Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 11/19

The 'Tough-Minded' Chiefs Plan Of Attack from The Mothership

Alex Smith threw two TDs Sunday night, one caught by Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, who says the team's loss won't negatively affect its approach to this week's game against the Chargers.

"We're still going to play Chiefs football," Bowe said. "We just have to capitalize on the plays we left out there and we'll be right back in the game. Pretty much, they played better than us and that's the bottom line. We're going to bounce back, like we normally do, get back to the Xs and Os, take one play at a time and the things we left out there, we have to fix them in practice and move forward to San Diego."

No Time To Wallow: Chiefs Must Put Broncos Loss Behind Them from FS Kansas City

"I thought we did a pretty good job against (Manning)," Reid said. "I think he did a good job of getting the ball out fast. But we held him....his quarterback rating (94.1) was well below his average (118.3).

"Our defense gave the offense great chances there in the third quarter with stops on three straight drives...bang, bang, bang. But we didn't take advantage of that. We need to. We had chances."

Derrick Johnson: Chiefs Won't Lose Confidence from The Mothership

Kansas City Pro Bowl LB Derrick Johnson, who finished Sunday night's game with five tackles and one fumble recovery, said the Broncos did pretty much exactly what the Chiefs expected, including Manning's antics at the line of scrimmage.

"That's what they do," Johnson said. "They hurry up and try to see what you're in; they don't really snap the ball quick; they kind of just see what you're going to show, but he made his checks. He did a good job; we stopped him at times, but at certain key times, they beat us."

Reid On Chiefs: 'This Is A Tough-Minded Group' from Chiefs Spin

[T]here should be no doubt if the Chiefs are for real contrary to what some in the media are spewing. It's tough for a level-headed person to argue against that fact when considering the road atmosphere against one of the league's top teams.

Of course, the uncertainties surrounding an inconsistent offense remain.

But any concerns over the players potentially sulking over the 27-17 loss to the Broncos won't be found at One Arrowhead Drive.

Andy Reid's Monday Presser Transcript from The Mothership

Q: At what point are you what you are offensively and just need to play to your strengths, rather than try and make it something you're not?

REID: "Listen, I think you evaluate those things and you try to do that. We try to play to our strengths. You look at the run-pass ratio and when you're behind, then you've got to throw the ball a little bit more. We've been hovering around that 50/50 area and I think that's probably where we're the best, right in that area. Where we can still keep defenses off balance; you've seen a lot of man coverage. They're packing the box in. Obviously, they know we've got a pretty good runner there. There's a point where you have to do some things, throwing the ball, and you try and mix and match it the best you possibly can."

Chiefs Can Learn From Loss To Broncos from The Associated Press via FA Kansas City

No one expected a team that went 2-14 last season to run the table anyway, and the first-half schedule was so weak that even the Chiefs seemed a bit unsure how good they had actually become under the mustachioed and rejuvenated Andy Reid.

The answer is they're plenty good, even if their chances to rally were slim on Sunday. The Chiefs simply aren't built for big comebacks, and by the time they had gotten acclimated to the thin air in Denver the Broncos already owned a 10-0 lead they weren't about to relinquish.

But if there is such a thing as a good loss -- something no self-respecting coach would ever admit -- this was it.

CWO Volunteers At Women's Shelter from The Mothership

On Monday, the Chiefs Women's Organization (CWO) visited Rose Brooks Center (RBC), which provides emergency shelter to women and children escaping life-threatening abuse, as well as, offering tools and resources to begin rebuilding their lives.

"Rose Brooks Center is a domestic violence program that saves the lives of women and children every single day of the year," Joan Dougherty, Director of Volunteers and Community Support at RBC explained. "We have 100 women and children living in our emergency center and also transitional housing and outreach programs."

KCChiefs.com Video: Monday Press Conference

NFL.com Video: Where The Kansas City Chiefs Exposed Against The Denver Broncos?

Don't Look For Offense To Emphasize The Run from ESPN

Meanwhile, the one offensive thing the Chiefs did better than the Broncos is the one thing they generally do better than their opponents. They outgained the Broncos in rushing yardage, making seven times in 10 games they've topped their opponent in that category.

The solution would seem to be for the Chiefs to accept their offensive limitations, realize what it is they do best and then play to those strengths.

But Chiefs coach Andy Reid indicated Monday he had no plans to take the offense in a different direction.

Fans React To KC Chiefs Heartbreaking Loss In Denver from KSHB

While the team may have competed well, the Broncos kept the lead the entire game.

But for fans, it's such a far cry from last season that the loss is bittersweet, and they can only hope in two weeks, we'll have better luck.

Upon Further Review: Chiefs Week 11 from ESPN

The Chiefs scored their first second-half offensive touchdown in four games on Sunday, but that happened within the last five minutes, with the Broncos holding a comfortable lead and willing to allow a long, time-consuming drive. Kansas City's second-quarter offensive touchdown was its first in seven quarters. This is a problem the Chiefs will have to learn to live with.

Broncos Not Perfect But Still In 1st Place from CBS Denver

Of course, even with their imperfections, the Broncos were double-digit winners over an undefeated team that got its own share of credit for not getting steamrolled by an offense that scored two touchdowns less than its season average.

It was, as most of Denver's wins have been, a fortuitous blend of successes and failures - not bad enough to cause a loss, but certainly not a clean enough effort to breed complacency, which is good given the upcoming schedule.

The Broncos Are The Best Team In The NFL, But If You Still Want To Have A Super Bowl Go Ahead from For The Win

One play from Sunday night sums up the Chiefs. Kansas City had the ball at the Denver 41 with 10 minutes to play on 4th and 7, trailing by 14.

And the Chiefs punted. They punted.

Is there any greater indictment of Alex Smith?

Reid's Conservative Calls Cost Chiefs from The Orange County Register

When you play a team such as Denver - the NFL's highest-scoring and most offensively efficient club - you have to approach the game differently. You have to be more aggressive and take more chances. Yet when faced with fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line late in the second quarter, Reid sent in the field-goal team. When faced with fourth-and-7 at the 41 with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter - and the Broncos up 14 points - Reid elected to punt.

After Loss, Chiefs Have Little Margin For Error from The Associated Press via St. Joseph News-Press

The Kansas City Chiefs only intend to lose to the Denver Broncos once, and that thought goes beyond the rematch between AFC West rivals in two weeks at Arrowhead Stadium.

After falling 27-17 on Sunday night for the first time all season, the Chiefs insisted that they are turning their attention to the San Diego Chargers. They aren't going to dwell on missed opportunities, turnovers and miscues that cost them dearly at Mile High Stadium.

In other words, they aren't going to let the fallout from Denver beat them against San Diego on Sunday.

Chiefs-Broncos On "Sunday Night Football" Posts Top Primetime Overnight For November Game In 17 Years from Niagara Frontier Publications

Last night's NBC "Sunday Night Football" game featuring the first meeting of 9-0 and 8-1-or-better teams in 44 years posted a 16.6 overnight rating and 27 share (8:30 p.m.-midnight ET) - marking the best primetime overnight for a November game in 17 years and a 36 percent increase over last season's week 11 "SNF" game (12.2 for Baltimore-Pittsburgh). The Denver Broncos (8-1) hosted the Kansas City Chiefs (9-0).

5 Things We Learned Fro Broncos-Chiefs from CBS Denver

Granted, they gave up more points than they had all season, more than double the league-leading 12.8 they'd been allowing coming into the game. And yes, the Broncos still amassed 427 yards in offense. But the Chiefs' defense was hardly a pushover, the way so many defenses are when they come up against Manning and the Broncos. The Chiefs forced three three-and-outs, six punts and two field-goal attempts of more than 50 yards. They held an offense that adjusts at halftime and averages 24 points in the third and fourth quarters to 10 in the second half. And those 27 points? Might not seem great but it was Denver's lowest total of the season.

Where Did The Chiefs' Pass Rush Go? from Deadspin

The Broncos were the first real test on KC's last-place schedule, so that "1" in the loss column carries disproportionate weight. This isn't to say the Chiefs are now "frauds"-Kansas City held a juggernaut offense to a season-low 27 points-but it has to be worrying that the pass rush, the backbone of the Chiefs' resurgence, is in hibernation. Manning wasn't sacked or even hit last night, and the KC defense has recorded just a single sack in its last three games.

Broncos Hold Serve Against Chiefs from The Colorado Independent

With the two teams scheduled to meet again in Kansas City in just two weeks, no one was going to disclose anything of even remote strategic significance. But you have to try, so I asked Manning if he expected Smith to shadow Thomas or stick to the right defensive side.

"They've done both," he said. "Certainly, they've rotated different guys in the secondary. They've had some different guys playing than were playing earlier in the season. Every game you're never quite sure how their rotation is going to be."

Cooper, a seventh-round draft choice waived by the 49ers and picked up by the Chiefs just before the season began, has been surprisingly good considering how often he's been targeted when the Chiefs play man-to-man defense in the secondary. Still, DT made both of his long catches against him and it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs change their strategy for the rematch in K.C.With the two teams scheduled to meet again in Kansas City in just two weeks, no one was going to disclose anything of even remote strategic significance. But you have to try, so I asked Manning if he expected Smith to shadow Thomas or stick to the right defensive side.

Monday Musings: Broncos Show Good Offense Beats Good Defense from CBS Sports

I am not going to sit here and say the Chiefs are not a good team. They are. But limited offensive teams have problems coming from behind. That will be their issue going forward.

The Chiefs competed Sunday night, but moral victories don't count. In two weeks, we will have a better idea about them.

Until then, 9-1 is pretty damn impressive for a team that picked first in last April's draft. But I still don't know if we have a grasp on how good this team really can be.

Playoff Picture For Week 12 And Beyond from CBS Sports

We learned a few things during Week 11 of this NFL season.

The Denver Broncos are not ready to give up the AFC No. 1 seed to the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. Denver now has the tiebreaker advantage against Kansas City with a head-to-head win, but also heads into a tough gauntlet over the next two weeks at New England and then at Kansas City. Needless to say, we'll know a lot more about the top seeds in the AFC after Week 13.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos Show Necessary Mettle In Win from NFL.com

This is the NFL's version of survival of the fittest. The Patriotshave survived despite an early wave of injuries that first short-circuited their offense and then withered their defense. On Sunday, the Broncos were the survivors, with their battered and questioned offensive line holding up better than anybody could have expected.

The Broncos and Chiefs now are in the teeth of their respective schedules -- Kansas City faces the San Diego Chargers this week -- and given the relative ease of Denver's slate after this stretch, it seems reasonable to assume that whoever emerges on top in December will be in control for the AFC West title and perhaps home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That would seem to be particularly crucial for the Broncos, because a first-round bye would allow Manning to rest his ankle(s) a bit more.

Peyton Manning-Owned Papa John's Robbed In Denver During Broncos-Chiefs Game from The Huffington Post

While Peyton Manning and his Broncos were robbing the Kansas City Chiefs of their undefeated season, a Manning-owned Papa John's was being robbed in Denver.

TMZ Sports first reported that the Papa John's near the University of Denver was robbed last night around 7:30 p.m., right in the middle of the Broncos-Chiefs game.

You Have To Lose To Win In NFL from ESPN

Through 11 weeks of the season, the Broncos and the Seahawks look like the NFL's two best teams and are prohibitive favorites for the Super Bowl. Near-locks, even. Right?

Ha. No. Not even close. The Broncos and Seahawks have almost zero chance of winning the Super Bowl this year. And you would know that if you knew anything about NFL history.

Each of the past eight Super Bowl champions have been awful for stretches of the second half of the regular season. Each of them have had THEY'RE DONE AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE FIRED columns penned about them.

The Boring Bowl: Broncos 27, Chiefs 17 from The Wall Street Journal

For all the hype of a marquee matchup, it's easy to forget that these two teams actually have to go out there and play the game. It's perhaps never a better reminder of the limitation of expectations in sports than when such a contest ends up being a bit of a drag, the minutes ticking on without any semblance of aesthetics or momentum making its way into the proceedings.