Around The AFC West … Bye-Weekend Cup O’Chiefs

While the Chiefs enjoy the weekend off, the rest of the AFC West plays on Sunday, so we thought it would be a good time to step back and take a look at the division.

There’s no way to consider the Chiefs part of a race for the AFC West title this season. Certainly, no way unless pharmaceuticals are involved. They are 1-6, Denver is 6-0. The Broncos could collapse, but the Chiefs would have to enjoy one of the greatest team comebacks in league history to get involved.

So consider this more of an assessment of the rest of the division and an indication of just how far the Chiefs are going to have to travel to get back to contender status. Right now, it looks like a long, long road.

DENVER BRONCOS (6-0)

Rookie head coach Josh McDaniels takes his Broncos to Baltimore to face a suddenly struggling Ravens team that is just 3-3 on the season. This would have to go down as probably the biggest test of Denver’s schedule to date; New England was a better team, but they played that game at Invesco Field.

The Broncos are 9th in offensive yards and second in fewest yards allowed on defense. They are the No. 1 scoring defense in the league, allowing just 66 points in six games. That’s an incredible 72 points under the league average at this point. Hiring Mike Nolan as his defensive coordinator was the smartest and most productive move that McDaniels made in the off-season. The Broncos are playing the best defense they’ve seen in the Rockies in some time.

OLB Elvis Dumervil leads the league in sacks with 10, making Denver No. 2 in overall sacks and No. 1 in sacks per pass play. They’ve not allowed a 300-yard passer, or a 100-yard runner or receiver this season.

The second smartest and most productive move by the new Denver regime was dealing away Jay Cutler and bringing in Kyle Orton. It’s hard to believe we are even entertaining that thought at this point, but Orton has been very good in six games. He has a passer rating of 100.1 with nine touchdown passes and only one interception. He’s completing 63.9 percent of his passes and averaging 7.55 yards per attempt.

But get this: Orton has a 142.1 passer rating in the fourth quarter, with four TDs, no INTs, and a completion percentage of 69 percent and an average of 12.17 yards per attempt.

None of his offensive weapons rank very high in league stats. Rookie RB Knowshon Moreno is 18th in rushing with 381 yards. WR Brandon Marshall is No. 25 in catches with 29 for 332 yards.

One weapon who has been very good is WR Eddie Royal, but more as a returner than receiver. Royal has one of the five punt returns TDs in the league so far and one of the six kickoff return scores.

Denver has a tough schedule ahead after Sunday’s game in Baltimore. They host Pittsburgh in a Monday night game next week. Then, it’s a trip to Washington, a home game against San Diego and then Thanksgiving evening, they host the New York Giants.

If they can get to the end of November with no more than two losses, they will cruise into the playoffs; from there, two of their final five games are against the Chiefs.

SAN DIEGO (3-3)

The Chiefs got to see the Chargers last week and it wasn’t pretty. When the boys from San Diego decide they are going to play, they are one of the league’s best teams. They still have some of the most talented players in the league, with guys like QB Philip Rivers, WR Vincent Jackson, TE Antonio Gates, CB Antonio Cromartie, RB Darren Sproles and LB Shaun Phillips.

This weekend, the Chargers host the Raiders and there should not be any trouble with them reaching victory No. 4, as long as they don’t sleepwalk through the afternoon at Qualcomm.

Rivers is elevating himself into the ranks of the NFL’s best passers, and right now has 10 TD passes and only three interceptions. With Jackson and Gates, he has two athletic and productive receivers. Tomlinson does not have the juice he once did, but he remains dangerous, if not as much as Sproles. As long as the Chargers protect Rivers they’ll be OK.

Defensively, one never knows for sure with the ‘09 Chargers. They’ve been hurt by the loss of NT Jamal Williams for the season. That’s why they are 28th in the league against the run and have not been able to produce a consistent pass rush. That Shawne Merriman still does not have a sack this year is an indication that he’s not the player he once was. Even last weekend, when he got the shot at going head-to-head with the inexperienced Barry Richardson, he was not able to get Chefs QB Matt Cassel on the ground.

The Chargers special teams are strong with Sproles returning and the kicking combination of Nate Kaeding/Mike Scifres. However, they obviously have coverage problems; just look at what Denver’s Eddie Royal did to them with a pair of return scores.

After facing the Raiders, San Diego finishes out November with trips to play the New York Giants and Broncos, while hosting games against Philadelphia and the Chiefs. To have any chance to catch Denver, they must be 5-0 in November, and likely 9-1 or 10-0 for the rest of the season. Tough duty when a team is trying to make up three games. Consider that if the Chargers went 8-2, the Broncos would have to go 5-5 to forge a tie.

Norv Turner’s team can’t trip, but they always seem to be the club with their shoes untied.

OAKLAND (2-5)

How to explain these Raiders? One week, they got to the Meadowlands and play so poorly against the Giants that New York LB Antonio Pierce says it was like playing “a scrimmage.” Upset by that verbal slam, the Raiders rise up and smash Philadelphia in one of those outcomes that will rank on the NFL’s top 10 for unexplainable outcomes in the ‘09 season. A week later, they embarrass themselves at home against the New York Jets.

That’s the Raiders! They are prone to do anything at anytime and trying to use rhyme or reason in deciphering their tea leaves is a waste of time. They are 32nd in offensive yards and 28th in yards allowed. Of course, the Chiefs are 30th and 29th, so their production is familiar to KC fans.

Last week, starting QB JaMarcus Russell got benched, but he’s back in the starting lineup this Sunday w hen the Raiders travel to San Diego. Russell’s numbers are among the worst in the league, with an overall passer rating of 47.2, with two TD passes and eight interceptions. His completion percentage is a miserable 46.3 and he averages 5.57 per attempt. Those aren’t the kind of numbers that make Al Davis’ long-ball offense work.

Even if he could hit them, Russell lacks talent around him to throw the ball too. TE Zach Miller is his favorite target, but the receivers are unreliable and unproductive. There’s a lot of talent at RB with Darren McFadden, Michael Bush and Justin Fargas. But one of them is always hurt – right now it’s McFadden – and they must deal with a spotty offensive line.

Defensively, they’ve gotten a pass rush out of recently added DE Greg Ellis and DT Richard Seymour, who both have four sacks. S Michael Huff has three interceptions, two of those against the Chiefs. But overall, they have trouble stopping the run.

Their kickers are strong, although returner Johnnie Lee Higgins has struggled with injuries this year and hasn’t produced this year.

After facing the Chargers, Oakland has a bye week and then hosts the Chiefs and Bengals, before playing on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas. Other than the Chiefs, there’s no place there to make up any ground.

SIGNINGS, INJURIES & MOVEMENT AROUND THE LEAGUE

• BEARS – LB Pisa Tinoisamoa is out of Sunday’s game against the Browns.
• BILLS – Ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Texans are RB Corey McIntyre, TE Shawn Nelson, OT Jonathan Scott, S Donte Whitner, DT Kyle Williams and QB Trent Edwards.
• CHARGERS – C Nick Hardwick will not play in Sunday’s game against the Raiders.
• COLTS – Out of Sunday’s game against the 49ers are WR Anthony Gonzalez, CB Marlin Jackson and K Adam Vinatieri.
• COWBOYS – CB Allen Rossum has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.
• EAGLES – Ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Giants are DE Victor Abiamiri, WR Kevin Curtis, LB Omar Gaither and CB Dimitri Patterson.
• GIANTS – Out of Sunday’s game against the Eagles are CB Aaron Ross, LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty.
• JAGUARS – Ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Titans were CB Rashean Mathis and CB Brian Witherspoon.
• LIONS – DE Jason Hunt will not play in Sunday’s game against the Rams.
• PACKERS – RB Korey Hall and WR Jordy Nelson will not play in Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
• PANTHERS – S Charles Godfrey, WR Muhsin Muhammad and TE Dante Rosario are out of Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
• RAIDERS – Ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Chargers were OT Cornell Green, RB Darren McFadden, LB Ricky Brown and WR Nick Miller.
• RAMS – Ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Lions is G Richie Incognito.
• SEAHAWKS – placed LB Lofa Tatupu on the injured reserve list; S C.J. Wallace ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.
• TEXANS – released LB Jamie Winborn; promoted DE Tim Jamison from the practice squad.
• TITANS – placed KR Mark Jones on the injured reserve list; signed KR Alvin Pearman.
• VIKINGS – ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Packers is CB Antoine Winfield.

FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY

October 31

On October 31, 1965, the Chiefs beat the Oakland Raiders 14-7 in front of 18,354 fans at Municipal Stadium. This defensive affair was settled in the fourth quarter on a one-yard TD run by QB Len Dawson. The teams combined for less than 400 offensive yards. The Chiefs defense held Oakland to 163 yards thanks to seven sacks. WR Chris Burford caught a 19-yard TD pass from Dawson for Kansas City’s other score. “It was a great win for us,” said Hank Stram. “We started off rather sluggish but we picked up momentum later in the first half.”

On October 31, 1971, the Chiefs and Raiders tied 20-20 at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. The teams were tied on top of the AFC West before the game and remained that way afterwards because of the old legend George Blanda. The 44-year old came off the bench with less than nine minutes to play in the game and threw a TD pass and kicked a FG that tied the game with 2 minutes, 31 seconds to play. That FG moved Blanda to the top of the all-time scoring list in pro football with 1,609 points, one more than former Cleveland K Lou Groza. Blanda’s TD pass went for 24 yards to WR Fred Biletnikoff. The Chiefs had a pair of short scoring runs and two field goals from K Jan Stenerud.

On October 31, 1993, the Chiefs lost 30-10 to the Dolphins at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami. The Fins were led by QB Scott Mitchell, who had a big day throwing for 344 yards and three touchdown passes. Mitchell found WR Irving Fryar for 27 yards, FB Keith Byars for 8 yards and WR Mark Ingram for 77 yards. The Chiefs only touchdown came on a six-yard pass from QB Dave Krieg to TE Keith Cash. QB Joe Montana started that game, but left with a hamstring injury. So did RB Harvey Williams who was carried off the field immobilized when he could not get up after his second fumble of the day.

November 1

On November 1, 1964, the Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos 49-39 at Municipal Stadium in front of a crowd of 15,053. What a day for QB Len Dawson, as he threw six touchdown passes, a club record that still stands today. Dawson’s passing got the Chiefs out to a 28-10 half-time lead and then a 42-17 lead at the end of three quarters. Dawson connected twice with RB Curtis McClinton for two and 66-yard scores. He also threw TD passes to TE Fred Arbanas (25 yards), WR Chris Burford (6), RB Abner Haynes (28) and WR Frank Jackson (35). Haynes also scored on a seven-yard run. Dawson completed 23 of 38 passes for 435 yards. He also threw three interceptions. Haynes caught five passes for 106 yards and McClinton caught four for 103 yards. The Chiefs defense got four sacks, as DE Jerry Mays and DT Buck Buchanan had two each. CB Dave Grayson had two interceptions.

On November 1, 1987, the Chiefs lost to the Chicago Bears 31-28 at Soldier Field. A big passing day for Chiefs QB Bill Kenney was wasted in defeat, as QB Jim McMahon led the Bears to victory. Kenney threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers: four yards to FB Larry Moriarty, 15 yards to TE Jonathan Hayes, 29 yards to WR Carlos Carson and 43 yards to WR Stephone Paige. But McMahon threw three TD passes, including the game-winner for 38 yards to WR Willie Gault with less than five minutes to play. The Bears also had an 88-yard kickoff return for a TD by WR Dennis Gentry. DE Art Still had three sacks.

On November 1, 1998, the Chiefs lost to the New York Jets 20-17 at Arrowhead Stadium in front of a crowd of 65,104. The Kansas City offense had trouble getting on track against the Jets defense, gaining just 204 yards, as QB Elvis Grbac threw three interceptions. Touchdowns came on a two-yard run by FB Tony Richardson and a one-yard run by RB Donnell Bennett. The Jets won the game with a 32-yard FG late in the game by K John Hall. LB Willie Davis had an INT and LB Derrick Thomas a sack of Jets QB Vinny Testaverde for the Chiefs defense.

SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …

October 31

Born on October 31, 1939 in Demopolis, Alabama was TE-K Tommy Brooker. He was a 17th-round selection in the 1962 AFL Draft out of Alabama. Brooker played five seasons (1962-66) with the Texans-Chiefs, appearing in 55 games. He was a receiver and kicker in those first two seasons, catching six passes for 170 yards and three TDs. In his last three seasons he was strictly a kicker. Brooker made 41 of 85 FG attempts over his career and all 149 of his PAT kicks. His longest FG was 46 yards and his most famous was the 25-yarder in double-overtime that won the 1962 AFL Championship Game against the Houston Oilers.

Born on October 31, 1957 in Charlottesville, Virginia was S Lloyd Burruss (left). He was a third-round selection in the 1981 NFL Draft out of Maryland. Burruss played 11 seasons with the Chiefs (1981-91), appearing in 145 games, with 103 starts. He finished with 628 total tackles, with 3.5 sacks, seven recovered fumbles and 22 interceptions, including four that were returned for touchdowns. Burruss was selected for the 1986 Pro Bowl. He was the first player in franchise history to win the Mack Lee Hill Award (1981), the team’s MVP honor (1985) and a spot in the Chiefs Hall of Fame (1989).

Born on October 31, 1979 in Chattanooga, Tennessee was DT Terdell Sands. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Sands never played a regular season game with the Chiefs, but he landed in Green Bay and then Oakland in 2003. He spent five more seasons with the Raiders before he was released earlier this season.

November 1

Born on November 1, 1945 in Lockhart, Texas was RB Willie Ellison (right). He joined the Chiefs in 1973 after playing six seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. Ellison spent two years with the Chiefs, appearing in 15 games with nine starts. He carried the ball 145 times for 525 yards and four TDs, and caught 14 passes for 128 yards.

Born on November 1, 1949 in Oxford, Nebraska was RB Jeff Kinney. He was selected in the first-round of the 1972 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. Kinney spent four seasons and one game in 1975 with the Chiefs (1972-75), appearing in 50 games, with 11 starts. He ran 237 times for 810 yards and four touchdowns, while catching 54 passes for 424 yards and one TD. Kinney also returned 11 kickoffs for a 21.1-yard average.

Born on November 1, 1960 in Dallas was RB Ken Lacy. He joined the Chiefs out of the USFL in 1984 and spent three seasons with the team (1984-87). Lacy appeared in 20 games, with five starts and carried the ball 66 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He caught 13 passes for 87 yards and two TDs and he returned four kickoffs for 44 yards.