Well, just saw some gripe sessions going on over on Arrowheadpride.com, where I dont post, just read occasionally. There is a thread sniping both Reid and Alex Smith.
Well, Alex Smith isnt the reason we lost this game.
First: the announcers reminded everybody that most of the D-line other than Dontari Poe is 2nd string and 3rd string. Jaye Howard, Bailey, DJohnson are all MIA. Lets not forget that Jamaal Charles, one of THE best RBs in the NFL was also MIA. So, yes, the Chiefs were as healthy as they were going to get, but clearly not 100%.
Second: Pass rush? Initial question is just how healthy was Justin Houston? Having Houston, Tamba Hali, Justin Reed ALL in the game, yet BigBen gets touched 1 time all game??? That is inexcusable. No pressure on the QB.
Third: People just need to STOP throwing Alex Smith under the bus. Why? Because BigBen gets pass protection, so he can find his weapons. But how good has KC's O-line been the WHOLE time Alex has been here. This year they were a bit better than last year, but still had injury issues of their own. I mean everyone that saw the game last night saw a huge difference in play quality between KC's and Pitt's O-line. Which translates into less opportunities for plays to develop downfield (and everybody asks about Smith's downfield completion stats). The other key fact to remember takes us back to SF49er Joe Montana days and the entire WestCoast/Bill Walsh offense, which Andy Reid is a disciple and practitioner of. Partly because thats what he knows, and partly because KCs O-line doesnt allow enough time for downfield atts., as much. At least not consistently. And before Hill and Maclin, didnt really have downfield weapons. Dwayne Bowe, anyone? So the Dink & Dunk short completions...the same thing analysts used to be critical of SuperJoe for, are actually the cornerstone of that style of offense. Along with a good RB and ground game, A good TE. And a competent defense.
Third: Run defense. Cannot get gashed on the ground in any playoff game, ever. And still be considered a contender? We've all watched NFL long enough to see those continual gashes up the middle to know that's just going to set up BigBen for a big play later. I feel awful for Derrick Johnson, his team needed his total skill/experience/speed in a MAJOR way, and Achilles injuries truly do suck, I've experienced that myself.
In summary: I'd grade KC's special teams a B. No major mistakes. Nothing spectacular, either. 1-for-1 FG. I'd grade the KC defense a B-. If they'd attacked BigBen, then we'd have seen the A-rated version, but we didnt. Dont know if that was Sutton's scheme. The ONLY reason they're even in the "B" range is they kept Steelers out of the endzone, which is a maddening fact that KC still lost. Which leads us to the offense, which gets a B- or C+. They did move the ball, they did score 2 TD's, but they also had 3 or 4 dropped passes. The whole pass protection thing (cant keep a 38y/o pass rusher from making plays? While steelers controlled Hali + Houston + Reed?) sunk us. And if that same O-line cannot open holes for KC running back, then what? Well, then its 3rd and long for poor Alex's O-line. Recurring theme.
I'd leave a final lesson for diehard KC fans: Remember Trent Green? And Tony Gonzalez and Priest Holmes/Larry Johnson? That was a SuperBowl offense, held down by a pisspoor defense, and when that ProBowl O-line started to be lost to retirement, trades, etc..Trent Green started running for his life, got that concussion, and it was the end for him. Larry Johnsons stats plummeted, he got a bad attitude, and left in disgrace. The final lesson, to be a contender is: O-line. O-line. O-line. We already have a smart QB, who absolutely was a gunslinger under Urban Meyer, so no...he aint the problem. It always is "what do you put around your QB, to allow him to succeed?" He's got Hill, Maclin, Kelce, and RBs. Improve the O-line. See Brady's O-line. See BigBen's O-line.
Painful loss.
