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Updated
August 15, 2012
Return to Highlights Page
Chiefs 27 - Cardinals 17
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I caught the game on SIRIUS (I love their I-Pad app.
All you do is click the icon, go to - and click on - the AZ Cardinal play by
play channel and you're in business). Glenn Parker announced instead of
Wolfley, and, although as a former NFL lineman he knows what he's talking
about when breaking down plays, he had an annoying habit of "singing the
company song", making excuses for poor Cardinal play and, when pointing out
a blown assignment, consistently failing to name the offending Cardinal
player. What I look forward the most when listening-to and analyzing
preseason games is discovering (a) who looked good and conversely, (b) who
didn't. Since this was a radio-call, I have to rely on Parker and other
announcers to "name names" - & he didn't. The following analysis will be
solely based on the radio-call and the NFL.com Game Center log and stats.
I'll update it after I watch video taped broadcast of the game
(Note - the NFLN and DirecTV schedules have different dates and times for
each NFLN replay, so double-check your recording setup. (DirecTV did, in
fact, black out the Cards vs.
KC rebroadcast Sunday night). NFLN's website shows Cards vs. KC rebroadcast
on Monday 8/13 at 10 AM ET, but the DirecTV grid shows Rams vs. Colts
instead, with Cards vs. KC to be aired Wed. 8/15 at 4 pm ET. Game was aired
at 3 am this morning. In a departure from past precedent where one team's
broadcast crew would take the first half and the other team's crew the
second, announcing this time was "all Chiefs" and Cardinal players by and
large ignored for the entire game.
Now for the game:
Quick recap. The Cardinals came out flat on both sides of the ball. Matt
Cassel looked sharp as he took the Chiefs down field for a TD on its opening
drive, and KC tacked on a second TD to open up a 14-0 lead. It was 17 -3 at
halftime and 20 -10 at the end of the 3Q . Skelton played the entire 1Q and
one series into the 2Q. Kolb played all but one remaining series in the 1H
with Lindley coming in for the final series. Skelton looked pretty sharp
early in his appearance but was undermined by pitiful pass protection. Kolb
was plagued by equally pathetic pass pro and wound up 1 for 5. Lindley came
in and looked pretty good. (No doubt, there will be cries among less
knowedgeable die-hards for Lindley to become our starting QB - not yet,
folks; he's still an untested rookie. But you can see glimpses of a bright
future in store for the lad). Powell's 67 yard change-of-direction scamper
early in the 2H set up the first Cardinal TD.
Update -
The Cardinal defense couldn't stop KC during the first two possessions -
none of our LB (including Acho, DWash and Bradley) looked especially good.
Acho looked totally lost (getting repeatedly sucked in on screens). In
addition to "tackling like a feather", Gay blew at least 2 coverages. Mike
Adams looked like he was "ghosting" Dexter McCluster (i.e. wherever Dexter
went, Money Mike was a couple of steps behind. One exception: when Adams bit
on inside play action and let McCluster run unmolested right by him). The
Cardinal pass rush was non-existant. On our first two offensive series, KC
appeared to take up residence in our backfield (both on running and passing
plays). It's hard to pinpoint blame, but #63 (Sendlein) appeared to be
having a "bad hair day."
While Skelton didn't totally light up the
joint, he looked like he knew what he was doing. He was generally decisive
and accurate; at least until his final two passes - the first one kind
of fluttered incomplete. The 2nd and final one was aimed at a very narrow
window ito Fitz in double coverage. It was picked off, but I'd be inclined
to chalk it up to a "learning experience" (i.e. John has to attempt these
throws so that - thru trial and error - he gains a better risk/benefit feel
for what he can get away with and what he cannot. You don't want him
throwing games away, but you don't want him playing it too safe either. You
want it just right).
Let me put it this way: If Kevin Kolb showed the
same decisiveness pulling the trigger & throwing the ball as he does bailing
out of the pocket, he might be a pretty good QB. But too often, he'd hold
onto the ball too long and then get swallowed up in the wash. Contrast this
with the way William Powell runs the football -you'd think patience and
quick decisions would run counter to one another, but time and time again,
you'd see Powell check his running-lane options and - when the opportunity
presented itself - explode through the hole. (If the hole wasn't there, he'd
wait. But as soon as one opened up - sometimes immediately - he'd blow
through it and be gone). One thing where Kolb is "money" - the 15-20 yard
backside throw (most notably to Sampson). - After a drop, he came
right back with it for a nifty completion).
Although Acho didn't have
an especially stellar day, he did eat up a KC running back in sideline
pursuit to prevent a long gain (Can't say the same about Talley who had
little if any pursuit speed)...Lindley and #17 (Byrd) have become a reliable
and potent passing/receiving battery....I never saw the defensive line stop
anybody, nor did I see many times when our LB's didn't get caught in the
trash (The few times they didn't, they'd typically whiff on the first
tackle). Come to think of it, I can't recall too many times where the first
tackler brought down his man.
You've got to love Lindley's vision,
decisiveness and accuracy (especially between the 20 yard lines), but his
inexperience shows up when trying to execute a red zone offense. He
struggled on the first 3 downs inside the KC 5-yard line before Powell took
it in on an inside scissors play.
NO received, and Cassel took his
team 72 yards in 12 plays for the first KC touchdown. The Cards couldn't
stop the run (8 of the 12 plays were running plays). KC alternated Mr.
Outside (Charles) and Mr. Inside (Hillis) from play to play, and the
Cardinal players couldn't stop either. (According to Parker, "the Cardinal
defenders were doing a terrific job of lining up in the right place and
wrapping up on tackles, but were continually velcro'd to their blockers." In
other words, regardless of the excuses, our defense couldn't stop the run.
Adams let McCluster pick up a 9-yard reception to convert the first KC third
down. Cards let KC off the hook on a 4th & 1 when Cassel scrambled up the
middle for a first down. A 15-yard roughness call on Dumkpster Dan didn't
help any either. Scoring play was an 11 yard TD pass to Hillis.
On the second KC possession, Hillis ran off guard for 28 yards followed
by a 29-yard completion (over Adams) to McCluster. Draughn skipped in for 4
yards off right tackle for the TD.
Skelton started off pretty well,
completing 3 early passes, but then cooled off later in the 1Q and finished
his stint by throwing an interception (which ironically got Levi Brown off
the hook for a holding call).
Lindley came in with 0:32 left in the
2Q. Albeit against a pree-vent defense, he completed his first four passes
until running out of time and settling for a 40-yard Feely FG
The
first drive of the 2H led to a 2-yard running TD by Powell. Although Lindley
was the QB, the drive-maker was a 67-yard burst around left end by
Powell (who is apparently making big strides toward convincing the coaches
he's worth hanging onto in a crowded backfield).
Lindley threw 3
straight incompletions on his next (& final) series. Bartel came in and
completed one pass (to Powell) - sandwiched among 4 runs by Powell - before
fumbling away the ball back to KC. He did put some points on the board
with an 18-yard scoring pass to Jaymar Johnson midway thru the 4Q.
It's probably just my imagination, but it seemed a bit weird to me that
a few bubble players like Reggie Walker and Mike Adams came in early to line
up with the first unit. (it was like saying: "Here's enough rope. Let's find
out about you early").
Cardinal QB's were sacked 7 times.
Penalty culprits were:
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- Dan Williams (roughness)
- Sherman (holding - dumb penalty)
- L Brown (holding - penalty declined)
- Gay (bogus interference call)
- Unidentified ST'er (encroachment)
- Floyd (face mask)
- Young (hands to face)
- Potter (holding)
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Last Word: The Cardinals are a 0 & 2 team and will remain a "0 & something"
team until they're not. Parker and other on-air "experts" have ready made
explanations (I call them "excuses") for poor Cardinal play: (1) They lined
up OK and tackled better than in Game 1. They just couldn't get off blocks.
(2) They were "flat" from too much time on the road (to Canton and
Missouri). (3) They have an exotic defense, but were forced to play
"vanilla."
Try this on for size, boys & girls: (1) If "Lining up OK"
is the standard by which we judge a football team, we might want to set the
bar a bit higher. (2) Extending the logic of "Road Flatness" - we could win
all our home games and the best we could do would be to go 8 & 8. (3) Every
NFL team plays vanilla schemes in the preseason. Half of them win each week.
We haven't. We're a 0 & 2 football team. I don't know what it will take but
both coaches and players had better get it together (& if I were a "flat"
veteran right now, I'd get a bit nervous about job security - if that's what
it takes). |
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Quarterbacks: |
4 Kevin Kolb
+
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6-3 218 U of Houston (Trade with Eagles) |
1 for 5 and 21 yards. Seems to lack pocket presence and "6th sense" under
pressure (will either bail out of the pocket too readily and/or hang onto
the ball a split second to long). Accurate on backside throws to Sampson. |
19 John
Skelton
|
6-5½ 243 ( D5) |
3 for 6 and 35 yards. Looked like he knew what he was doing when he was in
there, but suffered from porous pass blocking. He threw a pick on the final
play of his appearance (window to Fitz in double coverage was too small,
but, hey, it was Fitz).. |
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02
Richard Bartel |
6-2 230 Tarleton State |
Can't argue with 5 for 6, 69 yards and a TD. If he continues to play well,
he'll be difficult to cut and (although the chances of that happening are
close to nil), the guy hearing footsteps could ironically wind up being
Kevin Kolb. |
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14 Ryan Lindley
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6-4 230 22
San Diego State |
6 for 11 and 48 yards. Threw with authority and accuracy. Definitely making
a case in his battle to become #3. Still needs red zone work. He and Byrd
have something going. |
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Running Backs: |
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26
Chris "Beanie" Wells
+ |
6-1 235 Ohio
State (D1)
|
Did not play. |
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34
Ryan Williams RB
+ |
5-9 212 Virginia Tech |
Did not play. |
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36
LaRod
Stephens- Howling |
5-7 180 Pitt
(D7a) |
1 carry for 1 yard (running to darkness) |
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31W Thomas Clayton RB
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5-11 222 Kansas St |
3 carries for 14 yards |
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46 Alfonso Smith
RB |
6-1 207 Kentucky |
9 carries for 40 yards - has proved to be a quality
workhorse, but must withstand a challenge from Powell. I wish we could keep
both. He's oure "heavy inside guy; Powell is more a slasher - like a larger
version of LSH. |
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35 Anthony Sherman FB |
5-10 242 UConn |
Took an unecessary flag which derailed a drive. |
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45 Javaris James RB
+
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6-0 215 Miami (FL) |
DNP |
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38 Jared Crank FB
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6-2 238 23 R Purdue |
May have dropped a catchable ball late in game |
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33 William Powell
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5-9 205 Kansas State |
Definitely made a case for sticking, with 92 yards &
a TD on 9 carries and a 67 yard scamper around left end. He shows great
vision, patience and decisiveness (the three are not mutually exclusive). Issue may very well
turn out to be Powell vs. Alfonso Smith for the final RB spot (Do we
possibly keep- both)? |
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Wide Receivers: |
11
Larry Fitzgerald (D1)
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6–3
225, Pitt (D1)
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1 catch for 17 yards |
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18
Stephen Williams WR |
6-5 199 Toledo (UDFA) |
DNP |
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10 DeMarco Sampson |
6-2 204 San Diego St |
1 grab for +21 (on a backside route) |
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12
Andre Roberts WR
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5-10¾ 195 The Citadel (D3)
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2 grabs for +18. Returned punts (reliably but not
spectacularly) |
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85 Early Doucet WR
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6-0 211 LSU D3) |
Invisible (again) |
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80 Isaiah Williams |
6-3 200 Maryland |
1 catch for 21 yards |
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83
Jaymar Johnson WR |
6-0 176 Jackson St |
1 catch for 18 yards |
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15 Michael Floyd WR
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6-3 225 22 R Notre Dame |
1 catch for +3. Flagged for a face-mask (which saved
a touchdown on a return) |
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13 Stanley Arukwe
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6-0 184 23 Troy |
Cut to
make room for Clayton |
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17 LaRon Byrd WR
|
6-4 220 22 R Miami (FL) |
Led team in reception with 3 catches for 33 yards - all from Lindley |
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16 Tre Gray WR
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5-10 175 22 R Richmond |
Nada |
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89 Gino Crump WR
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6-2 210 Arizona |
1 catch for 9 yds |
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89 Marc Wilson WR
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5-11 190 22 R St. Anselm
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Cut to make
room for Q Groves. Part of 90 man
pre-Camp roster. |
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Tight Ends: |
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87 Jeff King
+ |
6-3 260 FA Panthers |
Didn't play |
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86 Todd Heap |
6-5 245 ASU |
1 catch for 6 yards |
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84 Rob Housler |
6-5 248 Florida Atlantic |
Played a lot but was shut out. |
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81 Jim
Dray |
6-4¾ 251 Sanford (D7) |
1 catch for 6 yards (a little more visible than he was in last game) |
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48 Martell Webb
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6-3 273 Michigan |
Nada |
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44 Stephen Skelton
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6-5 250 Fordham UDFA |
1 catch for 12 yards. Seeing more action than you'd expect from a UDFA
backup |
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Offensive Linemen: |
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75 Levi Brown
OT |
6-5 323 lb
Penn. St. (D 2007)
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Spotty - flagged at least once/whiffed at least once |
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71 Daryn Colledge OG/OT |
6-4 308 Boise St (GB) |
Run game had good moments |
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63
Lyle Sendlein C
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(6-2, 305)
-Texas
(UDFA)
2007 |
Interior line struggled executing its assignments. Sendlein was part of it. |
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68 Adam Snyder G |
6-6 325 Oregon |
Didn't do much to distinguish
himself. |
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74 D'Anthony Batiste
|
6-4 318 Lousiana - Lafayette |
They apparently liked his play
well enough to elevate him ahead of Bridges. |
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67
DJ Young T |
6-5 298 Michigan St |
Whiffed on sack
and got penalized for holding anyway.. |
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73 Jeremy
Bridges G/T |
6-4 326 So Miss
(FA) |
Nothing of note.
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62
Ryan Bartholomew
C |
6-1 310 R Syracuse |
Placed on
Waived-Injured List in early Aug. |
|
61 Chris
Stewart OG |
6-4 325 Notre Dame |
Nothing of note |
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60 Braeden Clayson G
|
6-6 300 22 R Idaho State |
Part of 90 man
pre-Camp roster. Released |
|
65 Russ Hochstein G-C
|
6-4 300 (13 yr) Nebraska |
Nothing
of note |
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72 Rich Ohrnberger G
|
6-2 300 (3 yr) K-State |
Nothing of note, |
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65 Blake DeChristopher G
|
6-5 313 23 R Virginia Tech |
Placed on waived-injured list. Part of 90 man
pre-Camp roster. |
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64 Senio Kelemete G
|
6-4 301 21 R Washington |
Still learning nuances of switch fr OT to OG |
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70 Bobby Massie T
|
6-6 316 22 R Mississippi |
Beaten a few times (Welcome to the NFL) |
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76 Nate Potter T
|
6-6 300 23 R Boise State |
Flagged late in game |
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66 Scott Wedige C
|
6-4 310 R Northern Illinois |
Overpowered by Poe to prevent a 3rd down short yardage conversion on an
inside run. |
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Defensive Linemen: |
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90 Darnell Dockett UT/DE |
6-3 292 Florida State
(D3)
|
Did not play |
|
93 Calais Campbell DE |
6-8 283, Miami
(FL) |
|
|
92
Dan Williams NT
|
6-2 327
Tennessee (D1) |
Nothing of note |
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98 Nick Eason |
6-3 305 Clemson (Steelers) |
DNP |
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91 Vonnie Holliday |
6-5 288 North Carolina |
Made a couple of noticeable plays |
|
79 David Carter |
6-5 294 UCLA |
Nothing of note |
|
95 Ricky Lumpkin DT |
6-4 306
Kentucky |
Got held on one play - nothing from the refs |
|
96 Ronald Talley
|
6-3
286 Delaware |
Apparently had a pretty good game, but I did see him trailing a few wide
plays where he was outrun by the action. |
|
78 Conrad Obi DE
|
6-3 290 23 R Colorado
|
Nothing of note |
|
Linebackers: |
|
58 Daryl Washington
ILB |
6-1½,
230 TCU (D2) |
Tackling not stellar. Playing ST's well into 2H. |
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51 Paris Lenon |
6-2 235 Richmond 9 (FA Rams) |
Injured. DNP |
|
48
O' Brien Schofield |
6-2¾ 235 Wisconsin
(D4) |
|
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94 Sam Acho |
6-2 262 Texas |
With one or two exceptions, didn't perform well. |
|
53 Clark Haggans DE/OLB |
6-4 243 (Steelers) |
Playing in 4Q |
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55 Stewart Bradley
ILB/OLB |
6-4 255 Nebraska (Eagles) |
Second good game in a row. 3 tackles |
|
56
Reggie Walker |
6-0 238 Kansas
State |
Played early. Didn't play well (again). |
|
54 Quentin
Groves OLB |
6-3 265 Auburn |
Applied some pressure in 2H. |
|
54 Quan Sturdivant
ILB |
6-1 241 UNC |
A couple of nice stops to accompany at least one
blown coverage. |
|
57
Antonio Coleman OLB |
6-1 273 Auburn |
Nothing of note.. |
|
59
Brandon Williams OLB |
6-3 250 Texas Tech |
Appeared early. Saw him make one play and whiff on
another. |
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46R Broderick Binns LB
|
6-2 261 22 R Iowa |
Part of 90 man
pre-Camp roster. |
|
43R Zack Nash LB
|
6-4 260 22 R Sacramento State |
DNP |
|
97 Colin Parker LB
|
6-1 223 22 R Arizona State |
3 tackles. Flashed
a little (again) |
|
52 Marcus McGraw LB
|
6-0 228 22 R Houston |
Nothing of note. |
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48R Paul Vassallo LB
|
6-3 247 22 R
Arizona
|
Nothing of note. |
|
Defensive Backs: |
|
24
Adrian Wilson S |
6-2¼ 213 (D3) |
The only starting defensive player to show any
intensity. Delivered a "message hit" which seemed to be delivered cleanly
but could land him a fine. |
|
25 Kerry
Rhodes
|
6-3 209 Louisville (Jets(Trade) |
Missed at least one key tackle |
|
21
Patrick Peterson
CB |
6-0 219 UNC |
Nothing of note |
|
28
Greg Toler
CB |
5-11 191 St. Paul's (D4) |
Nothing of note |
|
23 William Gay
CB
|
Louisville (Steelers) |
Blew a couple of coverages and whiffed on a few
tackles. Nice job on a couple of deep routes. Took a bogus
interference call on on of them (counter to the radio call, he did appear to
look up for the ball in time) |
|
20
A.J. Jefferson CB |
6-0
190 (UDFA) Fresno St
(UDFA) |
Will occasionally miss an assignment but makesenough
visible plays not to count him out. |
|
27
Michael Adams
CB
|
5-8,
178 - Louisiana-Lafayette (UDFA) |
Led team with 4 tackles, but blew coverage of
McCluster twice at key points in opening drive and was sloppy in his
tackling |
|
22 Crezdon Butler
CB
|
6-1 191 Clemson (FA Pittsburgh) |
DNP |
|
49
Rashad Johnson S |
5-11
205 Alabama (D3) |
3 tackles. Made a few big 2H plays (including our
only interception on a deflection) - perhaps enough to redeem
his so-so play in Game 1.. |
|
30
Marshay Green CB |
5-9 175 Ole Miss (UDFA) |
Nothing of note |
|
32 Korey Lindsay
CB
|
5-10 194 So. Ill (FA
Browns) |
Roster Status
Part of 90 man
pre-Camp roster. Released in late May. |
|
41 Larry Parker
CB
|
5-11 170 San Diego State |
One or two nice pass breaksups. |
|
42 Eddie Elder S
|
5-10 185 Arizona State |
3 tackles |
|
39 James Sanders S |
5-10 210 Fresno St (FA
Pats) |
3 tackles |
|
31 Justin Bethel S
|
6-0 190 21 R Presbyterian |
One tackle deep as gunner. He tends to get down
the field really fast, but doesn't always make the tackle. Must learn how to
nail the ball carrier deep and not just knock him off balance |
|
29 Jamell Fleming CB
|
5-11 206 22 R Oklahoma |
3 tackles.
Did well in limited action. With Jefferson & Gay not standing out and Toler
still plagued by nagging injury, he could have an outside shot at starting
opposite PP21. |
|
37R Blake Gideon S
|
6-1 205 22 R Texas |
Nothing to note |
|
38R James Nixon CB
|
6-1 190 24 R California
(PA) |
Nothing to note. |
|
40
Pat Tillman, (S) |
5-10½
208 (3) ASU |
Permanent Member of roster. |
|
Specialty Teams |
|
03 Jay Feely K |
5-10
208 (FA - Jets)
|
Just made a 40-yard when called to do it. |
|
09
David Zastinudl P |
6-3 220 Ohio U |
Punting still OK |
|
01
Ricky Schmitt P |
6-3 217 Shepherd |
"Big Foot" on kickoffs. So-so on punts. Won't beat out either Feely or
Zastudil |
|
82
Mike Leach
LS |
6-2 240 William & Mary (FA Denver) |
Nothing to note |
