Welcome to the second addition of "Choose your own adventure" Kansas City Chiefs style. If you missed out on the first quarter (opening 4 games) of the season then make sure you head here to get all caught up on the action.
It seems as though a lot of you out there had a pretty good first quarter of the season. Now the scenarios get trickier and the stakes get even higher. After the first four games of the season rookies need not make the same mistakes and the veterans must push through to ensure the goals of the season are still met. The next two quarters of the season is where the ‘grind' starts to occur and where playoff teams begin to emerge.
The Chiefs have two road games followed by two home games over the next quarter of the season. They travel to Indianapolis (again) and Oakland, they then come home for games against San Diego and Miami. Considering the schedule that lies ahead for this team (New England, Green Bay, Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh), the second quarter becomes the most critical of the season in order to be in position to win the division again.
Don't make the wrong decision or this is the look you get from Coach Haley. Your adventure begins after the jump.
Week 5 - @ Indianapolis
Peyton "freakin" Manning takes time away from his busy commercial-making schedule to take on the Chiefs in Indianapolis in week five. Although it's not yet known if he'll be able to play in this game because of another neck surgery. This was obviously scheduled around his new Oreo commercial in which he needed to be on his game. Manning will most likely find a way to get on the field and do his thing, again.
Leading up to this game there was a lot said in the press about Jamaal Charles being unhappy because of the number of carries he's been getting over the last two weeks. This was all brought on because of a photograph of Charles looking unhappy on the sideline. This led AP's very own MNChiefsfan to write "Arguing with idiots: He's allowed to frown sometimes, he already signed an extension, relax". 63 rec's later and a tweet from Charles saying, "Was mad about Allen cheap-shoting our QB, calm down Chiefnation", people calmed down and the voices of reason around AP (I won't go there) stayed the course and realized some people like to stir up controversy.
The Colts lead at halftime by a score of 17-6 on two Peyton Manning touchdown passes to a non-concussed Austin Collie. Matt Cassel got the Chiefs down the field and into the red zone but a couple of bad throws and a couple of pressures of the right side of the line caused the drives to stall. This led Ryan Succop to hit from 32 and 34 yards. The game day thread was buzzing with the name Derek Sherrod thrown around from a mountain man in Colorado that shall be nameless.
Heading into the 4th quarter the Chiefs are down 24-13 and they stopped Indy on the Chiefs 45-yard line. It's 4th down and the punt return team heads onto the field for the Chiefs.
Choose your own adventure.
You are DEXTER MCCLUSTER. Indianapolis punter, Pat McAfee, remember this guy, punts a high spiraling punt that completely turns over as it heads your direction. You feel a couple of the gunners coming up on either side of you and you have a choice.
Click HERE if you decide to return the punt, or click HERE if you call for a fair catch.
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Week 6 - Bye
Week 7 - At Oakland
It's that special time of the year again when the Chiefs get to travel to their hated rivals dungeon and enter the black hole. The week leading up to each of the Raider games is always classic-time to spend around AP. This game was no different. Woody banned new 16 AP'ers, well.... at least with new handles. A few members from Silver and Black Pride attempt to come over to AP and discuss the upcoming game, big surprise, that doesn't go well. Neither does the attempt of any AP'ers poking in at SABP. Only J-Mancan talk on all blogs and feel at home everywhere, and that's because he's awesome.
A few AP stats on the week leading up to the game. The "Richard Seymour deal" is discussed 17 times, Jamarcus Russell inferences - 618, Darrius Heyward Bey - 847, number of times Stanford Routt is compared to Nnamdi Asomugha - 347, Al Davis old jokes - 71,314.
Congratulations. You've won a trip to Oakland to see the Chiefs play the Oakland Raiders. All of your expenses are paid, your kids are taken care of, your dogs will be walked, your wife gets whatever she wants, YOU GET TO GO ALRIGHT? But that leaves a very important decision for you to make.
Choose your own adventure.
You have a clothes issue that even a Tim Gunn can't help you with. The question is whether or not you go in rocking the Chiefs red? You get to go with two friends and they wear whatever you wear.
If you decide to go to the black hole wearing red click HERE, if you wear something neutral click HERE.
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Week 8 - Monday Night Football at home against the San Diego Chargers
The Kansas City Chiefs front-office did a wonderful thing in lieu of their opportunity of playing in front of the entire country and made this entire game dedicated around the city of Joplin. The pre-game festivities, commericals, videos on the jumbotron, half time celebration, all of it was dedicated to the people of Joplin. They also raised a lot of money by selling Joplin Chiefs T-Shirts before and during the game.
People all around the country should take notice of the city of Joplin and come together like so many times before when our neighbors have been in need. The Monday night game is a great opportunity to show people the unselfishness of the many heroes to the Joplin community.
Each and every person that has donated their time and effort to the clean-up and hopefully re-establishing of a community torn apart by no fault of their own should be recognized for what they have done. Forgive me if I don't list everyone but I know that Tomahawk44 and the new addition, Brody, have been right smack in the middle of all of this and I've read that AverageGatsby has gone to help with the cleanup. Prop's to you sir and our thoughts and prayers won't forget about any of you out there.
Choose your own adventure.
Many of you have been waiting for the moment that Mike Vrabel is no longer starting for the Kansas City Chiefs. Whether it's because a young up-and-comer earned it, or whether it's because he just couldn't get the job done anymore, you get to make the call.
If you start Justin Houston click HERE, if you start Mike Vrabel click HERE.
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Week 9 - At home against Miami
It's just too easy to start this off with a Miami Heat joke so I will refrain. The Dolphins come to town as we enter the mid-point of the season and bring one of the top rookies in the entire NFL in Daniel Thomas. Thomas is averaging just under 90 yards a game and has seven touchdowns already for the 4-3 Miami Dolphins. Fresh off victories against the winless Broncos and the shockingly bad New York Giants, the Dolphins have continued to win despite the lackluster performances from Chad Henne.
The Chiefs find a lot of early success in this game running between the tackles. Thomas Jones is having the best game of his season averaging over 5 yards-per-carry. Jamaal Charles continues to do his thing and averages just under 6 yards-per-carry through the first half. The Chiefs take a 20-10 lead into the second half.
Most of the AP game day thread is buzzing around the run game and why it's been so effective. One group believes it's the addition and success of Jon Baldwin so far in keeping defenses honest, that leads the Cassel-lovers to chime-in that Cassel has opened up the defense with the weapons around him and then the conversation goes down that road again.
The Chiefs find themselves in a little trouble in the middle of the 3rd quarter when Jerrell Powe goes down with an injury. A low-block from Richie Incognito puts the rookie 6th round pick on the ground for a considerable amount of time. *Free agency has not been a part of this adventure*. If only the Chiefs had acquired a certain somebody that could play nose tackle during free agency, hmm.....
The replay is shown several times on the screen at Arrowhead and it's not something that Incognito wanted anyone to see, especially Eric Berry. On the next play from scrimmage Brandon Marshall takes a pass across the middle and is hit so hard (legally) from Berry that when Marshall finally gets up he asks DJ, "When did we trade for Henne, and where is Cutler?"
The Chiefs have a 27-20 lead mid-way through the 4th quarter. They are threatening the score and have the ball on the 1/2 yard line on 4th down.
Choose your own adventure.
You can make it a two possession game by kicking the field goal or you can try and seal the victory with a late-touchdown. Brandon Marshall is still a little woozy on the sideline but he is still in the game and has big play potential.
If you kick the field goal then click HERE, if you go for the touchdown then click HERE.
That's it for the second quarter. How'd you do?