KC 27, Stillers 24 (OT)���. Nov. 22, 2009 ����Game #
10
Stillers-Chiefs Postgame
Analysis and Grades
The
Stillers, coming off a sickly loss to the Bungals, traveled to Arrowhead to
face the meek, hapless 2-7 Chefs, a team in disarray saddled with a 10-game
home losing streak and losers of 16 of their past 18 home games.� Instead of taking out their frustrations from
the Cinci loss and whipping ass on the Chefs, the Stiller produced a team stink
of epic proportions, pissing away an easy win with a sorrowful loss in
overtime.�� Once again, for the 4th time
this season, the Stillers pissed away a 4th quarter lead/tie and pulled defeat
from victory.��
Grades:
QB:�
On paper, Ben had a career day, going 32 of 42 for 398 yards and 3 TDs.�� On paper.� Problem is, the game is played on the floor of a stadium.� Ben made a host of horrific boners and
blunders, picking up right where he left off in last week�s stinkeroo
vs. Cinci.�
���� He should have been picked early in the
game on 3d & 13 on a forced, telegraphed curl, but the DB dropped the
ball.� (Such is the lot of a 2-7 team.)�� He
threw a poor out to a wide open Tonio in the 2nd series.� He poorly overthrew a wide open Mendy down
the sidelines in the 3Q (although The Colon was flagged on this play).� Then, on the play that really turned around
the game, Ben, on FIRST down from the KC 10 -- a play where he could have
easily lobbed the ball into the bleachers behind the EZ and lived for 2nd down
-- Ben held the ball forever, then threw an ugly pass to a WR triple-covered in
the EZ for a crushing INT that not only thwarted the drive, but also set up the
Chiefs for a chippie FG.� This pass may
have been tipped by a rusher (hard to tell watching the game via the Internet),
but it doesn�t absolve BenRoth from putting himself
in such a high-risk venture when, on FIRST down, there simply was no need to do
so.�
���� On 3d & 5 at 1:00 4Q, Ben again held
on too long, and was basically stripped of the ball.� Only a fortuitous juggle enabled him to
retain possession of the ball.� Ben was
injured on an ass-awkward scramble in OT, and did not return.� Batch came in cold and hit Tonio on 2d &
14 for 17 yards.� But on the next play,
he threw a woeful, hideous out pass to Mendy -- a dumbassed
playcall, by the way -- that nearly was picked off.����
����
���� The other INT wasn�t Ben�s fault (it was
Miller�s), but overall, there were too many boners and gaffes come clutch
time.� B- �����������
RB:�
Mendy didn�t get much work in regulation, with 18 rushes.� He had 3 carries in OT -- for 7, 7, and 8
yards.�� But on 3rd & 2, he wasn�t
even in the game, and the run by
Parker saw
more work than he�d seen in weeks, toting 6 times for 24 yards.� He had a nice RAC for an 11-yard gain.�
FB: Rarely used.�� Arians don�t believe in a FB.� After all, Arians knows more than everybody
else in the entire NFL and the entire history of the NFL.���� Inc
WR:�
Hines had a huge day, with 10 grabs for 128 and 1 TD.� He had a nice pluck for 17 yards on a pass
from Batch in OT.�� But Hines had a careless
fumble in the 1Q that luckily rolled OOB.�
He also had a strange-looking drop late in the 4Q.�� And, he was flagged for a hold in the 1st
series.���
Tonio was
afire as well, grabbing 7 for 86.� He had
a good block on a valve dump to Mendy in the 2Q.� He also had a good pluck of a slant for 20
yards in the 4Q.� On a down note, Tonio
basically gave up and QUIT on the Studebaker INT return, which was both sad and
pathetic.��
Wally had 2
grabs for 47 yards, which sounds good, again, on paper.� Wally made a terrific adjustment and catch of
a long lob down the sideline in the 1Q, but like a complete asshump,
he carelessly allowed the flailing DB to poke the ball loose for a critical
turnover.� A very dumb,
careless, assaholic play.��� Sweed dressed but did nothing.����� B
TE:�
Heath Miller had a great day on paper, grabbing 7 for 95.� On paper.�� What the stat sheet won�t show was the WIDE
OPEN crosser that was PERFECTLY thrown to him early in the 3Q, but Miller
allowed the ball to clang off his hands and up high in the air, like a volleyball
set.�� The Chefs INT�d
this ball for a huge turnover.�� Very, very sloppy and very, very poor.�� Miller was also flagged for a dumbassed roughness call after a 14-yard reception by
Holmes.�� Finally, Miller had an entirely
weak-assed blocking attempt on the
OL: The line played okay, although
injuries created some problems, and the pass pro broke down some in crunch time
in the 4Q.�
���� Kemo got hurt in the 3Q and never
returned; he was replaced by the rookie Foster.�
Starks got nicked up in the 4Q, forcing
���� The overall blocking wasn�t dominant
against a weak defense like KC�s, but it was acceptable.�� What really hampered the game today was the
plethora of penalties from this crew.�
DL:�
The line played ok against a weak, feeble offense.�� Eason had a good stuff on a toss sweep in
the 1st series for no gain.� Fat Casey
had a good stuff in the 2Q and some rare pass pressure.�� Hood jumped up and batted a 3rd down
pass.�� Keisel slashed in and grabbed a
wide run for -3 at 11:40 4Q.�� For the
2nd week in a row, this is one of the very few, if only, positions on the team
to not let the team down.����
B+��
LB:�
Another day of shoddy, subpar play from the
group that is supposed to carry this defense.�
It�s rather sad where your strong safety -- a career backup, no less --
leads all defenders in tackles.� And it�s
not like KC was outrageously pass-happy; they threw 30 times, ran 19 times, and
their QB was sacked 5 times�so it�s no excuse for the SS to be the leading
tackler by a wide margin.�
Farrior had
yet another wretched, sorry game that proves the rapid, downward arc of his
career.�� On KC�s 1st offensive play of
the game, Farrior was too slow to get over on the slow-footed FB on an out
pass, and the result was a 19-yard gain.��
In the 2Q, the Chefs ran an option run to the right, and Taunto was,
once again, far too slow to provide help, and the end result was an 8-yard
gain.� Then, in the 3Q, Taunto -- The
Winged God of LB Coverage -- was meek and slow-footed on a simple curl in the
EZ for a TD.��� A very sorry, stumble-bum
kind of play from the supposed �team leader� and �Pro Bowler�.�� Isn�t it funny, yet sad, how EVERY opponent
we�ve lost to this year has gone right after the Winged God of LB coverage on
simple,� short curls when the LOS is
inside or at the Steeler 5 ?��
Timmons had
a key strip of the QB for a rare, huge turnover in the 3Q.� But he looked totally lost on the 61-yard
completion in OT, although LeBeau�s failure to get
the defense called on this play contributed to the secondary�s
confusion on this play.�
Big LaMarr had an ok game, at least on paper.�� He had 2 sacks, although the one was a Dong Sack
in which he was SOLO blocked by a FB,
and the other was on a meaningless, harmless play on the final play of the 1H
with the LOS� being
the KC 41.�� It was Woodley who got badly
sealed off on the wide run by Charles in OT that gained 11 yards, giving the KC
offense some room to breath and some confidence as well.�� We saw a true first for 2009 today; that
being Big LaMarr actually breaking down, with proper
technique, on a quick flip to Charles that was stopped for no gain.�� Stop the presses -- 10 games into the
season, Big LaMarr finally breaks down on a tackle
attempt like a pro football player !!�
Farrior:�� C-���
Harrison:� B���� Timmons:��
B���� Woodley:� C+��
DB:�
Facing a slouching QB and a woeful passing game, the secondary
nonetheless managed to stumble & bumble in the 4Q and OT, resembling the
Keystone Cops in pitiful fashion.�
Ty Carter
had a nice effort, leading the team with 7 solos.� On a 2-play sequence in the 1Q, Carter had a
hand in the 2D stop; then again on 3rd & short to force the punt.� He had a foolish masking flag at the end of a
run in the 4Q.� I actually didn�t see
much of a mask and Carter lightly protested the flag.� It�s plausible he got just a hand lightly on
the mask, which is all that is needed for the flag.�� Granted, he failed to bust up any passes in
the fateful 4Q and OT, but then again, no one else did, either.�
Ike had an
okay day�.up until he dropped a sure INT in OT that he�d securely clutched in
his hands.� He had the ball so long in
his hands that this was a near fumble; I half expected KC to� challenge the ruling, as it would have
been a monstrous �gain� of approx. 45 yards.��
Of course, on the very next play,
Gay had
another subpar afternoon.� In the 3Q, he was tooled badly on a deep slot
curl for 22 yards.� A few plays later, he
totally blew coverage on a twins criss-cross route in
the 3Q, allowing a TD pass.�
Townsend,
who has been so trust for so long, did very little today.�� He was torched on the 30-yard seamer in the
4Q.� It appears he�s reached the end of
the line and will be forced to hang up his cleats after the season.�
Carter: �B����
Ike:�� B-���� Clark:�
D-�� �Gay:��
C-��� Townsend:�� C
Spec
teams:� Yet another day at the office�..more putrid,
wretched, ball-sucking play.�� On the
game�s opening boot, a host of Steeler coverage men jogged down and then
watched or waived like it was the 4th of July parade down Main St.�� Charles raced virtually untouched for a
97-yard TD.�� At least 4 defenders were
at fault, but Mundy took the cake.�
Unblocked and untouched, Mundy had a PERFECT chance to nab Charles
around the 30, but instead pussed out like a total
fag and just fell to his knees and waived like a complete fairy.�����
Then, in
OT, the Stillers punted from the KC 38.�
This is where you need an ANGLED POOCH PUNT, which easily can
be downed at the 10, if not the 5 or perhaps the 3.�� No, not with Dan Shitpulveda,
who boomed a rocket that landed about 8 yards deep in the EZ for a
touchback.� What a turd.��
Woods,
recently signed to the active roster, was flagged for a hold on Logie�s good punt return in the 2Q.�
The lone
bright spot was Logan, who had his best game of the season.� He reeled off several very good returns, both
on punts and
Spec teams
coach Bob Ligashitsky ought to be fired tomorrow for
the ongoing clusterfuck from the spec teams.���� F
OC:�
Bruce Arians had yet another day of �paper production� combined with
on-field futility and overt stupidity.�
The Airhead, Arians, once proved his incompetence for all
the world to see.
���� On the 1srt series, Arians brought out a
new play.�� It�s was called �The 5 second
handoff,� in which Ben, in a SG, hands off underneath to Wally on an end
around.�� I�ve no problem with end arounds�..so long as Ben isn�t holding the ball out for 4
full seconds, waiting for the WR to finally arrive for the handoff.� What a botchfuked, assgrinding play.�
��� Then there was the 3d & 1 in the 3Q,
soon after Kemo was injured.� It�s 3d
& 1, and at LG is the rookie, Foster.��
On the right side, you have Essex and
���� Then there was the 1st down at the KC 10
yard line late in the 3Q.�� Arians, as is
his nature, goes pass happy with a SG EMPTY
backfield, and the resulting pick on 1st down not only kills the drive, but
gives KC golden FP at our 8.��
���� And then there was the total abortion in
OT.��� Let's look at the idiot
playcalling during that drive --�
1-10-PIT 20 (15:00) 34-R.Mendenhall up the middle to PIT 27 for 7 yards.�
SEVEN YARDS.� No need to get pass
happy, but we did.
�
2-3-PIT 27 (14:21) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short middle to 86-H.Ward to
PIT 44 for 17 yards.�� Ok, a nice gain.
�
1-10-PIT 44 (13:39) 34-R.Mendenhall up the middle to KC 49 for 7 yards.�
Again, SEVEN YARDS.�� No need to get pass
happy, but we did.�
�
2-3-KC 49 (12:53) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 50 for -1 yards (sack
split by 56-D.Johnson and 96-A.Studebaker). PIT-7-B.Roethlisberger was injured
during the play. PENALTY on PIT-62-J.Hartwig, Offensive Holding, 10 yards,
enforced at PIT 50.��� Instead of a
plunge that may have netted the 1st down, Arians totally ABANDONS the running
game and in the process, picks up both a holding flag and has his starting QB
injured.�� No, the OC can�t predict or
prevent the flag or the injury, but these are by-product of assaholic
pass-happyism.��
�
2-14-PIT 40 (12:21) (Shotgun) 16-C.Batch pass short middle to 10-S.Holmes
to KC 43 for 17 yards.� A must passing
down; nice pass by Batch.
�
1-10-KC 43
(11:35) 16-C.Batch pass incomplete short right to 34-R.Mendenhall.�� Pass happy again.��� This was a foolish, high risk, low reward
out pass to Mendy that would have gained, at best, 2 yards, but was nearly
picked off.�� A brainless, grab bag call
by Arians, especially with a cold QB who hadn�t thrown even a single pass all
season until today.���
�
2-10-KC 43
(11:30) 34-R.Mendenhall left end to KC 35 for 8 yards.�� EIGHT YARDS !!!��� Arians wouldn�t know it, but this is superb
production.��
�
3-2-KC 35
(10:43) 21-M.Moore right end to KC 38 for -3
yards.��
�
���� Notice a trend here?��� Mendhall is
SHREDDING the KC defense, but never gets more than 1 carry at a time; never successive
carries.�� This is what is known in
football terms as an ABORTION, all led by the "mastermind" (sic),
Bruce Arians.�� Let me again elaborate on
how stupid the PITCHOUT to
���� Arians has no brains, and as evidenced by
the play selection in OT, he had a VERY HOT HAND in Mendenhall, but kept going
PASS HAPPY in OT and never gave Mendy successive carries.
���� The KC defense had 12 sacks all season
long, the 2nd fewest in the NFL.�� Yet
there they were, providing constant heat and harassment on the QB, especially
in the 2H, while Arians stood by and did nothing.�� Along with Ligashitsky,
Arians, the fuking disgrace that he is, should be
fired tomorrow morning for this latest goatscrew.��� F
DC:�
It should come as no surprise that, for the 4th loss this season, Dick�s
defense has choked away and blown a 4th
quarter lead or tie in EVERY one of those losses.�� EVERY one.�� And so it happened once again today.�� Facing a weak-assed, moribund offense
missing its most dangerous weapon, Dwayne Bowe
(serving a 4-game suspension), Dick was once again as helpless as the
boatswain�s mate aboard the Titanic once the ship was a few yards from the
iceberg.�
The 2nd half
was replete with one LeBeau breakdown after another.�� Was this geezer even watching the game, or
was he drinking booze out of his Gatorade bottle??�� In the 3Q, KC had an easy 62-yard march for
a TD, culminating in a 21-yard TD pass.� The TD pass was on a 3rd & 7, in which the Chefs went no-huddle
and lined up quickly, catching Dick�s defense off-guard for the easy pitch n�
catch to Pope.� This type of
hurry-up happened 3 or 4 times in the Viking game, in which the Stillers were
lucky to avert disaster, and it happened vs. the Doncos and Bengals as well.�� Situational substitutions are fine, but Dick
is getting badly tooled by taking eons of time and getting caught in shuttling
players on and off.�� Un-fuking-acceptable. �
But if got worse.� With the Stillers seemingly in
command midway thru the 4Q and up by 7, the Chefs began on their own 9 due to a
flag on the kickoff.�� After 2 incompletions, the Chefs took a timeout at 7:37, which
helped Dick The Dullard in getting whatever package of
players onto the field that he wanted for this critical 3d & 10 from the
9.�� Forcing a punt here basically gives
the Stillers the ball at midfield, at worst, and they can they chew some clock
and tack on a FG.� No,
not Dick.��� His 4Q
Softee Defense promptly allows an easy as pie 30-yard seamer to a nobody named Lance Long.��
Not satisfied with that, Dick leaves Ryan Clark -- the slowest starting
FS in the entire NFL -- alone in deep coverage on the very next play, and the
result was a 47-yard bomb.�� The Stillers
could have forced a FG, but an 8-yard run, and 3-yard run, and a 2-yard pass
gave the Chefs the tying score.��
�
In OT, the
Chefs had the ball on their own 20, and ripped off an 11-yard run, followed by
a 61-yard catch & jaunt in which the defense looked totally befuddled.�� Per Ron Cook at the PG, Ty
Carter said the pass defense was discombobulated on that huge play because he
and Taylor didn't get the defensive call from the sideline.�� Thank you, Dullard Dick,
you slowwitted, clumy-assed clown.�
173 � Passing yards quarterback Matt Cassel
had on the Chiefs' final four possessions of the game, you know, when NFL games
are won or LOST.
248 �
Lest I forget to mention, Dick�s vaunted defense, playing a pile o� shit offense, managed to produce ONE turnover the entire game.� ONE.��� That�s piddly and it�s unacceptable.�
Never have I seen an assistant coach/coordinator so
worshipped and adulated while doing so very little.��� F
HC:� Tomlin talks
a lot of bravado about �being on details� (in regard to� Mendy�s
benching earlier this season) and �we are going to address the problems�, and
other associated balderdash.�� It�s been
all hot air and little action.� The spec
teams continue to suck monkey balls.���
The defense, once again, goes soft and puyssyfied
in the 4Q.�� Players make foolish,
boneheaded penalties with no repercussions whatsoever.� And once again, instead of coming out with
intensity and mauling an inferior opponent, Tomlin�s team comes out soft,
casual, and mild mannered, content to play grabass
and pom-pom pullawawy instead of kicking some ass and
taking names.�� Urgency is lacking
throughout the roster, from the 1st quarter of the game thru the 4th.� The horrific tailspin of the 2007 season fully
appears to be repeating itself this season, and Tomlin
seems to be content to quietly stand by and do nothing.�� That type of leadership may be acceptable in
Synopsis:�
At this point,
the season is all but over; the team appears it will just play out the string
the remainder of the season.� If you
can�t follow up a dreadful loss by kicking the shit out of such a hapless, sadsack team like KC, then you have no business even
thinking about a playoff spot.�� The
focus, the attention to detail, the playing of a full 60 minutes -- all are
lacking in massive doses in this team.��
You�d think the entire team and staff would be embarrassed by its play
this season, but instead we�ll be fed a steady diet of weak excuses and
bullshit rationalizations.�� At this
point, unless I see a renewed focus, attention to detail, and a huge boost in
intensity, I�m prepared to write off this season for this group of bumbling,
sorry, complacent underachievers.��
(Still Mill
and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the