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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI at CIN | CAR at GB | CHI at SEA | CLE at BAL | KC at IND | MIA at PHI | NE at BUF | NO at HOU |
| NYG at DET | OAK at MIN | PIT at NYJ | SD at JAX | STL at SF | TB at ATL | TEN at DEN | WAS at DAL |
Week 11 Game Recap: Kansas City Chiefs 10, Indianapolis Colts 13
What you need to know
| Kansas City Chiefs |
The Chiefs had plenty of opportunities to upset the Colts but were unable to capitalize on two scoring opportunities in the first half. In the first quarter they put together one long drive, and a drive that started in Colts territory that resulted in missed field goals. Their only successful drive in the first half came as a result of a Peyton Manning interception.
Brodie Croyle looked like an adequate NFL quarterback in his first NFL start. The Chiefs offensive line gave him plenty of protection, and the game plan was designed to give him confidence by having him throw short passes in the first half and to use the running game early. In the second half the Chiefs opened up the offense and Croyle showed his strong arm on rifle passes to his receivers.
The Chiefs running game was used to keep the Colts off balance. The plan was to establish the run early, as seven of the first ten plays of the game were called runs to Priest Holmes. Later in the game as Holmes tired, the running game proved to be less effective, limiting the opportunities to move the ball effectively.
| Indianapolis Colts |
The Colts were not able to convert on two scoring opportunities in the first half that allowed the game to remain close. Adam Vinatieri missed on two long field goal attempts that allowed the Chiefs to remain in the game. The missed opportunities served to give the Chiefs confidence that they could keep the game close with a chance to win. Peyton Manning had one of his worst statistical games in recent memory. This was due to the Colts missing Tony Ugoh, their starting left tackle which allowed the Chiefs to get pressure on Manning most of the game. However, when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter Manning led the team on a game winning drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock and left the Chiefs with only three seconds left to either tie or win the game.
Colts receivers hurt Manning's numbers by dropping five passes that should have been caught. It appears that they miss the experience and guidance provided by Marvin Harrison. Injuries to the receiving corps left the Colts with only Reggie Wayne and Craphonso Thorpe as the only healthy wide outs that were available in the fourth quarter.
What you ought to know
| QB Brodie Croyle, Pass: 19 - 27 - 169 - 1 TD / 0 INT |
The Chiefs game plan was designed to give Croyle confidence by calling for quick, short, safe passes in the early going. Most of his passes were on target as he showed both his strong arm and a good touch. Croyle's arm strength was apparent on one play in the first quarter when Dwayne Bowe was unable to handle a rifle pass that would have kept the second drive alive. On the touchdown pass to Bowe, the ball was thrown to a spot where only Bowe would have a chance to catch it. He showed good decision making by not throwing the ball into coverage or forcing passes. The offensive line was able to give him plenty of time to throw as he was only under pressure a handful of times. Croyle fumbled one time on a sack inside the Kansas City 20 yard line. The fumble did not hurt bad as the Colts were only able to convert the turnover into three points.
| RB Priest Holmes, Rush: 19 - 55 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (3 targets) |
Priest Holmes was the focal point of the Chiefs offense for most of the game. He had seven rushes and two targets in the first quarter, and 15 rushes at the end of the half. In the first half, Holmes showed good burst and showed flashes of the Priest Holmes of old. As the game wore on, he seemed to slow down and the Colts were able to meet him before he was able to turn the corner and hold him to gains of two to three yards. He left the game with an injury after being tackled in the third quarter, but would later return.
| RB Kolby Smith, Rush: 8 - 17 - 0, Rec: 3 - 34 - 0 (3 targets) |
Smith was used to provide Priest Holmes with an occasional breather until Holmes left the game with an injury in the third quarter. Smith looked good in relief, showing good speed and agility. He showed good hands in the passing game, catching all three targets and turning the short passes into good gains.
| RB Larry Johnson |
Did not play due to injury.
| WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 7 - 64 - 1 (11 targets) |
Bowe was the favorite target of Brodie Croyle. His early catches were on quick passes close to the line of scrimmage that he was able to turn into five to seven yard gains. In the second half he was able to get open on crossing routes and provided one of the key catches on a third and one play on the lone touchdown drive. He ended the drive with an acrobatic touchdown reception when Croyle threw the ball to a place where only Bowe had the best chance of catching it. Bowe showed great body control by leaping up to catch the ball and get both feet down in bounds.
| WR Eddie Kennison, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) |
Kennison saw most of his action as the team's punt returner. He fumbled his first return, but the Colts were unable to convert the turnover into any points.
| WR Jeff Webb, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Webb's only catch was on a play where he was wide open.
| WR Samie Parker (2 targets) |
Parker was only targeted twice. His first target was when Croyle was off target in a throw into the end zone. He was unable to hold onto the other opportunity on a hard throw that hit him in the hands.
| WR Eddie Drummond |
Did not play (inactive).
| TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (5 targets) |
The Chiefs did not make Gonzalez a main part of the passing offense as they decided to throw the ball to the outside of the field in the first half. He showed his excellent pass catching ability by making some tough catches while covered. On the touchdown drive he was shaken up on a hard hit while catching a ball over the middle on a rifle throw. He would later return after missing only a few plays.
| TE Kris Wilson, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
Wilson only saw limited action as Kansas City made the wide receivers the focus of the passing game.
| PK Dave Rayner 1 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Dave Rayner was erratic, missing a 43 yard field goal wide right and hitting the left upright on a 46 yard attempt. His only successful attempt was from 37 yards.
| KC Rush Defense |
The Chiefs were able to consistently gain penetration to slow down the Colts running game. They were able to hit the Colts running backs behind the line of scrimmage, or they had multiple defenders around Colts backs for most of the game.
| KC Pass Defense |
Chiefs defensive linemen were able to get pressure on Peyton Manning, giving him little time to throw. Manning was forced to hurry his throws, and the pass defense gave Colts receivers little room to run after the catch.
| QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 16 - 32 - 163 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - -3 - 0 |
Peyton Manning had one of his worst games in recent memory. He appeared to be bothered by the loss of his longtime main receiver, Marvin Harrison. The remaining Colts receivers did not help out his numbers by dropping five balls that were catchable. Manning showed why he is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the game by adjusting the passing attack after half time to take advantage of what the defense was giving them when they blitzed. In the second half the Colts countered the Chiefs pressure by throwing quick, short passes to move the ball. Also, Manning was a perfect four for four on the Colts' game winning drive in the fourth quarter and gained the final first down on a quarterback sneak on a fourth and one on the Chiefs three yard line.
| RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 21 - 72 - 1, Rec: 4 - 34 - 0 (6 targets) |
Addai had good numbers despite the fact that he was routinely facing pressure in the backfield. He was met with initial contact behind the line of scrimmage in the first half, but was able to use his elusiveness to turn potential short gains into long runs. He showed his value to the offense on the lone touchdown drive by touching the ball on seven of the nine plays. He started the drive by catching two passes in the flat the kept the defense off balance. The drive would end on two strong runs, a quick burst through the middle that would gain 18 yards and a three yard scoring run through an open hole.
| RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 2 - -3 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Keith only saw limited action in relief of Joseph Addai.
| WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 75 - 0 (7 targets) |
Reggie Wayne was clearly the number one wide receiver again with Marvin Harrison out with an injury. His first reception was on an excellent catch of a deep ball. He did drop some catchable balls in the middle of the game that would have kept drives alive, but he made up for those drops by catching two key passes on the game winning drive.
| WR Craphonso Thorpe, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) |
Thorpe came into the game when Aaron Moorehead was injured.
| WR Aaron Moorehead (3 targets) |
Moorehead started the game, but was forced to leave in the third quarter with a back injury resulting from an attempted catch of a pass that was to high.
| WR Anthony Gonzalez |
Gonzalez was active, but did not play due to injury.
| WR Marvin Harrison |
Harrison was inactive.
| TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 3 - 15 - 0 (11 targets) |
Clark saw the majority of his targets due to the pressure applied to Peyton Manning by the Chiefs linemen. In the first half he served as the hot read when Manning was under pressure, but the passes were usually off target. He was the target on the interception that was the result of a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage. He did drop two catchable balls in the second half, one of which was on a leaping attempt that he got both hands on just before being hit.
| TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 3 - 26 - 0 (3 targets) |
Utecht saw limited action in relief of Dallas Clark.
| PK Adam Vinatieri 2 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
Vinatieri has an injury to his plant leg that caused him to be inaccurate on his longer field goal attempts. He missed his first two attempts from 49 and 38 yards wide left. His two attempts from within 30 yards were both down the middle, including his game winning attempt from 24 yards with four seconds left.
| IND Rush Defense |
The Colts run defense showed little ability to stop the Chiefs running game in the first half. The run defense improved in the second half as they took advantage of the conservative play calling by the Chiefs. They took advantage of Priest Holmes slowing down to tackle him for losses on first down plays on the final two Chiefs drives that would put them in obvious passing situations.
| IND Pass Defense |
The Colts were unable to get any pressure on Brodie Croyle until the fourth quarter when Kansas City was in obvious passing situations. The defensive backs were able to close quickly on the wide receivers to limit the catches to short gains and they did not allow a lot of yards after the catch.
