In this second installment of “Half Empty; Half Full”, we’ll take a look at the Chiefs’ shut-out win over the Raiders. 28-0 sounds like a pretty lop-sided game, and, in fact, the Raiders’ offense was totally ineffective. This was to be expected. The QB position was in a state of flux, and the prep week had been seriously disrupted by the Palmer trade.

28-0 sounds pretty good, but after watching the game for a third time, using stop action & slo-mo, I still see the team as in a state of becoming. I hadn’t planned on  Raider QB’s throwing two TD passes to our guys, or a 64 yd. drive assisted by 30 yds. of penalty yardage.  

It was good to see Baldwin on the field, and he had a nice catch for a first down. The thing is, he should have had three catches, one possibly for a TD. He was targeted six times by my count. In the first quarter, Cassel, on a roll-out, never looked at Baldwin, who was in a seam in the defense, and breaking behind the safeties. It looked like a probable TD, & Cassel only had to throw the ball 30 yds.  Instead, Cassel threw an incompletion to the short receiver.  Cassel also targeted Baldwin (wide open) in the 4th  quarter.  Cassel threw off his back foot, and, after watching the play several times with stop-action, I’ll admit that it is possible that a defender may have gotten a finger on the pass. Regardless, if Cassel puts a little more air under the ball (or doesn’t throw off the back foot), it’s an easy completion.

On the positive side, Cassel was generally crisp with his passes. Bowe continues to look like one of the elite receivers in the league. Breaston is becoming an effective underneath receiver, with the ability to break tackles.

Battle ran tough. I said it last week, and I’ll say it again; if Battle can average 70-80 yds. a game, we can have an effective running game. Our OL generally kept things under control against a good defense. 

Of course, then there was DJ. Words escape me at this point in time. WOW!

All-in-all,  I’m anticipating the SD game with good feelings.