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Today's game reminded me a lot of the playoff loss in 2010. We played well in the first half. Well...

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Today's game reminded me a lot of the playoff loss in 2010. We played well in the first half. Well enough anyway, to stay within reach of a lead. I don't recall R. Succop missing any FGs in that game, but momentum swung to the opposition almost immediately to start the second half. With a Matt Cassel pick (6?) in the 2010 playoff loss, which caused our momentum and edge to grind to a halt. Back to my main point, our team came out strong in both games, but passing lanes were open, and the opposing offense adjusted with numerous strikes over the middle. Sound familiar with today? Run D is still our silver lining. But lacking our #1 CB can cause huge holes in terms of pass defense, things like this happen. What made me see the most similarities between today and 2010 was after we got the ball back, R. Succop missed the FG to start the third quarter. Matt Cassel had been poised and almost perfect in the first half (today, primarily), with only one missed passed (one other was dropped by D. Bowe). But after the Falcons came back after the missed FG with a FF/TD, Cassel felt pressured to make something happen. Too many people act as though Matt Cassel was rattled from the lack of momentum, that he simply crumpled. I have a different take, from what I precieve some people seeing in Matt Cassel. I think he was trying just a little to hard and wanted to win just a little too much, instead of pacing the game. Obviously every QB wants to win, and some find ways to do so under extreme pressure. Matt Cassel played today's game the same way he played 2010's playoff loss. He wanted to win instead of keeping cool under pressure. The most important thing I want you to take away from this is not my impressions of Matt Cassel and coming off as an apologist, but that we saw a Chiefs team playing almost great football, even though they gave up 20 points in the 3rd quarter. They played like it was like we beat the Ravens in 2010, and were shooting for another win (in the playoffs, in this thought experiment). We played like it was week 18 of 2010, in the first week of 2012. We did not adjust proportionally today just like we failed to in the second half of the Ravens playoff game in 2010. Our D was the weak link (again, in terms of passing) but with starters out and being the first week of a new season against a formidable opponent. My fear after watching the first half was the lack of adjustments. It seems we didn't need them on offense like we did in 2010, but it could be said the same lack of adjustment on defense lead to the loss, overall. What I want, if you have read this far, is to realize that it is a new season and expecting everything to come together so well for a full game is being unrealistic for this team. Yes RAC is head coach and Defensive coordinator and yes, we are uncertain how some of the new faces (and old, looking at you J. Belcher and S. Routt) will pan out over the entirety of the whole season; but if the KC Krew from New England (Daboll and RAC specifically) can click and share and meld and teach, and learn, and make babies...wait. Well, if they can communicate enough to notice negative tendencies and discuss them correspondingly, then I see us making proper adjustments when necessary. Most of the questions I had about this team were answered in this game, and believe it or not, in a positive way. Except! for the adjustments at halftime. That is just as important as mapping out a gameplan for your next opponent. Coaches need to parse tendencies between the offense and defense during the practice week and especially during halftime. Thanks for reading, KC Con (I do not own the rights to the photo) Edit: I did not watch the entirety of the third qaurter and got the score from NFL.com, which HAD the score of the third (only) at 20-0...don't ask me.