Chiefs’ Bowe must learn to make the big play
Chiefs wide receiver
Dwayne Bowe may one day be a big-time player in the NFL.
To get to that level, though, he’ll have to consistently make the big play, especially with the game on the line.
Bowe had the tying touchdown in his hands and, like several other balls thrown his way, he dropped it, as Sunday’s analysts pointed out.
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“Oh, Dwayne Bowe had it right on his hands … a perfect throw from Damon Huard!”
| CBS analyst Dan Dierdorf after Bowe’s drop on first and goal in the final minute.
“Caught and dropped by Bowe. He had a first down and then some.”
| CBS play-by-play man Greg Gumbel in the first half.
“Bowe just flubbed it.”
| Dierdorf
“Not a good day for Dwayne Bowe … second clean drop.”
| Dierdorf in the first half.
“How about that? Bowe drops two or three easy ones, and then makes the tough catch.”
| Len Dawson, Chiefs Radio Network and KCFX, after Bowe pulled in a difficult catch for a first down.
“They’ve got to have him, and he came through! How’s that for elevation?”
| Dierdorf after Bowe’s leaping touchdown catch pulled the Chiefs within 14-10 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s a lot less crowded up there!”
| Gumbel on Bowe outleaping the defenders.
JF: Bowe had some great moments Sunday, too, and anyone can see the talent that Bowe has. Now we wait for him to take it to the next level.
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“Randy Moss fumbled the ball, but that’s not the story. Tom Brady got hit right on the knee. That’s Bernard Pollard on the blitz … you can see (Brady’s) knee flex … the entire Patriot nation is holding its collective breath.”
JF: Dierdorf quickly recognized that a knee flexing back means a player probably won’t be returning to the game.
“That wasn’t a cheap shot by Pollard. He had a (Patriot) on top of him … he was just fighting to make a play.”
| Dierdorf
JF: Defenders aren’t allowed to hit quarterbacks high or low, but what was Pollard supposed to do? He already was on the ground as he was trying to get to Brady.
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“We’ll see if Brodie Croyle returns.”
| Mitch Holthus, Chiefs Radio Network, KCFX
“I just don’t know how to convey to you how disappointed No. 12 is right now. Disappointment is all over (Croyle) ... Damon Huard is warming up.”
| Kendall Gammon, Chiefs Radio Network, who was making his regular-season debut as the new sideline reporter.
JF: The radio team was a bit slow relaying the seriousness of Croyle’s injury. CBS had already shown Croyle trying to throw a warm-up pass, wincing in pain and then shaking his head “no,” before updates came from the radio side.
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“Watching film of Jamaal Charles from preseason … wow! He has a serious case of the quicks.”
| Dierdorf on the Chiefs’ rookie running back
JF: Another bright spot for the Chiefs on Sunday was the flashy potential of Charles. Got to get him more touches.
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“You don’t have to just throw it down here. You have time for a run.”
| Dawson during the Chiefs’ final series. Sure enough, the Chiefs immediately tried and failed with a Larry Johnson run.
“I think they played a whole lot better than people thought they would.”
| Dawson on the Chiefs as a whole
JF: Lenny’s right. It’s something to build on. A shocking upset would have been even better to build on.
To reach Jeffrey Flanagan, call 816-234-4492 and leave a message or send e-mail to jflanagan@kcstar.com
