BY SPORTS WRITER JOSE FAUS
It looks to be that kind of season. There’s no need to get all worked up over one game, but dang, if we are going to yoyo all year long, one moment on, one moment down and always spinning about, then I might as well get it off my chest now.
The Kansas City Chiefs were confident going into Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High. The team had taken an old-fashioned butt whipping days earlier and days later were still smattering from the national lashing at the hands of the reigning Superbowl champions Seattle Seahawks. Getting spanked in public hurts, but crying in the dark feels no better.
Champions tend to do comebacks. Contenders must prove their capable of it week in week out, otherwise they carry the label of pretenders. Going into the game the Chiefs were the contenders facing the Broncos. Vegas had them as favorites, as I did. Even found a good spot for the bandwagon too, the parking lot of the dispensary down the street. After the game the word pretenders filled the airwaves, and in the dispensary’s parking lot someone slashed the tires again.
What happened? The dreaded unwelcomed funk showed up and hooked up with penalties galore and her sidekick sackless-tuckered-out unit. They were met by how-big-of-a-barn-do-you-need kicker, and fourth quarter-should-know-never-to-take-a-sack-in-the-redzone-on-third-down-trailing-by-four-with-just-seconds-left quarterback.
In fairness another one showed up. One that I don’t normally harp on but if there were an award called, “worst 15 minutes of coaching by a hall of fame coach” it would not be Andy Reid. He would be in the top five. Even then, who am I to criticize the man who leads a team in a game I could never in my nightmares be able to coach.
But if the coach had taken the podium and said (liberally paraphrasing here from other post-game interviews) “I have to put my players in a better position to execute.” I would’ve thought he meant he was going to do away with them. It would be understandable, that’s how frustrating the game was, but the head coach had a hand in that.
The three plays before the wheels fell off, Reid had one of those brain farts. With 13:29 to go in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs were ahead 24-13 the ball on fourth down and less than a hand to go on their own 42-yard line. Inexplicably the referees said it was 4th and two yards to go. By the time the kicking unit took the field the referees corrected the error and marked it close enough to put in a nice quarterback sneak.
Instead, the kicking unit went ahead and kicked. As the play unfolded, I’m yelling at the screen “go for it.” I see Reid looking down the line and I’m thinking he is going to call a time out and get a measurement. Granted it’s on their own side of the field but the distance between the ball and the line to gain was closer than my toenail clipper and hairbrush combined. Closer than the length of the football. Go for it. Instead, Reid let the play go, and according to the announcers spent the rest of the time between plays arguing with the zebras about their initial spot.
In fairness Denver had turned down a penalty and probably would’ve accepted it if the Chiefs decided to go for it, but perhaps the punt would not have sailed into the end zone and given the defense a better field to defend. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve I guess.
I guess he was mad that they had originally said 4 and 2. If that is the case, why would it matter if he was going to punt anyways. Could the proximity of the mark have given him cause to think, “It looks a lot closer than the length of the two cheeseburgers I ate last week.”Nada happened and from that moment on momentum died. The Broncos seized the opportunity and two scores later stood on the verge of victory.
It’s harsh to criticize the coach for not running the ball on a play that years ago nobody would have thought twice if they called for a punt, but this is football now and he had everything to gain. Put the Broncos out of their misery now. That’s why I don’t coach. I do recall texting a friend, “This is the end, my friend.” It just felt that way. Have seen this scenario too many times.
The last sequence is too painful to repeat. Let’s just kneel and tell sad tales of when there used to be a quarterback sneak in the playbook. How quaint those halcyon days. The coach must take one to the chin this time. His stubbornness is not helping matters here. The dispensary still has the wagon locked in their parking lot. The minute I can get to it I will replace the tires and get ready for the invincible New York Jets. The only thing to do is hold on tight and not worry, the bandwagon has a warning – wins ahead but watch for unwelcomed guests. They seem to have the combination to the front door.
