Game Thread: Chiefs @ Texans

[Fountain City Blues]

Another noon game. The 1st place Chiefs (1-0; 1-0) look to pick up another potentially important tiebreaker and AFC win against the team they blanked 30-0 in the playoffs. Here's a very lazy snapshot of the division.

DVOA Through week 1

SD: 10th; 11.8%
KC: 15th; 2.7%
Oak: 16th; 1.2%
Den: 19th; -0.4%

DAVE:

KC: 5th
SD: 11th
Den: 12th
Oak: 18th

FO Playoff Odds through 9/13

KC: 65.4%
Den: 37.0%
Oak: 34.9%
SD: 29.9%

 

[RobToxin]

 

[Clayton]

Texans targeted Fuller 11 times in Week 1 and I don't expect that to change much. Quick outs, bubble screens, deep outs. Percy Harvin stuff. It'll be interesting to see how the Chiefs matchup.

I think if Alex Smith plays well, the Chiefs win. If he doesn't, it could look like the Texans/Bears game from Week 1. Not sure Ware will get as many missed tackles from the Texans this week as he got from the Chargers last week assuming Ware is healthy. Chiefs likely to target Kelce a lot and likely to test Cushing's replacement Max Bullough.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West or Jamaal. Charles? In the end, it really shouldn't matter, as Kansas City ranked first last week in my good blocking rate (GBR) metric that measures how often an offense gives its ball carriers quality run blocking. The Chiefs 56.3 percent GBR last week was even higher than their league-leading 44.9 percent GBR in 2015.

Interesting information from KC Joyner on the Chiefs' run blocking. Consistent with FO's estimation of the Chiefs' runblocking for the most part.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Ehinger, LDT, and Barrington are out. Jamaal is also out.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Inactives this week. No surprises

RB Jamaal Charles
QB Tyler Bray
WR De’Anthony Thomas
CB Kenneth Acker
G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
G Parker Ehinger
LB Sam Barrington

 

[Fountain City Blues]

3 fumbles, multiple bad drops, and a QB who held the ball too long; and a kicker who kicks the ball out of bounds. Good luck scoring or preventing the other team from scoring when you do that.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Rewatching the game right now, and yeah we can use LDT and Ehinger back it looks like.

 

[jvett77]

I'd like to see Foles get some playing time although that will be tough since Smith isn't too shabby.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I'd like to see Foles get some playing time although that will be tough since Smith isn't too shabby.

If Foles gets a start there's a tank job a-brewin'

 

[Fountain City Blues]

More and more I am watching and turnovers aside, this loss is squarely on Alex Smith. Happens, but it's a loss against a team that would've been nice to have a tiebreaker against. Another AFC hopeful is coming into Arrowhead next week in the Jets. Real opportunity, but the team has to be pulling in the same direction and no in every which way like these first two weeks.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

For Those Who Take These Grades More Seriously Than I do

Top offensive grades:

LG Zach Fulton, 76.9

LT Eric Fisher, 75.3

RB Charcandrick West, 65.2

WR Chris Conley, 60.7

WR Jeremy Maclin, 59.1

Dismal day for the offensive line

Fisher and Fulton were clearly the best linemen on the day for the Chiefs, despite each of them giving up a sack. They also combined for four penalties, and yet graded significantly better than the rest of the line, in large part to very poor run blocking by the remaining three. The run game consisted of three big outside runs totaling 74 yards, while the remaining 16 totaled just 48.

Top defensive grades:

NT Dontari Poe, 84.1

S Ron Parker, 82.9

CB Marcus Peters, 82.1

OLB Tamba Hali, 78.2

CB Steven Nelson, 77.6

Poe dominates the line of scrimmage

Poe contributed a hit and a hurry as a pass-rusher, but was especially effective against the run. He notched two run stops and four total tackles, and his complete control of Texans’ center Greg Mancz forced Houston’s running backs to constantly have to change the point of attack on inside run plays.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Offense

QB Alex Smith: 64
C Mitch Morse: 64
G Zach Fulton: 64
G Jah Reid: 64
OT Mitch Schwartz: 64
OT Eric Fisher: 64
WR Jeremy Maclin: 63
WR Chris Conley: 54
WR Albert Wilson: 41
WR Tyreek Hill: 7
WR Demarcus Robinson: 2
TE Travis Kelce: 55
TE Demetrius Harris: 19
TE Ross Travis: 6
RB Spencer Ware: 36
RB Charcandrick West: 26
FB Anthony Sherman: 10
RB Knile Davis: 1


Defense

S Ron Parker: 72
S Eric Berry: 72
S Daniel Sorensen: 26
S Eric Murray: 1
LB Derrick Johnson: 72
LB Dee Ford: 62
LB Frank Zombo: 53
LB Justin March: 32
LB Tamba Hali: 31
CB Marcus Peters: 72
CB Steven Nelson: 70
CB Phillip Gaines: 58
DE Jaye Howard: 50
NT Dontari Poe: 49
DE Allen Bailey: 42
DE Chris Jones: 18
DE Nick Williams: 12

Last Week's snap counts

• QB Alex Smith: 71
• OT Mitch Schwartz: 71
• OT Eric Fisher: 71
• G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif: 71
• G Parker Ehinger: 71
• C Mitch Morse: 71
• WR Jeremy Maclin: 65
• WR Chris Conley: 61
• WR Albert Wilson: 49
• WR Tyreek Hill: 10
• RB Charcandrick West: 34
• RB Spencer Ware: 34
• FB Anthony Sherman: 1
• TE Travis Kelce: 62
• TE Demetrius Harris: 28
• TE Ross Travis: 11

Defense

• S Eric Berry: 73
• S Ron Parker: 72
• S Daniel Sorensen: 18
• CB Marcus Peters: 72
• CB Steven Nelson: 70
• CB Phillip Gaines: 51
• CB DJ White: 1
• LB Derrick Johnson: 73
• LB Dee Ford: 54
• LB Frank Zombo: 50
• LB Tamba Hali: 42
• LB Justin March-Lillard: 41
• NT Dontari Poe: 55
• DE Allen Bailey: 52
• DE Jaye Howard: 48
• DE Chris Jones: 12
• DE Nick Williams: 8

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Looking at these snapcounts, Albert Wilson needs to grab some bench.

 

[Clayton]

More and more I am watching and turnovers aside, this loss is squarely on Alex Smith. Happens, but it's a loss against a team that would've been nice to have a tiebreaker against. Another AFC hopeful is coming into Arrowhead next week in the Jets. Real opportunity, but the team has to be pulling in the same direction and no in every which way like these first two weeks.

I wouldn't put it squarely on him. My blame game would be:

1. Turnovers
2. Alex Smith being bad
3. Oline being injured

I think if there were fewer turnover and a healthy oline, bad Alex Smith could've won this but this was his game to win.

This was a Fuller vs Kelce game with the matchups. Fuller got his and Kelce was a no show.

 

[Black Adam]

I wouldn't put it squarely on him. My blame game would be:

1. Turnovers
2. Alex Smith being bad
3. Oline being injured

I think if there were fewer turnover and a healthy oline, bad Alex Smith could've won this but this was his game to win.

This was a Fuller vs Kelce game with the matchups. Fuller got his and Kelce was a no show.

gotta give the Texans D a lotta credit for that...

agree about the mistakes, though...