Looking at that photo, I shake my head and say "Wow" because throwing a beer on an opposing player is so ridiculous I'm sad it happened at Arrowhead. Just pure trash in that photo.
***
When comparing these numbers with last year's, the similarities are hard to ignore. Average starting position is average to below average in both seasons. Inability to get first downs rushing the ball. It's all there. Fundamentally, the Chiefs appear to be the same team as last year's that went on a skid about this same time.
| @ NE | OAK | @ ATL | DEN | @ CAR | TEN | |
| Drives | 10 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Avg. Start | KC 25 | KC 24 | KC 25 | KC 46 | KC 25 | KC 25 |
| 3/outs | 4 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Rushing 1st Downs | 5 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
| Passing 1st Downs | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 8 |
| 3rd Down Eff. | 50% (8/16) | 27% (4/15) | 44% (8/18) | 38% (5/13) | 31% (4/13) | 29% (4/14) |
| Plays/Drive | 6.2 | 5.2 | 5 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 5.2 |
| Kickoff Return Avg. | 24.5 | 21 | 18.6 | 27.2 | 26 | 27.4 |
| Punt Return Avg. | 7 | 12.3 | 4.7 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| Penalties | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Total Rushing Plays | 27 | 19 | 33 | 33 | 17 | 17 |
| Pass Attempts | 31 | 38 | 36 | 28 | 31 | 37 |
Our punt return average flirts with the worst in the league but on kickoff returns the Chiefs are doing pretty well at 24.4 yards/return. Special teams are often a complaint around here, which goes back for the last couple of years. I can't see why a change of coaching in this position shouldn't be done after this season.
Field position aside, this is the same immovable offense that we've had for about a year now. More than 2/3rds of the Chiefs total points have come in the garbage time of the 4th quarter, when every opponent besides the Broncos and Patriots had their backups in.
Frankly, beyond the stats, it appears that coaching staff has lost or is losing the confidence of its players. The general malaise around Arrowhead Stadium is sickening and Herm isn't for sure going to pull an inspiring speech out of his hat to rouse the troops. Here's Herm on yesterday's game:
You’ve got to continue to work. That’s one think these kids do. We’ve got to stop getting behind in games. That’s what hurt us the last two weeks. That’s never good, especially against a good team. We have to find a way to get some points on the board.
This kind of general BS has to get old for player's to hear after too long. I'm getting sick of it and I've taken a total wait-and-see approach with Herm Edwards' coaching tenure in KC. The guy is starting to annoy me with his lack of urgency towards developing this team.