Chiefs’ report card vs. the Seahawks
First quarter
Key play: Alex Smith’s screen pass to Jamaal Charles gained 13 yards to the Seattle 41.
Key stat: The Chiefs’ opening scoring drive of 9 minutes, 1 second was the second-longest scoring drive of the season to a 9:31 drive that ended with a field goal at San Diego.
Second quarter
Key play: A penalty for illegal use of the hands on Chiefs cornerback Ron Parker nullified Justin Houston’s third-down sack of Russell Wilson and extended a drive that ended with a Seahawks touchdown.
Key stat: The Chiefs were two for two scoring TDs in the red zone in the first half; Seattle was one for three.
Third quarter
Key play: Charles fumbled at the Chiefs 44, setting up Seattle’s go-ahead touchdown.
Key stat: Seattle converted the Chiefs’ two turnovers into 10 points.
Fourth quarter
Key play: Charles atoned for his third-quarter fumble with a 47-yard run that set up the go-ahead touchdown run by Knile Davis.
Key stat: The Chiefs, the least-penalized team in the NFL, were called for three penalties for 6yards; the Seahawks were flagged eight times for 50 yards … with one ejection.
Player of the game: Charles rose to the challenge of going head-to-head with Marshawn Lynch and produced his first 100-yard game rushing of the season.
Reason to hope: If the season were to end today, the Chiefs would be the first wild card in the AFC West, but they have a chance to seize the division when they play host to Denver on Nov. 28.
Reason to mope: The Chiefs finished minus-2 in turnovers, and that usually gets you beat. They need to start creating some takeaways.
Looking ahead: The Chiefs have a short turnaround, playing on Thursday night at Oakland in a nationally televised game.
Report card
A- | Rush Offense | Jamaal Charles rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns and averaged 8.0 yards per carry against the league’s No. 4 defense against the run. Yes, he fumbled, but he atoned for it with a 47-yard run that set up the game-winning touchdown on a 4-yard run by Knile Davis. De’Anthony Thomas kept the Seahawks honest with a couple of nice gains on reverses. |
C | Pass Offense | Alex Smith had a 1960’s-type game, completing 11 passes in just 16 attempts. But without wideouts Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins and tight end Anthony Fasano, Smith’s choices were limited. Smith wasn’t sacked and didn’t throw an interception. That proved good enough to win. |
B- | Rush Defense | Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch (124 yards) and quarterback Russell Wilson (71) were as advertised. Lynch was hard to bring down, and Wilson was elusive. But on fourth and 1 at the Chiefs’ 36 late in the fourth quarter, Allen Bailey earned his new contract by stopping Lynch for no gain. And the Chiefs still haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown. |
B | Pass Defense | The league’s top defense against the pass allowed just 178 yards and a long completion of just 27 yards, which was more run than catch. Except for a 1-yard touchdown by old friend Tony Moeaki, no Seahawks receiver got behind the Chiefs’ defenders. Dontari Poe and Tamba Hali came up with timely sacks. |
A | Special Teams | Dustin Colquitt wasn’t called upon to punt until the Chiefs were backed up at their 2 with 6:27 to play in the game. He boomed a 53-yarder that gave the Seahawks a longer field than they had hoped for. And his second punt of 51 yards was downed at the 4, forcing Seattle to go the length of the field on a final drive that died at the Chiefs’ 20. |
A | Coaching | Andy Reid coaxed another win out a team that was short on wide receivers and tight ends and facing a defending Super Bowl champion needing a win more than the Chiefs. Reid’s successfully challenging the officials’ awarding a first down to Seattle in the fourth quarter was a game-changer. |
To reach Randy Covitz, call 816-234-4796 or send email to rcovitz@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @randycovitz.
This story was originally published November 16, 2014 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Chiefs’ report card vs. the Seahawks."