Chiefs’ offense stalls in second half of loss to 49ers

Nursing a four-point lead early in the third quarter Sunday against a physical team like the San Francisco 49ers, what the Chiefs really needed were one or two more solid possessions.

Instead, the Chiefs’ offense sputtered with three punts and an interception while allowing three straight field goals in the 22-17 loss.

Coming out of the halftime break, the Chiefs held the 49ers to three-and-out, then capped a 58-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to De’Anthony Thomas. But their good fortune seemed to end there.

The Chiefs managed just 17 plays in five possessions in the second half. They were zero for three on third-down conversions, including third and and third and 1.

“In order to extend drives, if you’re in a third-down situation you’ve got to make them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I thought the last two were really the primary ones that put us in a bad position down the stretch in the game. I’ve got to make sure I’m dialing up the right plays at those times, and then if they are the right thing, we have to execute. It’s that simple.”

The Chiefs had much better numbers in the first half, converting six of eight third-down situations, including five of five in the first quarter. However, Reid faced a barrage of questions at Monday’s press conference about the team’s decision to attempt pass plays on all 11 third-down conversions and the limited use of star running back Jamaal Charles.

Charles rushed for 80 yards in 15 attempts despite playing 78 percent of the offensive snaps. The other running backs and quarterback Alex Smith combined for 10 yards in four carries.

“We could have done a better job of giving him (Charles) more carries and better opportunities,” Reid said. “In particular on that third and 1, if I could do it all again with hindsight, I might have handed it to him and given him the opportunity to make that play.”

Reid also pointed to the discrepancies in time of possession between the first and second halves as something the team will address when they return next Monday after the bye week.

The Chiefs’ numbers declined each quarter from 10:59 to 5:47 to 5:26, and finally 1:44 in the fourth quarter. The 49ers had the ball for 12 more minutes than the Chiefs in the game.

“That is where some of our execution can be better, and we are going to get that thing right as we go down the stretch here,” Reid said. “It’s important that we step back here and as coaches look in the mirror first at what we’re doing and make sure that we’re putting players in the best position to make plays.”

This story was originally published October 6, 2014 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Chiefs’ offense stalls in second half of loss to 49ers."