Notes: Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide For L.J.

From Baltimore, Maryland

There was no doubt coming into this game that the Baltimore Ravens were intent on making sure that Larry Johnson never got out of the blocks with the Chiefs running game.

The last time they saw him, Johnson ran for 120 yards, the last running back to crack the 100-yard against the Ravens in the last 35 regular season games.

Make that 36 games, as Johnson ran 11 times for 20 yards. As a team, the Chiefs had 29 yards on 17 carries.

“When you get down by a couple of points and certain things happen, you just kind of go with the flow and do the best you can to help the team stay out of negative downs,” Johnson said after the game. “We got down and there were things we wanted to do that we just couldn’t do.”

Most of the reason the Chiefs struggled was the Baltimore defense and their focus on stopping the run, which is an every game goal, especially if it means stopping Johnson.

“For our defense that’s the number one goal,” said DT Haloti Ngata. “Then, we can get to the passer. It was great that we could keep Larry Johnson contained and make them a one-dimensional offense.

Johnson thought there were some positives that came out of the game for the Chiefs.

“We played real tough against a good team at their stadium,” said Johnson. “A lot of people thought we wouldn’t be able to put points on the board. But special teams, offense and defense, we all had bright spots.

“We played really good against a good team and a team that went to the playoffs last year. What we need to do is move forward from that.”

FINDING A CRACK IN BALTIMORE’S PASS PROTECTION

Special teams coach Steve Hoffman had spotted something in the Ravens punt protection unit and set up a punt rush for this game to see if the Chiefs could get their hands on a punt behind the line of scrimmage.

In the second quarter, the opportunity presented itself as Baltimore was kicking from deep in its end of the field. FS Jon McGraw settled into the middle of the punt rush unit and wasn’t happy with what he saw.

“They were using a different protection than we planned for,” McGraw said. “I wasn’t sure it was going to work.”

Oh it worked, one of the few things on the day that actually did work for the Chiefs. McGraw broke free up the middle and got the ball just as it left the foot of punter Sam Koch. The ball richocheted backwards into the end zone and there was a mad scramble for the ball.

“I got up and saw a couple of guys fall on the ball and it would squirt out and I just didn’t want to see it go out the back of the end zone,” McGraw said. “So I got down there and I was able to get on the ball.”

It’s the first blocked punt for the Chiefs since November 11, 2007, when SS Bernard Pollard stopped a punt by Denver’s Todd Sauerbrun. It was the first blocked punt that went for a touchdown since December 31, 2006, when Pollard blocked a punt by Jacksonville’s Chris Hanson and ended up with the ball in the end zone.

For McGraw, it was the first touchdown of his eight-year career.

OTHER SPECIAL TEAMS STUFF

Dustin Colquitt was on the way to one of the greatest punting performances in a single game in Chiefs history before he shanked his fifth and last punt in the third quarter. The kick traveled just 28 yards before rolling out of bounds.

Before that Colquitt had four punts, here are the numbers for gross and net for each kick: 43/29, 57/50, 61/53 and 57/57. That worked out to a gross average of 54.5 yards and a net average of 49.7 yards.

As it ended up, Colquitt’s numbers were still very good, with a 49.2-yard gross average and a 45.5 net average.

Rookie kicker Ryan Succop showcased his powerful right leg on two occasions in this game. He nailed a 53-yard field goal into the windy end of M&T Bank Stadium and he sent a kickoff all the way out of the end zone, as the line drive boot landed on the boarder some 81 yards away from where he kicked the ball.

Succop’s 53-yard FG was the longest by a Chiefs rookie kicker since Jan Stenerud hit a 54-yard FG at Houston on September 9, 1967.

The Chiefs got nothing in the return game, as they had just one punt return for no yards, as CB Maurice Leggett fumbled the ball. On the occasion when they were catching a punt deep in their own territory, veteran WR Bobby Engram was sent back to handle the return and he called a fair catch. RB Jamaal Charles handled most of the kickoff returns, averaging 23.3 yards on four returns.

The Chiefs coverage units did a good job, as Baltimore’s returners never got loose on the punts or kickoffs

AL SAUNDERS SURFACES IN BALTIMORE

Former Chiefs offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Al Saunders is now working on the Ravens coaching staff. Saunders had two years left on a contract he signed before the 2008 season with the St. Louis Rams and was planning to sit out the season and enjoy some downtime. He turned down several offers.

But then the Ravens called and it was a situation that Saunders found very enticing. He still owns a home in Virginia from his time with the Washington Redskins and is just 45 minutes away from the Ravens complex.

“This is a class operation,” Saunders said before the game. “From the owner, down to the grounds crew, they do things right.”

Saunders is working with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

PERSONNEL ITEMS

Beyond starters QB Matt Cassel and CB Brandon Flowers who were inactive, others who did not dress were RB Dantrell Savage, G Andy Alleman, TE Jake O’Connell, OLB Turk McBride and OLB Pierre Walters.

Those who did not dress for the Ravens were: RB Jalen Parmele, LB Dannell Ellerbe, OT Oniel Cousins, OL Tony Moll, TE L.J. Smith, NT Brandon McKinney and DE Paul Kruger.

Leggett started for Flowers and Jarrad Page was back in the starting lineup at FS, replacing McGraw who had been in the starting spot for the last 10 days. Demorrio Williams opened at inside linebacker next to Corey Mays.

No. 1 draft pick Tyson Jackson started at LDE, making him the only rookie in the starting lineup. In the last five years, all but one first-round pick started the Chiefs opener: Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali, Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert and Jackson. The only missing first rounder in the starting lineup on opening day was WR Dwayne Bowe in 2007. Bowe got into the starting lineup for the second game.

Newly acquired OT Ryan O’Callaghan was the only active player who did not get on the field for the Chiefs.

TALKING NICE

It’s early in the season, so there were nice words being exchanged about the other team that you wouldn’t normally hear come later in the season.

Here’s Chiefs WR Mark Bradley on the Ravens: “They did a hell of a job coming back after we had a long drive to tie the game up. They sustained it and they overcame it.”

And here’s Ravens LB Terrell Suggs on the Chiefs: “What they did is they showed that they are ready to turn the corner. They are a rebuilding team and they really showed u p to play some football today. They competed with their hearts. I don’t know how soon, but they’re going to become a really good team.”

OTHER STUFF

Press box statistics had Chiefs SS Mike Brown leading all tacklers with 12 total tackles. ILB Demorrio Williams was credited with 10 tackles … OLB Tamba Hali had the Chiefs only sack. He also forced a fumble by QB Joe Flacco. That was the 12th forced fumble of his career … Chiefs average starting position after a kickoff was their 23-yard line. For the Ravens it was the Baltimore 25-yard line … the Chiefs defense faced 85 plays, the most by an opponent in 21 years, back to an overtime game against the New York Jets on October 2, 1988 when they saw 97 plays.