Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 10/11

Well, that happened. Good morning Chiefs fans, and welcome to Arrowheadlines. As you'd expect, there are a lot of Kansas City Chiefs stories out there this morning. We've gathered them here for you. Enjoy.

This won’t be the last time the Chiefs have to play without luck or big plays. Sometimes a team has to win without such advantages, and as the Chiefs begin taking steps toward looking polished and mature, maybe they won’t need good fortune. Maybe then, talent and coaching will be enough.

But for now, the Chiefs showed Sunday that they’re still rough. Still young. Still growing and still in need of a few breaks to hang with the league’s best teams.

Unbeaten no more: Chiefs come up just short in 19-9 loss to Colts from KC Star

This belief was reinforced during Sunday's 19-9 victory over Kansas City. With all due respect to the prior achievements of what was the NFL's last unbeaten team, the 2009 Colts wouldn't have been forced to settle for field goals after getting inside the opposition's 6-yard line on their first two series. That squad would have scored touchdowns en route to the customary blowout when Indianapolis is truly clicking. An improved but still flawed Chiefs squad (3-1) would not have had a chance to win deep into the game.

Sluggish Colts deal Chiefs 1st loss from Fox Sports

Losses used to make us numb, now they’re a chance to analyze. Losses used to remind us of everything going wrong, but now they also highlight what’s going right.

Mostly, it’s the defense. This is real. Believe it. Manning threw 18 incomplete passes, one interception, no touchdowns, and his worst passer rating (65.0) since the last time he faced Romeo Crennel’s coaching — Nov. 30, 2008, in a game against the Browns.

Romeo Crennel's defense is showing some real bite from KC Star

The strategy used Sunday by the Chiefs in the attempt to beat the Indianapolis Colts was obvious. They would run the ball as often as possible to keep the ball away from Peyton Manning and the high-scoring Colts offense.

It worked well enough, but the Chiefs also knew they’d have to connect on some passes and score some points in order to win. That part didn’t go so well and it was a big reason they lost for the first time this season, 19-9.

Chiefs' offense sputters when passing game bogs down from KC Star

The Chiefs kept Peyton Manning from throwing a touchdown pass. They kept Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis from getting a sack.

That should have been a recipe for success against the defending AFC champions.

But the Chiefs were helpless against Indianapolis kicker Adam Vinatieri. In a game that had New England Patriots fingerprints all over it, Vinatieri made the difference with four field goals in the Colts’ 19-9 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday.

Adam Vinatieri's four field goals help Colts hold off Chiefs from KC Star

Waters knew he was the Chiefs’ third tackle, and he prepared himself mentally as soon as Albert left the turf. Rookie Jon Asamoah took Waters’ place at left guard, and the Chiefs’ first two plays were runs to the right side. After a run up the middle, Albert returned with a bandage and a brace on his left arm.

Chiefs Buzz | Waters plays at left tackle; Colts cut former Chief Morgan; stingy defense from KC Star

KC Star Photo Gallery: Chiefs fall to Colts 19-9 for first loss of the season

NFL.com Video: GameDay: Chiefs vs. Colts highlights

NFL.com Video: Chiefs postgame press conference

Kansas City (3-1), with four straight wins dating to last season, was the NFL's last unbeaten team and brought a defense that hadn't allowed more than 14 points in a game all season -- until Hart's run.

With Manning having a rare off day, the Colts featured a more balanced attack. The problem was Indy had deactivated backup running back Donald Brown, and when Addai was hurt, the Colts had to turn to Hart.

The Chiefs thought they had done enough defensively to thwart Manning & Co. with an assortment of nickel and dime packages that had the quarterback out of sync and flustered.

No unbeatens remain as Vinatieri, Colts halt Chiefs' streak from NFL.com

When, the Kansas City Chiefs couldn't have been blamed for wondering Sunday, was the last time the NFL's lone unbeaten team went on the road as an 81/2-point underdog? It was as if the Chiefs' 3-0 record was an illusion.

Well, their defense wasn't, nor was that of the Indianapolis Colts.

REMEMBER US? from The Indianapolis Star

What the Chiefs can take pride in coming out of this game is their improving defense. McGraw's play was an example of what the Chiefs did right all day. Manning completed 26 of 44 passes for 244 yards and no touchdowns. His average of 5.5 yards per attempt was his lowest of the season. He had averaged 7.9 yards per attempt during the first four games.

Of course, this is not the first time Manning has been frustrated by a Romeo Crennel-coached defensive unit. Crennel, the Chiefs defensive coordinator, oversaw similar performances by his defenses in New England and Cleveland against Manning. However, this is the first time Kansas City has done so, and the Chiefs are doing it with a lot of new parts. Flowers and fellow cornerback Brandon Carr are both in their third seasons. Berry is a terrific rookie.

Even in defeat, Chiefs show progress from Yahoo! Sports

If those teams are smart, they will learn from the Chiefs' mistakes, which started with a bungled game-opening onside kick attempt. Save for a fumble, Kansas City ran the ball well, getting 108 yards on 24 carries from Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. But when the Chiefs got in Indianapolis territory or in short-yardage situations, they passed the ball and wound up with only three Ryan Succop field goals.

It was a perfect case of a team's offensive coordinator - former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis - outsmarting himself.

Concerns still exist after win from The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Trailing the once mighty Indianapolis Colts by just a field goal at 6-3 after the game's first 30 minutes, the

Chiefs, 3-1, had all the pieces in place for an upset.

Instead, quarterback Matt Cassel and the Chief aerial attack fell to pieces.

Coming out of the dressing room to start the second half, the sputtering Chiefs offence could muster just three first downs over the next 20 minutes. By that time the host Colts had built up a 19-9 advantage, a lead the Chiefs would not be able to overcome.

NFL missing elite teams? from The Toronto Sun

Since he's one of only three place-kickers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you'd think former Kansas City Chief Jan Stenerud would be on a shortlist of names for coaches to turn to for guidance.

But except for one time when Wade Phillips asked him for advice back in 1993 when he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos, nobody else called to pick Stenerud's brain on the subject.

Not that he's complaining. He does find it a little puzzling, though.

GIFT OF HOPE CELEBRITY GOLF CLASSIC: Hall of Famer to play in celebrity tourney from The San Angelo Standard-Times

Chiefs improving in the ratings: The Kansas City Chiefs didn't prove they are ready for prime time, but at 3-1, they have progressed to a point where they can go against local evening news or maybe a game show or two. The Chiefs were able to hang with the Indianapolis Colts in a 19-9 road loss. Their success can be attributed to a 2-3-6 scheme that held Peyton Manning to 244 passing yards, one red zone touchdown and no completion longer than 24 yards.

Week 5: Chargers losing grip on AFC West from ESPN

Worst calls to start a game: Both the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams opened their games with onside kicks that they failed to recover. Both calls backfired as the Chiefs (19-9 losers against the Indianapolis Colts) and Rams (44-6 losers to the Detroit Lions) surrendered field goals after giving their opponents short fields.

Week 5 bests & worsts: Cardinals' upset of Saints just one surprise in weekend full of them from USA Today

The Kansas City Chiefs will be in the AFC West hunt this Winter.  It's official, this team has some fight.  Defensively, they cover a lot of ground.  Their secondary offers a very rangy, athletic group of ball hawks.  Offensively, they have weapons, just not at the WR position.  Dwayne Bowe?  Chambers?

Week Five 9-Route from NFL Gridiron Gab

Scour the schedule for a winnable game through the remainder of the Bills schedule and it's a spooky scavenger hunt.

Kansas City in three weeks? Not a chance the way the Chiefs' defense is playing and with the inherent edge the hosts will get at Arrowhead.

Can Bills run the table and go 0-16? from The Tonawanda News

AND THEN THERE WAS NONE: Most experts expected Indianapolis to beat undefeated and seemingly over-rated Kansas City. But the Chiefs put up a fight, keeping Colts QB Peyton Manning under 300 yards for the first time this season and out of the end zone. Maybe this team is better then everyone thought.

10 things that happened around the NFL that will be talked about this week from The Patriot-News