Hall Not only is it four on the year and "on the trot", but it's also 3 in a row that were not blocked particularly well. Great teams find a way to win away or with their "B" game at home. Denver badly outplayed KC everywhere but kick coverage. KC had 262 return yards! I have no idea how you gain 469 yards and lose, but we just witnessed it on Denver's part. The knock on KC now is that they are a smoke and mirrors team doing it with defensive turnovers and Dante Hall. Lost in that will be the job of the punter today and the yoman's effort of the defense. When they were beaten, tired, and the game got late they found a way to do just enough. KC will have to be better soon. @GB, @OAK, and BUF next 3 weeks.
Re: Hall Wha???? In Baltimore the return was a do over because of a penalty. Every article I read last week said that Ganz(sp?) Jr. changed the play call and that three blocks were made perfectly to seal the hole and break him wide open. In the Houston game, Hall did the same as yesterday. The Chiefs were actually trying to block the kick and missed. Hall got passed the first 3-5 tacklers and then the rest of the team caught up and made the blocks to get him the TD. In all the articles is mentioned Maslowski made 4 blocks on that single play that opened Hall. Yesterday was the same as in Houston. Chiefs went for a block, miss, Hall gets around the first 5, then the blockers came back and sprang him. Check the replay, when Hall ran backwards to the 2 yard line only a back side block got him free. Otherwise there was a guy that could/might have taken him down.
Anyone else see Dante on Lettermen tonight? He threw out a few pretty funny lines. Nice to see a Chief up there inf ront of the nation, especially one as upstanding as Hall.
Felt the need to bump this up since it's been a little slow in here. Only the kicker to beat today and he has the record. Do you still think he can break it this season? I mean I don't care because he is still busting games open and giving us great field position, but I would like to see him get the record.
I don't think he will, he's been so close so many times, but he's never able to pull it off. Teams have started holding guys back as "safties" and it's almost impossible to get through everyone now. Any other returner, if he gets past the 35 yard line, he's gone if he can beat the kicker. Dante has to get past the 50 and beat the kicker and sometimes a few other guys. The way other teams play us allows a great returner like Hall to exploit it for field position, but it's gonna be really tough to break through and go the distance, but if there is a guy to do it, it's gonna be him. You can really see the frustration on his face. He's really made this season exciting. Everytime they kick to him I hold my breath, and he's been a nice threat on the offense too. How about Priest's record though? Emmit Smith's record of 25 rushing TDs in a season is about to fall. Going into the Detroit game, he needed 7 in three games, which seemed a little unlikely considering he'd gotten 7 in the last 5 games, but that 3 TD day against Detroit made it extremely probable he'll get the title. You gotta think he'll at minnimum get 1 versus Minnesota, and two versus Chicago, which would tie the record. But with Saunders and the rest of the team, wanting to give him the record, I'll expect to see 5 the next two games (2 vs. Minny and 3 versus Chicago). Who the champ now Portis?
Details On that note: The NFL playoffs reseed after the Wildcard round so the only way Denver gets another shot at KC is if NE fumbles the home field OR of KC fumbles the #2 seed. The reason is that Denver can only rise to as high as the 5 seed. Most likely, they are #6 barring a Tenn collapse. A #6 seed that wins will always play at the #1 seed. Additionally, for a 5 to be at KC (assuming the #2), both The AFC South champ and IND would have to lose at home - not likely. KC beating MIN Saturday is huge for many reasons. Among them is that it would give GB a shot at winning in Denver for their division title in Week 17. Given the schedules, you have to think Denver will have to lose twice to not make the playoffs. KC's first playoff game is shaping up to be a rematch of IND@KC.
Re: Re: Details It's easy to lay that one on the kicker. Truth of the matter is that the whole team failed. Not one aspect, including the fans' cheering, was done well enough to win by KC that day. I take it back. Marcus Allen had a good day. http://www.canoe.ca/SuperBowl1997/jan7_ind_kc.html
Re: Re: Re: Details Ok, well Elliot and Bono, three missed field goals of 35, 39, and 43 yards, most kickers should be able to make those. Then Bono being picked off 3 times and only about 120 yards, before Gannon replaced him on the last drive, which lead to a missed field goal. This season is starting to look erriely familar to it, we are still currently undefeated at home, we have a guy who can return kicks (I know Vanover dropped off really bad, but he was able to return kicks on occasions). The difference is though, is that then we had a good defense, now we have more of an offense. What I wouldn't give to combine that defense with our offense. That's a scary thought.