Few bright spots for Chiefs in opener

By Mike Ash  |   Saturday, September 15, 2007  |  Comments( 5 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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With the offense struggling to move the ball, the rookie kicker looking shaky, and a tight leash on star running back Larry Johnson, the first game of the season for Kansas City likely lived up to the worst fears of Chiefs fans. The team's performance against the Houston Texans last Sunday, in which it managed just a field goal in a 20-3 loss, probably didn't inspire much optimism for the rest of 2007. Especially as the Chiefs begin their campaign with three of their first four games on the road, making them the only such team in the NFL with that dubious honor.

Despite the loss, though, there were a few positives in the Chiefs' effort. And because the negatives have been gone over repeatedly in the days since the game, it never hurts to stop and focus on the things that actually went well.

With that in mind, here are some bright spots from the Chiefs' opener.

The defense:

Half of the 20 points the Texans put on the scoreboard were the result of turnovers. A highly questionable fumble ruling gave Houston a touchdown early in the third quarter when Chiefs fullback Kris Wilson dropped a pass in which the ball was recovered and returned to the end zone. Also, a fumble by punt returner Eddie Drummond gave the Texans the ball at their own 29-yard line, setting up a field goal.

The Chiefs' defense surrendered just 10 points on the day, seven of them coming on one big play when safety Bernard Pollard, making his first career start, bit too hard on a play-action fake and allowed receiver Andre Johnson to slip behind him. Beyond that single mistake, the Chiefs - playing sans suspended pass rusher Jared Allen and without injured cornerback Pat Surtain for a good portion of the afternoon - gave up just one field goal drive over the course of the contest.

Damion McIntosh:

The team's new left tackle looked solid in his debut. Although he was spelled on several plays by backup Will Svitek because of conditioning issues from missing the entire preseason, McIntosh didn't display any ill effects from the knee injury that kept him on the sideline during the previous month of action. Best of all, he was strong in pass protection.

If McIntosh continues to perform as well as he did Sunday, the earlier concerns over the Chiefs' offensive line might be proven as premature.

Samie Parker:

It was a bad omen for Kansas City when Eddie Kennison hobbled off the field during the team's first play from scrimmage. Surprisingly, though, Parker seemed to rise to the occasion. Although his numbers (four catches, 48 yards) weren't anything to write home about, the fourth-year receiver - who has been maligned by Chiefs fans for his drops and inconsistency - may have had his most impressive showing since flashing positive signs during a few games in his rookie season.

He made difficult catches and came through in key situations, plays that are somewhat uncharacteristic of his career thus far. Perhaps the team drafting a receiver with its first pick in April's draft served as a wake-up call for the speedy wideout.

Dwayne Bowe:

The rookie receiver dropped a couple of passes in his debut, but he also made a few plays that showed why he was worthy of a first-round pick and finished with three catches for 42 yards. With a chiseled 220-pound frame, Bowe is adept at breaking tackles and demonstrated more than once just how difficult it is to bring him down in the open field. The ex-LSU star also made a spectacular catch on an underthrown ball, re-adjusting to the pass while sandwiched between two defenders.

Overview:

Considering that three of the four positives came on the offensive side of the ball, there should be at least some optimism that the team's struggles in that area can be corrected once Damon Huard - who only threw nine passes in the preseason - gets into a rhythm and once Larry Johnson becomes a bigger part of the game plan than he was against the Texans.

Last year's Chiefs started slowly and improved as the year went on, finally getting over .500 in Week 8 and ultimately grabbing a wild-card spot. Will the 2007 version fare the same way, or will the game in Houston be a harbinger of things to come?

Sunday's major test in Chicago will say a lot about the current Kansas City team.

Get more on the Kansas City Chiefs at RealFootball365.com
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