steelers play sloppy, which isn’t out of the question for a team with a minus-10 turnover ratio on the season. The Chiefs have shown they can be successful when their defense is opportunistic, as they’ve garnered 11 takeaways in their four victories but just five in their six losses.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This could be a trap-game scenario for the Steelers, who have an important divisional showdown with Cincinnati on the horizon and will be entering a venue that historically been difficult for opposing teams. Add in Roethlisberger’s injury and the fact that Pittsburgh won’t be without its best pass rusher in Woodley, and it’s entirely conceivable that the defending conference champions could be a bit rusty coming off their bye. Don’t bet on it, however. The Steelers have outscored their foes by an average of over 21 points in winning their game following the break in each of the last three seasons, and Kansas City’s anemic offense shouldn’t pose much of a threat. Look for Pittsburgh to keep it rather close to the vest and rely on its defense to grind out a methodical victory over a Chiefs team that’s just too undermanned.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Steelers 24, Chiefs 10

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