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| ARI at CAR | ATL at PHI | BUF at MIA | CIN at HOU | CLE at JAX | IND at TEN | KC at NYJ | NYG at PIT |
| OAK at BAL | SD at NO | SEA at SF | STL at NE | TB at DAL | WAS at DET | ||
Week 8 Game Recap: Kansas City Chiefs 24, New York Jets 28
What you need to know
| Kansas City Chiefs |
Tyler Thigpen looked like a different person Sunday. He had a perfect passer rating through the first half. He looked calm and prepared and ready to be an NFL QB. This was a huge improvement and step in the right direction.
WR Mark Bradley seemed to finally emerge. His TD catch made him look like a long time veteran.
Jamaal Charles did well on very few touches. However, he didn't start and was not given the ball enough to get into a rhythm. Kansas City is still using a rotation with Kolby Smith who was abysmal.
| New York Jets |
Brett Favre played through some hard hits and three INTs to earn his 40th career fourth quarter comeback. He proved that once again you can never count him out. He gave up some typical Favre interceptions but the team leaned on him and it worked out.
Leon Washington was involved in every part of this game. He scored on the ground and through the air and almost on a kickoff return twice.
Jerricho Cotchery had his first 100 yard game of the season and was targeted thirteen times. He also had a few deep targets that he wasn't able to haul in.
What you ought to know
| QB Tyler Thigpen, Pass: 25 - 36 - 280 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 20 - 0 |
Instead of forcing the ball and making mistakes he took sacks. Passing accuracy was very amazing. There were no passes into double coverage, the grass, or the stands. This was not anything similar to the Tyler Thigpen of past games. There were eight different receivers used in Sunday's action. Last week Thigpen looked like he was running for his life. This week he stayed in the pocket under pressure and only ran when it was designed or coverage dictated. It was a good sign for Kansas City today that Thigpen was actually looking like a quarterback. Thigpen also added 20 rushing yards to his totals.
| RB Kolby Smith, Rush: 11 - 15 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
This guy just struggled to run the ball. He was stuffed all game long and there were holes for him to hit.
| RB Jamaal Charles, Rush: 5 - 45 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) |
Jamaal Charles did not start the game again. He did outgain Kolby Smith by twice the yards with half the touches. In passing situations it was almost exclusively Charles. Charles looks like the much better back when he gets the ball, but for some reason Kansas City does not stay with him and keeps using a rotation. Jamaal Charles did leave the game for part of the first half with a knee injury. He returned in the second half with no signs of any lingering problems.
| WR Dwayne Bowe, Rec: 6 - 102 - 0 (11 targets) |
It was another great day for Dwayne Bowe. He was able to get many yards after the catch. Thigpen's first look seemed to go to him or Tony Gonzalez every time. The Jets were able to keep him out of the end zone but they couldn't keep him from getting the ball and had to chase him down most of the day. CB Darrelle Revis was all over him but Bowe would not be stopped.
| WR Mark Bradley, Rec: 5 - 42 - 1 (7 targets) |
Mark Bradley seemed like a good #3 option behind Dwayne Bowe and Anthony Gonzalez. He was the second look many times. The TD catch was an amazing veteran move keeping his feet in bounds and catching a tough pass. He was targeted earlier in that same drive in the endzone but couldn't bring that one in.
| WR Devard Darling, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) |
Devard Darling was not very active today with the emergence of Mark Bradley.
| TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 6 - 79 - 1 (7 targets) |
Tony Gonzalez made a great TD grab to get the Chiefs going. He had a few other catches where he picked the ball out of the air and made some great veteran moves to gain more yards. On one play he could have went out of bounds after getting the first but made a great move and earned ten more yards. It was a typical Gonzalez day we have seen his whole career.
| TE Brad Cottam, Rec: 4 - 34 - 0 (5 targets) |
Brad Cottam was very involved in the offense. Tyler Thigpen checked down to him many times. It wasn't a huge day but a good day for a TE. He did have a very nice pass in the endzone that he dropped.
| PK Connor Barth 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
Connor Barth did not get tested today.
| KC Rush Defense |
The New York Jets took it to the air. The Kansas City defense was not tested on the ground. But, when the Jets ran the ball they got everything they wanted. On 21 rushing attempts the Jets were able to get 136 rushing yards. One of those was a huge run against the nickel by RB Leon Washington. The problems with the rush defense have not been fixed yet.
| KC Pass Defense |
The three interceptions look impressive but this was against the gunslinger Brett Favre. Favre took back the interception lead among NFL QBs this year with his performance in this game. Two of the throws were deep tosses that were prayers more than passes. The third was a great play by Brandon Flowers when Chansi Stuckey quit on the play. The pass defense didn't stop much. They were able to put pressure on Brett Favre but not enough. Jerrod Page was out most of the second half.
| QB Brett Favre, Pass: 28 - 40 - 290 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 |
Brett Favre proved the gunslinger still lives. The first touchdown was an audible by Favre to the middle screen to RB Leon Washington. His three interceptions were on throws where he put it up hoping his WRs could come down with the ball. On one short pass he threw it right into the hands of LB Derrick Johnson. Johnson dropped it or it would have been run back for six. Favre didn't give up even with those bad throws and ended the game with his third TD and 40th career fourth quarter comeback. He proved that he just won't give up.
| RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 14 - 54 - 1, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Thomas Jones had a productive day but not what we expected. He only carried the ball fourteen times. He was very productive on those carries but the Jets relied on passing the ball all day. He did get a short yardage TD. Jones was only used once in the passing game.
| RB Leon Washington, Rush: 3 - 67 - 1, Rec: 3 - 34 - 1 (4 targets) |
Leon Washington was used in all parts of the game. The first TD was a short screen to Washington and he bobbed and weaved to the endzone. In a passing situation the Jets called a run play against the nickel and it created a 60 yard TD. Washington came close to two scores on kickoff returns. One return was a little comical as Connor Barth jumped on his back and Washington carried him until someone caught the two to finish him off. Washington pumped his legs and worked hard to get every yard he earned. It was a very impressive performance.
| RB Jesse Chatman, Rush: 4 - 8 - 0, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) |
Jesse Chatman had a few carries to relieve Thomas Jones.
| WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 9 - 102 - 0 (13 targets) |
Jerricho Cotchery started slow and then took off. This was his first 100 yard game of the season. He didn't have a TD to show for his efforts but it was a very productive day. With nine receptions on the day it was very impressive. One very deep target was in double coverage and Cotchery really didn't have a chance.
| WR Laveranues Coles, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 7 - 64 - 1 (11 targets) |
Laveranues Coles made an amazing one handed catch to complete the comeback. Brett Favre laid it up a little short and Coles cut back to make a one handed catch and tip toe through the corner of the endzone. Coles also had eleven targets and was second to Jerricho Cotchery. Coles was also used in an end around and came close to breaking a big play.
| WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 3 - 43 - 0 (6 targets) |
Chansi Stuckey was not the primary target on any play. He had a few check down receptions. The interception that was returned for a TD was on a route that Stuckey did not finish. Stuckey was targeted two times after that route so Brett Favre must still trust him.
| TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (5 targets) |
Dustin Keller was a target on a consistent basis throughout the game. He wasn't used as the check down receiver but the primary target on three receptions. His long reception was a mid-range target that he was able to get some yards after the catch. It wasn't phenomenal but it was an effective day from the tight end.
| PK Jay Feely 0 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 4 points |
Jay Feely missed a 36 yard field goal in the beginning of the game. The normal wind of the Meadowlands was not to blame today. It was pretty calm.
| NYJ Rush Defense |
Kolby Smith was not effective at all and the Jets were able to stuff him whenever he got the ball. However, Jamaal Charles seemed to give them some problems and he amassed 45 yards on just five attempts. Even though the statistics look good it might have been more of a function of the Chiefs giving the ball to Smith instead of Charles. The Jets run defense only looked good when Smith was in the game.
| NYJ Pass Defense |
This is the 23rd ranked passing defense. It's hard to say if Tyler Thigpen is starting to get it or this was a function of a bad passing defense. Thigpen looked very good today and he was able to pick this defense apart. Last week Thigpen was running scared and this week it was hard to tell which #4 was better. They did get pressure on Thigpen and produce four sacks. But, there were no interceptions and he was able to move the Chiefs down the field very effectively. It wasn't a display of what a passing defense should look like.
