Fri Sep 26 13:58:32 2008

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Streaking Broncos Visit Hapless Chiefs

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(Sports Network) - In a 2008 season that has thus far brought only pain, a win over the AFC West rival Denver Broncos would elicit only pleasure for the Kansas City Chiefs.

There's always satisfaction for Kansas City in beating the hated Broncos, but coming up on the winning end at Arrowhead Stadium this time around would be extra special.

Denver has been the toast of the NFL through three weeks, with its perfect record and 114 points through three weeks making the team one of the league's top stories. The Broncos haven't played great defense in recent wins over the Chargers (39-38) and Saints (34-32), but their 114 points are identical to the total that the record-setting Patriots attack put up through three contests a year ago.

Stopping that juggernaut would surely knock the Broncos' stock down a few pegs, and would also keep Denver from winning back-to-back regular season games at Arrowhead for the first time since 1978-79.

But for Herm Edwards' club, Sunday's game isn't just about Denver.

Signs of progress are needed badly for a Chiefs team that has been arguably the NFL's worst through three weeks.

In addition to trying to halt a franchise-worst 12-game losing streak dating back to a win at Oakland last Oct. 21, the Chiefs are attempting to avoid their first 0-4 start since 1980, when they finished 8-8 under Marv Levy.

Kansas City has scarcely been competitive in losses to the Patriots (17-10), Raiders (23-8) and Falcons (38-14), with three different starting quarterbacks taking their turn in those defeats.

This week, the team will turn back to Week 2 starter Damon Huard

The Chiefs are averaging just 14 points per game, and have thrown a league- high-tying six interceptions on the year. The club is on pace for just 171 points, which would be the fewest in team history and fewer than even the 176 the team scored in a nine-game slate in 1982. Kansas City's 14.1 points per game last season currently ranks as the worst per-game average in team history, but the '08 team is scoring 10.7 per contest.

With a point differential of -14.0, the current team could also challenge the 1977 club as the least competitive unit in team annals. That club lost games by an average of 8.9 points.

Defensively, Kansas City has not been much to write home about either, allowing an NFL-worst eight runs of 20 yards or longer and ranking 31st in NFL rushing defense.

SERIES HISTORY

Kansas City holds a 52-43 lead in its all-time series with Denver, but was swept in last year's home-and-home with the Broncos. Denver was a 27-11 winner when the clubs met at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 10, and routed the Chiefs by a 41-7 margin at home in Week 14. Kansas City was 4-0 in home games against Denver between 2003 and 2006, including a 19-10 win in the last game of that string.

The Chiefs have not lost three consecutive regular season games to the Broncos since the 1991-92 seasons.

The two storied franchises have met just once in the postseason, with the Broncos claiming a 14-10 road victory in a 1997 AFC Divisional Playoff.

Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan is 15-15 against Kansas City in his career, including 13-14 since taking over in Denver in 1995. The Chiefs' Herm Edwards is 2-4 against both Shanahan and the Broncos as a head coach, including 1-3 since arriving in K.C.

WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL

If the NFL named an Offensive Player of the Year or even an MVP through three weeks of the season, it would be difficult not to award it to Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler (914 passing yards, 8 TD, 2 INT). Cutler has been sensational in the team's three wins, compiling a 110.6 passer rating and absorbing just one sack for the month. Brandon Marshall (24 receptions, 2 TD) has been Cutler's top target in each of the past two weeks, and rookie Eddie Royal (18 receptions, 2 TD) and tight end Tony Scheffler (11 receptions, 2 TD) have had their moments as well. The running game has been quiet in comparison, though Selvin Young (179 rushing yards, 1 TD) and Andre Hall (117 rushing yards) are both averaging well over five yards per carry and fullback Michael Pittman has made four of his 20 touches count for touchdowns. On the injury front, center Tom Nalen (knee) went on season-ending injured reserve earlier this week, and wide receiver Darrell Jackson (calf) is considered questionable for Sunday.

The Chiefs have been better against the pass than the run this season, which might seem like a good sign until you consider that the team faced Tom Brady for one quarter and has otherwise gone up against the inexperienced likes of Matt Cassel, JaMarcus Russell, and Matt Ryan. The secondary will get its first true test this week, and with veteran corner Patrick Surtain (shoulder) questionable, that could mean rookies Brandon Flowers (12 tackles) and Brandon Carr (14 tackles) will be charged with locking down Marshall and Royal. Safeties Bernard Pollard (16 tackles) and Jarrad Page (19 tackles) will have to help. The Chiefs have just two sacks on the year to date, including zero from their starting front four. As mentioned, the run defense has been mostly horrible, with rookie tackle Glenn Dorsey (10 tackles) not making much of a difference and the linebacking corps struggling behind him. Making matters worse is that linebacker Donnie Edwards will miss this week with an ankle injury, which will mean more action for Demorrio Williams (13 tackles) alongside Pat Thomas (16 tackles) and fellow OLB Derrick Johnson (13 tackles, 1 sack). Johnson had just one tackle against the Falcons last week.

WHEN THE CHIEFS HAVE THE BALL

With Brodie Croyle (shoulder) still out and Tyler Thigpen coming off a mostly disastrous start in Atlanta last week, the Chiefs will turn back to Huard (135 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) to try to get them in the win column. Huard relieved Croyle in Week 1, nearly rallying the Chiefs against the Patriots, but played only briefly before being benched against the Raiders the following Sunday. The veteran will look to locate wideout Dwayne Bowe (15 receptions, 2 TD) and tight end Tony Gonzalez (15 receptions, 1 TD), the team's two most consistent offensive players through three weeks. Bowe and Gonzalez each had four catches last week, with Bowe chipping in his second touchdown of the year. Kansas City will also need a contribution from a running game that got off the mat with 184 yards on the ground last week. Larry Johnson (217 rushing yards, 1 TD) rushed 24 times for 121 yards and a touchdown in the win, and rookie Jamaal Charles (73 rushing yards, 6 receptions) contributed 62 yards on 10 offensive touches. A porous Chiefs line has allowed 11 sacks thus far in 2008.

Huard and company should find a way to make some gains against a Denver defense that ranks 30th in the NFL in yards allowed (421.7 yards per game). The Broncos are particularly soft up the middle, where linebackers Nate Webster (26 tackles), D.J. Williams (28 tackles, 1 sack), and Boss Bailey (15 tackles) haven't made much of an impact and tackle Dewayne Robertson (3 tackles) hasn't offered a great presence at the point of attack. Webster did turn in a big play in the form of a 34-yard fumble return for a touchdown last week, however. The Broncos secondary had little clue against the Saints passing attack, surrendering 421 yards through the air and sacking Drew Brees just once. Pass rusher Elvis Dumervil (2 tackles), who led the team with 12.5 sacks last year, is still looking for his first of the year. Champ Bailey (9 tackles, 1 INT) and Dre' Bly (14 tackles) have done a decent job at corner, but safeties Marquand Manuel (16 tackles) and Marlon McCree (11 tackles) have contributed few big plays.

FANTASY FOCUS

The Broncos have two front-of-the-line fantasy starters in Cutler and Marshall, a pair of players that figure to be among the most consistent point producers in the league this year. Scheffler and kicker Matt Prater also look like solid plays, but Young and Royal have been a bit hit-or-miss so far. The Denver defense might be on the waiver wire in some leagues, but the Broncos did score a touchdown on defense last week and will have the advantage of playing a weak Kansas City offense.

Larry Johnson posted a 100-yard outing for the Chiefs last week, but remains marginal as a starting candidate. Gonzalez and Bowe remain decent plays, if only because Kansas City has faced major deficits in every game it has played and the team has been forced to throw. Stay far, far away from anyone else on this team.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This should be an easy game to pick, since the Broncos have moved the ball at will offensively in forging a 3-0 start, and the Chiefs have neither stopped anyone consistently nor moved the ball at any more than a glacial pace. But bear in mind that no team in NFL history has ever gone 0-16, and the Chiefs are bound to play better at some point than they have during the season to date. With an Arrowhead Stadium crowd behind them, with the veteran Huard keeping the mistakes to a minimum, and with defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham getting his side of the ball ready to play, look for Kansas City to give itself a chance to win this game in the fourth quarter. The Broncos are too powerful to lose this one, but you might just find them looking ahead to Tampa Bay next week.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Broncos 27, Chiefs 20