I feel like this is a must win for the Chiefs despite their fantastic 11-2 record. I can't believe the Chargers are hanging on the Chiefs' tail at 10-3, the second best record in the AFC. With the Texans and the Patriots both at 9-4, it's critical for the Chiefs to keep a lead. Big game tonight. Go Chiefs!
@stoptheflop I agree winning would take a ton of pressure off the Chiefs. Losing doesnāt doom them though as they own the tie-breaker against LA also. So win 2 of three and the Chiefs are in.
Given recent history (9 straight) Iād say the Chiefs have a good chance to win here. Unfortunately it looks like both teams may be starting their 3rd string runnning back. Lucky for us viewers Mahomes and Rivers have big arms.
If the Chiefs win tonight, they can guarantee home field throughout the playoffs with a win in either of their last two games. That gives them a chance to win tonight, and again in 10 days, then have a nice, long stretch to get everyone healthy.
I know people talk about being in sync come playoff time, but just as important is being healthy (maybe more important when critical playmakers like Hill and Watkins are gimpy).
dylans said:
So win 2 of three and the Chiefs are in.
The Chief have already clinched a playoff berth; they are now playing for home advantage.
Here is the entire NFL tie breaker procedure. ā
A win tonight would huge but a loss doesn't doom them. I'm with @justanotherfan win the next 2 and let scrubs beat the hapless raiders to finish out the season.
There maybe more pressure on the Chargers tonight than the Chiefs. They don't want to have to play Wildcard weekend especially with 11 or 12 wins. I think the cold weather game could favor the Chargers ground attack if Gordon plays, the Chiefs could be missing Hunt alot tonight. Ware is a good backup but doesn't have the ability that Hunt did.
Per NFL ā Watkins is out and Ware is doubtful for tonight's game...
!0_1544727106534_upload-4b6121f7-8b61-4bed-8f4d-8de5c507bac5 ā
@stoptheflop Iām not positive, but I believe it would go to the third tiebreaker of record against common opponents with the Denver loss biting the Chargers in the rump.
dylans said:
@stoptheflop Iām not positive, but I believe it would go to the third tiebreaker of record against common opponents with the Denver loss biting the Chargers in the rump.
Here's the tie breakers scenario
Chargers win would make this even, sending us to the next one.
Chargers losses are Chiefs, Rams, Broncos. Assuming a Chargers win tonight, Chiefs losses would be Patriots, Rams, Chargers. If both teams win out, that would be tied, moving down to the next one.
Besides division games (Denver, Oakland), common opponents are Rams (both lost), 49ers (both won), Browns (both won), Seahawks (Chargers won, Chiefs TBD), Cardinals (both won), Steelers (both won), Ravens (Chiefs won, Chargers TBD), Bengals (both won). Chiefs have beaten Denver twice, and beaten Oakland once. Chargers have beaten Oakland twice, lost to Denver.
The Chiefs are be 9-1. Chargers sit at 8-2. The Chiefs still have Oakland and Seattle, and Chargers have Baltimore and Denver. Chiefs in the driver's seat here, but would have to play the last two games all out, as a Raiders loss would tie this up.
The Chargers blew out Arizona (45-10) and Cleveland (38-14). That could swing this category towards LA, so the Chiefs want to avoid getting this far. That's why common games matter so much.
This could end up even, depending on how things play out over the next couple of weeks. As of right now, the strength is a dead heat, with the Chiefs uncommon opponents (Patriots, Jags) and Chargers uncommon opponents (Titans, Bills) having the exact same records (9-4, 4-9 respectively). Because the Chiefs and Chargers play common opponents over the next couple of weeks, if these records remain intact, it goes to the next tie breaker.
This tiebreaker will lean towards the Chargers on the strength of their defense. The Chiefs have given up too many points. They are #1 in points for, but #14 in points against. LA is #3 in points for, and #4 in points against.
For the Chiefs to guarantee HFA, they must either win tonight, or win their final two games because the chances the Chargers win the tiebreaker skyrockets if the Chiefs slip tonight and again versus either Seattle or Oakland.
Winning tonight eliminates the Chargers from catching the Chiefs because KC owns head to head at that point. That would leave only Tennessee and New England. Chiefs could win either of their final two at that point to seal the division.
Lose tonight, and the road is much, much harder because they would have to win the final two, as the tie breakers don't favor KC.
Win tonight and then wave that terrible towel on Sunday. Looks good for the Chiefs. Pats have been awful on the road all season long.
@justanotherfan I think you listed the tiebreakers for wild card teams. The second tiebreaker for division champion is division games, according to the NFL.com link, followed by common games, and conference record is fourth.
Always tough for me the week of Chief/Charger games on Jayhawk boards. I'm a Jayhawk fan but a Charger fan. I lived in San Diego until 3rd grade.
So, Eric Berry and Tyreek Hill will play tonight. It will be interesting to see how well Berry plays after missing 14 months of games and practice. It's going to take a while to get the rust off, right? Let's get this party started.
Joe Buck: worst excuse for a beard I've seen.
Decent start...
@stoptheflop I cannot stand Joe Buck, my least favorite sports caster across all sports.
I love how Joe wonāt shut up about the chargers holding calls that kept this drive going like the chargers didnāt get two trash holding calls on their first touchdown drive. I turned it off, I just canāt stand the dipsh**.
Made chargers burn two timeouts but Lordy that was an ugly possession
Chiefs oline has nothing for the Chargers front tbh.
Jeez
The Chiefs need to cut the entire secondary.
Okay, my wife says you can't cut them. But she agrees having them swim with the fishes is an option.
Scandrick is bad. Nelson is bad.
Smith is below average.
Fuller is average.
Berry ? A stud when healthy.
Sutton needs to be let go Monday, he shouldāve been let go after the New England game. Why the Chiefs didnāt take the touchback up 7 with 7 minutes to go instead of running it out to the 10 yard line. Very poor coaching tonight all around.
Sorensen has never been a NFL caliber player, he must have pictures on someone and Scandrick couldnāt make 2 other teams in the preseason. The organization finally was smart enough to draft a QB instead of trading for some elseās garbage and then hire the worst secondary Iāve ever seen. KUs secondary would be better.
Ah what might have been with Thomas.
stoptheflop said:
Joe Buck: worst excuse for a beard I've seen.
His beard is like our defense - weak, thin and scraggly.
stoptheflop said:
Joe Buck: worst excuse for a beard I've seen.
Distractingly bad. Someone should tell Joe heās on tv.
What a way to lose a game.
@justanotherfan It makes perfect sense though - make sure that the one guy that's been kicking your butt ALL NIGHT LONG has no one within 15 yards of him on the biggest play of the game.
I'm putting in my application for the Chief's D-Coordinator.
The GM needs to cut Colquit so Reid canāt punt. There is no point is taking a play away from the offense to help that D with field position. The only way to help the Chiefs defense is to score on every possession.
@nuleafjhawk Forget the defensive coordinator position. Cornerback is yours for the taking.
Now, I do seem to recall you may no longer be in the full flower of youth (correct me if I'm wrong) . Do not let that deter you. A blind one-legged septugenarian with vertigo on a wheel-less skateboard could have performed better than our guys last night.
I look forward to your debut against the Seahawks.
@nuleafjhawk That was probably one of the most ridiculous plays I've ever seen. Guy just caught the touchdown and scored 2 others earlier in the game. Lets just leave him alone out there lol.
The game was lost when we didn't go for the 4th and 3 at the 42. My opinion.
@Kcmatt7 I think there was just a timing problem. Normally our defensive backs run around a bit before whining and complaining about their penalties. Last night, I think they were planning their whining while the play was going on, and so they got distracted and confused, especially on that last play. Perfectly understandable. It could happen to anybody, and does, all the time--in pee-wee football.
The Charger receiver was so wide open on the 2 point conversion he could have hit a 3 pointer against KU.š
@JayHawkFanToo He should have tossed it back and forth with Rivers a few times just to rub it in.
I swear, the view from up above looked like our defensive secondary was running random routes like the little felt players traced all over the field in the electric football game we had in the 60's.
Kcmatt7 said:
The game was lost when we didn't go for the 4th and 3 at the 42. My opinion.
Thatās when I decided Colquit must be cut. Lol
Kcmatt7 said:
The game was lost when we didn't go for the 4th and 3 at the 42. My opinion.
I was very confused about that. They've gone for 4th down deep in their own territory this season - why not there? Not a great call.
@nuleafjhawk Me too. Itās no mans land. Just go for it. But then Colquit pinned them on the 5, so Rivers could have more stats. Luckily he threw that pick to Fuller or it wouldāve been 14-14. Shouldāve been 21-7 Chiefs at half time.
Oh well, hope they learned something and this wasnāt just playoff Chiefs making an early appearance.
@dylans They have played and lost the 3 games this season where best overall record in the conference (NE), the league (LAR), and now the division (LAC) was at stake. In each game, the defense was made to look like Swiss cheese in the 4th quarter.
Each of these games was a test for performing under pressure. In each, the offense did some amazing stuff, but the defense (mostly the secondary) folded. But in each game, penalties also killed KC on defense. The discipline the team has is appallingly absent.
I don't hold out much hope for advancing in the playoffs.
@nuleafjhawk I'm still dumbfounded. 4 minutes left and he decided to go full Andy Reid on us.
"Let's kill all 4 minutes by making them go 90 yards so if they score we have no chance at winning."
Anyone know how long Fuller is out?