Chiefs Coach Keeping an Eye on Last Year's Victory Over Cowboys

by Joel Thorman on Oct 9, 2009 4:32 PM CDT in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

Since it's Friday, and we've been talking about the Dallas Cowboys for a couple days, you know all the story lines for the Kansas City Chiefs game this weekend:

Todd Haley used to work for the Cowboys
Haley was the passing game coordinator in Tony Romo's first season as a starter
Multiple members of the Chiefs coaching staff previously worked in Dallas

There are plenty of connections. One of the Haley connections is the Chiefs defensive coordinator - Clancy Pendergast worked with Haley in Arizona last season and both helped put together a game plan to beat the Cowboys nearly a year ago to the day Sunday (10/12/2008).

The Cardinals held the 'Boys to 24 points in a 30-24 overtime win.

(Side note: The game winner? A Monty Beisel blocked punt return for a touchdown.)

Matt Mosley of ESPN on Thursday talked with Haley who said he has watched that game two times in preparation for Sunday. So, what exactly did Pendergast and the Cardinals defense do?

Nothing too spectacular - at least judging by the numbers. Romo went off for over 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The Cardinals did force four fumbles, though, recovering only one.

The key number though, in my mind, is the rushing yards. (Check out the entire box score here.) This year's version of the Cowboys boasts one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. I would imagine Haley was keeping an eye on how Pendergast's defense held the Cowboys to 73 yards rushing last year. If the Chiefs can do that, then it means Romo is passing more, which means more opportunities for a big play on defense. I've previously said that the Chiefs best (and perhaps only) chance in this game is going to come off of Romo mistakes.

Mosley, author of ESPN's NFC East blog, sides with what John Clayton said earlier in the week: The Chiefs could be dangerous.

"I thought Haley and his defensive coordinator, Clancy Pendergast, put a tremendous game plan together to help the Cardinals beat the Cowboys in '08," Mosley writes. "Haley told me Thursday that he's watched that game on film twice this week. The Cowboys should win the game, but don't discount how important Haley's knowledge of the Dallas personnel will be in this game."

(H/T stagdsp for the link)

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Thanks, Joel and stagdsp.

It’s a double-edged sword the Chiefs’ll be swingin’ on Sunday! Best chance for KC is to capitalize on a Romo error. The best shot for Dallas is to hurt the Chiefs through the air.

That secondary I’ve been maligning since last October has shown the ability to do some things, but hasn’t put it all together, at least not as of last Sunday. And they did a good job stopping Justin Miller for the Faders, although Miller dropped a few he shouldn’t’ve. Witten could be huge for Dallas, though. Chiefs might struggle to find a way to stop him, and they do NOT want to strand their LBs in coverage against him or at least when they do, it needs to be after they’ve given Romo a bad case of hair-trigger-happy-feet (hare-trigger-bunny-feet? Can you picture Romo in bunny slippers?) off the blitz.

And doesn’t “Romo” rhyme with “Bono,” sort of, and isn’t that a bad thing for the Cowboys by some measure?

I think KC can single-up Brandon Carr against Roy Williams. Myles Austin is another matter, and, but for some bad luck, he was expected to WOW people LAST season. Combo of size and quickness that might require a doubleteam from this KC DB corps. AND there’s Witten and that other WR whose name escapes me.

No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.

by hmills110 on Oct 9, 2009 6:24 PM CDT reply actions