:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23439591/20131117_kkt_st3_051.0.jpg)
As usual on a big loss like this I'm waking up more optimistic than a lot of others. Maybe that's just who I am as a fan -- I'm an optimistic person. I'm walking out of Sunday night's Chiefs-Broncos game looking at how close the Chiefs are to the Broncos, rather than how far away they are. The glass is half full for me despite the loss.
Let's point out
Offense: C-
The reason I give the Chiefs a C- and not a D+ is because they actually attempted some downfield throws in this game, which tells me they knew what they had to do against Denver. They just couldn't do it.
17 points wasn't enough and we knew going in that it wouldn't be. You can blame Alex Smith not completing more than 50 percent of his passes. You can blame Jamaal Charles having just 18 touches. You can blame Eric Fisher. You can blame the penalties.
Whoever you blame, the Chiefs offense wasn't good enough. That fumble by Anthony Sherman was killer.
Defense: B
A great performance? Nah. The best performance against Peyton Manning this season? Yep.
The sacks weren't there but I can live with most of that. I went back and looked at how quickly Peyton was getting the ball out and the Chiefs pass rushers just didn't have much of a chance. Statistically this was Peyton's worst game of the season so the Chiefs affected him when you compare it to how others played him.
27 points against the NFL's best offense (maybe ever)? I can live with that.
Special teams: C
C is for average. Some good things, some bad. But nothing that really stands out. At least Trindon Holliday didn't take one back.
What's your grade?