Essentially the most shocking side of Thursday evening’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs loss to the Detroit Lions needs to be that the offense was the issue. Getting into the evening, the Chiefs knew that they might be with out each tight finish Travis Kelce and defensive deal with Chris Jones.
The offense with out Kelce felt manageable — whereas the protection with out Jones felt inconceivable. However the best way it performed out, the other was true. With out Kelce, the offense might by no means discover rhythm and consistency. In the meantime, the protection gave up 14 factors all evening — and had the particular groups unit not given up a primary down on an early-game faux punt, it may need been solely seven factors.
Requested concerning the protection’s stable efficiency on the night, to his credit score, linebacker Nick Bolton didn’t appear in any respect glad.
“We misplaced the soccer recreation, and I feel that’s the place you measure your self at – particularly on this league,” mentioned Bolton. “Video games are received in inches and in a pair conditions down the stretch, and we didn’t execute properly sufficient. You’ll be able to say that we gave up 14 factors and that’s an excellent begin and all that, however finally we misplaced the soccer recreation. Our aim was to return out of right here 1-0 this week, and it didn’t occur. Again to the drafting board, the blokes will likely be higher and able to go for Jacksonville.”
Regardless of which Chiefs defender spoke, it appeared like that message had already permeated the locker room.
“We misplaced,” mentioned security Justin Reid. “You’re by no means going to really feel good — there’s no participation awards. Do you win, or do you lose? We left some performs on the sphere on all three phases of the ball on offense, protection, particular groups. All of us left some performs on the sphere. We simply obtained to take this as a actuality test and know that we’re going to have a goal on our again. We’ve simply obtained to play higher.”
Even after all the recreation’s errors, the fourth quarter gave the impression to be enjoying out simply how Chiefs followers have turn out to be accustomed to seeing in current seasons. Down one level, Bolton, Reid and the Kansas Metropolis protection compelled Detroit to a midfield fourth-and-2 try.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell saved the offense on the sphere to try to win the sport. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo allowed Reid to play the passer — and the security knocked the cross down on the line. Chiefs ball.
“We obtained the cease, and it gave us some hope,” mentioned defensive finish Mike Danna, who registered his first sack of the yr.
Sadly for the Chiefs, their offensive woes continued, placing the protection again on the sphere yet another time simply 4 performs later. Operating again David Montgomery ran three straight instances for the primary down — and that was the sport.
Nonetheless, there was no finger-pointing.
“Our offense has given us purpose to imagine that they’re the most effective within the league at what they do,” added Bolton. “No matter how the sport goes, every time they’ve the soccer, they’ve an opportunity to attain. We had 100% religion that we might get a cease and get the ball again to our offense – even within the final two minutes.
“They’re going to attain the soccer, and we now have lots of religion that these guys are going to return again hungry subsequent week and work out what they need to do on that aspect of the ball. Now it’s as much as us, on our aspect of the ball, to take care of what we did this week and in addition discover methods to get higher. Tackling goes to be on the high of the board.”
