Thoughts the day after

[TwistedChief]

Went to bed embarrassed and mad. Woke up fine.

We've lost so infrequently over the past couple years that I think we've forgotten how to do it. And how to cope with it as fans.

That defensive performance was about as pathetic as I can ever remember. Literally no saving grace on that front. And that's concerning. But we can acknowledge that these two matchups were particularly bad for this team and we've seen Spags' defenses look lost in the past only to make adjustments and find a way to improve to semi-respectable.

The reality is we played a NUMBER of close games like this last year and each and every time the ball bounced our way. Now, a lot of that is because we have Mahomes who has papered over endless deficiencies for the last few years, but even as a recently as last week, if Chubb doesn't fumble, do we win that game? What is the narrative like then?

Clyde looks bad. Like, even below the status of a normal JAG running back. But I don't think you can fault Andy for running the ball in that situation. It's not like the guy has a LeSean McCoy recent history of fumbling for you (or at all). It happened. It sucks.

Anyway, guys, this is no different from prior seasons. We can beat any team. We have Mahomes and 99% of the time Clyde isn't fumbling there, Butker kicks a FG, we end up winning the game, and we're all doing cartwheels and looking forward to the Chargers. It didn't happen here, but that doesn't make us materially worse as a football team.

This team ex-Mahomes has been soft. Hopefully this toughens us up. We'll be fine.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

See, I knew we were going to lose again. I know we probably have exponentially more devastating moments ahead of in coming years. No one stays 100% healthy, no one plays mistake-free forever, no one plays under the market value forever, etc.

What is bad about this loss is huge swathes of key parts of the franchise played way below professional expectations, in a manner that doesn't appear to be one-off mental mistakes or just getting caught on low-effort days. Performing well-below professional expectations in ways that will persist until fundamental changes are installed, whether it's scheme or personnel.

It's like the difference; . . . say you have a beautiful new Lambo, and you take it out the strip and track. You thrash it, . . . and instead of it being slightly out of tune, or instead of you missing the apex on a couple turns, . . . you realize that the engine is fine and the tune is fine, and the body is beautiful, but the transmission and suspension has you getting outrun and lapped by Camrys and Altimas.

It's not the loss itself, it's the enormity of the work evident to correct the imperfections.

Great analogy with the Lamborghini/Camry point. That’s precisely what it felt like.

Originally Posted by bringbackmarty

Smith is kinda right that a couple of mistakes cost us the game. Where he is wrong is that they were excessively stupid mistakes by the Qb and to a greater extent Andy. Mahomes shouldn't have thrown the pic and trusted that the d was going to make at least one play, maybe they fumble the punt or he pins Lamar inside the 5.
Andy should have had D. Williams, Burton running if he's playing for a fg, stout dudes that can take a hit and pass protect if mahomes changes the call at the line. If he's going touchdown, why not trex there or spread them out and run an rpo?

I agree with most everything in principle. But Mahomes is periodically going to throw that ball because that dude can do shit nobody else can. Like in the history of mankind. So he’ll take a throw he shouldn’t because what the hell he took 10 others he shouldn’t have taken this quarter and they all worked.

I’ll take that pick if I get the incredible shit. Why? Because I know what this team is without the incredible shit and I’d prefer to not go there again.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by bringbackmarty

Smith is kinda right that a couple of mistakes cost us the game. Where he is wrong is that they were excessively stupid mistakes by the Qb and to a greater extent Andy. Mahomes shouldn't have thrown the pic and trusted that the d was going to make at least one play, maybe they fumble the punt or he pins Lamar inside the 5.
Andy should have had D. Williams, Burton running if he's playing for a fg, stout dudes that can take a hit and pass protect if mahomes changes the call at the line. If he's going touchdown, why not trex there or spread them out and run an rpo?

Mahomes said he should have thrown it to DRob. Was going to, but then switched to Kelce at the last instant. Hard to fault him for throwing to Kelce, but he was probably correct in his DRob choice first. If he goes that way, it just might have resulted in a 1st down. 4th and short at the worst.

[PunkinDrublic]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Great analogy with the Lamborghini/Camry point. That’s precisely what it felt like.



I agree with most everything in principle. But Mahomes is periodically going to throw that ball because that dude can do shit nobody else can. Like in the history of mankind. So he’ll take a throw he shouldn’t because what the hell he took 10 others he shouldn’t have taken this quarter and they all worked.

I’ll take that pick if I get the incredible shit. Why? Because I know what this team is without the incredible shit and I’d prefer to not go there again.

I believe we were still up two scores when Pat threw that interception. I think he got a little too loose. If the game were closer I don’t think he throws that pass, unfortunately our next next drive stalled out to.

That’s why I’m upset about the run call, I think Pat would’ve been locked in and torched Baltimore’s trash secondary. I like the odds of giving Pat a chance to put the game away.

[Rain Man]

Meh, I don't care at all about the interception. Mahomes is a great quarterback and he does incredible things. The reward to risk payoff is enormous, but it's not infinite.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

I believe we were still up two scores when Pat threw that interception. I think he got a little too loose. If the game were closer I don’t think he throws that pass, unfortunately our next next drive stalled out to.

That’s why I’m upset about the run call, I think Pat would’ve been locked in and torched Baltimore’s trash secondary. I like the odds of giving Pat a chance to put the game away.

No doubt. They had no answer for 5 wides at that time. Candy form a baby.

[ModSocks]

So after licking my wounds i got back to watching some of this Balt/Chiefs game.

I came away realizing that Hitchens and Bolton have been getting a pass on this poor run defense. We've been laying everything at the feet of the Dline, and we're wrong about that. Dead ****ing wrong. Sure, there were containment issues here and there, but they were exacerbated by some really poor play recognition on behalf of Bolton/Hitchens.

I honestly think it may have been Hitchens' worst game as a Chiefs.

If you go back and review most of Balt's big plays, our LB's completely bit hard on play fakes and RPO's and left lanes wide the **** open.

We should be putting heat on those two dudes and easing up on the Dline.

[PunkinDrublic]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

So after licking my wounds i got back to watching some of this Balt/Chiefs game.

I came away realizing that Hitchens and Bolton have been getting a pass on this poor run defense. We've been laying everything at the feet of the Dline, and we're wrong about that. Dead ****ing wrong. Sure, there were containment issues here and there, but they were exacerbated by some really poor play recognition on behalf of Bolton/Hitchens.

I honestly think it may have been Hitchens' worst game as a Chiefs.

If you go back and review most of Balt's big plays, our LB's completely bit hard on play fakes and RPO's and left lanes wide the **** open.

We should be putting heat on those two dudes and easing up on the Dline.

Bolton at least showed flashes early in the game, he’ll get better. I’ve been done with Hitchens.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

Bolton at least showed flashes early in the game, he’ll get better. I’ve been done with Hitchens.

Hitchens was taken out of several plays by WR's giving up 50 pounds.

That's just a lack of effort.

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

Bolton at least showed flashes early in the game, he’ll get better. I’ve been done with Hitchens.

Bolton has some learning to do. He got abused by Lamar Jackson in the passing game.

I think this is all fixable. By end season, the D will be fine. That's my prediction.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by TEX

No doubt. They had no answer for 5 wides at that time. Candy form a baby.