Chiefs Blitz: The good, the bad and the ugly from Sunday’s win over the Bills

Do tell the truth

Seriously. How are the Chiefs 6-3 right now? Are we sure this is the same team that lost in the season opener?

If you saw that game, you would have never guessed the Chiefs would find a way to win six of their next eight games. No chance, no way. The play-calling was too poor, and they just look flat. But the players have played their tails off, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid has had a great season as a play-caller.

Speaking of Reid, how good was he as a play-caller on Sunday?

He was absolutely on point. The Chiefs found a way to move the ball and score points at crucial times despite an offensive line that looked overmatched, at times, against a stout defensive front. Give Reid credit for that — the Chiefs take advantage of their linemen’s athleticism and use all sorts of misdirection to create enough room for their slippery running backs to do damage. Reid has shown an ability to call some good stuff at the right times.

We have to give Alex Smith credit though, right?

You bet. If Smith was less athletic than he is, he would have taken an absolute pounding Sunday. Even though he was sacked six times and hurried 10, he occasionally escaped trouble and was tough enough to stand in there and deliver some good passes, when needed. He also was mistake free, which is vitally important in a rough-and-tumble game like Sunday’s. People take that for granted sometimes, but he is a very good quarterback for this offense.

How can you go this far without mentioning Ron Parker’s performance?

Good point. Parker was excellent on Sunday. The Chiefs, who usually keep their corners on the same sides, did something they don’t normally do and let Parker shadow Buffalo star Sammy Watkins at times on Sunday. The results were fantastic — the dynamic Watkins was targeted 10 times but came away with four catches for 27 yards. Parker, meanwhile, finished with a team-high eight tackles and also had three pass deflections and most importantly, no big plays allowed. Considering the Chiefs claimed him off waivers a year ago, you can say that guy has come a long way.

Let’s look ahead. How winnable is this Seattle game?

Oh, it’s winnable. Both teams are 6-3, but the Chiefs will have home-field advantage and a massive chip on their shoulders. This is a game where they can prove how good they really are to the rest of the league, and the Seahawks — while still very talented and very good — do not look invincible.

The number

10: The number of consecutive field goals rookie kicker Cairo Santos has made this season. Santos connected on a 36-yarder in the first half.

This story was originally published November 9, 2014 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Chiefs Blitz: The good, the bad and the ugly from Sunday’s win over the Bills."