KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The water cooler chatter among co-workers is always fun on Monday morning.
But the workday discussion following Sunday’s game at Arrowhead Stadium will likely have a unique feel.
Let it sink it; the Kansas City Chiefs are 2-0.
Sep 15, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Eric Berry (29) runs for yardage after recovering a fumble from Dallas Cowboys running back Lance Dunbar (25) (not pictured) during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
It didn’t come easy during Sunday’s 17-16 victory against the Dallas Cowboys, but as the cliché goes, a win is a win.
The Chiefs won behind quarterback Alex Smith’s willingness to tuck it in and get tough yards and with a second straight stellar defensive effort against a potent Cowboys attack, limiting Dallas to a single touchdown and 16 points.
Sure, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant lit it up with nine catches for 141 yards and a touchdown on Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers. But consider five catches for 100 yards and the score came in the first quarter. That’s four catches for 41 yards the rest of the way.
Good coaching staffs and teams make adjustments, and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo saw the difference.
“They definitely did,” Romo responded during his postgame media session when asked if the Chiefs adjusted coverage on Bryant. “I think you saw what happened when they did try to just cover him with one guy, he did a great job and played a great game. Just needed to make a few more plays.”
With the 2-0 start, the national media spotlight is now on Kansas City. And the hype leading to coach Andy Reid’s return to Philadelphia for Thursday night’s game begins.
Chiefs become seventh team since 1970 to start 2-0 after winning just 2 or fewer games previous season. (via Elias)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2013
In the meantime, sit back and absorb what could be as the season progresses.
Since playoffs expanded to 12 teams in 1990, 63 pct of teams to start season 2-0 (119 of 188) have advanced to postseason.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2013
Because everybody loves stats to reinforce debates, some good one from Sunday’s game, courtesy of the Chiefs Communications Department:
• Defensive tackle Dontari Poe sacked quarterback Tony Romo twice, giving Poe 3.5 sacks on the season to lead the team.
• Punter Dustin Colquitt booted seven punts on Sunday, totaling 307 yards (43.9 gross, 37.9 net), including placing five punts inside the 20-yard line tying his career single-game high (accomplished in Week One against the Jacksonville Jaguars). He also had a season-long punt of 65 yards.
• Quarterback Alex Smith established a single-game career high with 57 rushing yards on eight carries, averaging a healthy 7.1 yards per carry. Smith’s 57 rushing yards led the team. Smith completed 21-of-36 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He has four touchdowns against no interceptions through two games.
• WR Dwayne Bowe caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown, the 40th of his career.
• Tight end Sean McGrath notched his first NFL reception on Sunday and finished with two catches for 31 yards.
• Defensive back Ron Parker recorded his first career sack and strip, dropping Romo for a seven-yard loss and forcing a fumble. He also recorded the fumble recover on the play, marking the first of his career.
• Linebacker Akeem Jordan forced a fumble of running back Lance Dunbar, the first forced fumble of 2013 and third of his career.
• Safety Eric Berry recorded his first career fumble recovery after Jordan’s forced fumble.
• The Chiefs allowed only 37 yards rushing on 16 carries, a 2.3 avg. It marked the lowest yards per carry average since the Chiefs defense held the Seattle Seahawks to 1.7 yards per carry on Nov. 28, 2010. The 37 yards rushing is the fewest allowed since holding the Seahawks to 20 net rushing yards on Nov. 28, 2010.
• Defensive end Tyson Jackson notched two passes defensed, batting down two Romo passes at the line of scrimmage. The two passes defensed are single-game career high for Jackson.
• The Chiefs were plus-two in the turnover margin for today’s game. Kansas City has registered four takeaways in the first two games and have yet to give away the football, owning a plus-four turnover differential for the season. Here’s how that stat compares to the 2012 debacle.
#Chiefs‘ plus/minus on turnovers after 2 games: +4. Rec: 2-0. Last year after 2 games: -6. Rec: 0-2. Ain’t rocket science. #NFL
— SeanKeeler (@SeanKeeler) September 15, 2013
• The Chiefs wore red-on-red for the first time in franchise history.
• A total of 76,952 fans attended Sunday’s game, marking the largest crowd at Arrowhead since 77,368 fans watched the Chiefs take on the Denver Broncos on Nov. 11, 2007.
