Notre Dame game crew on the game for NBC, Dan Hicks and Mike Mayock. And hello Alex Flanagan.
FIRST QUARTER
Early loss in the field position battle as Quintin Demps only returns the opening kickoff to the KC17. Quick 10 yards for Jamaal Charles on an off-tackle right and an edge run left. Quick slant from Alex Smith to Dwayne Bowe for 12 more. Smith scrambles a couple of times, for 15 the second time to beat a blitz, to march the Chiefs out to the IND40. Charles off right tackle for another 7, and the Colt defense doesn't look like it has a clue right now. Charles stays down after the carry, possibly got his wind knocked out falling on the ball.
I'd expected to see Robert Mathis lined up on backup RT Donald Stephenson more, but so far he's been across from Branden Albert and hasn't gotten anywhere. Option toss to Knile Davis for 5. Charles is being treated for a concussion. Screen to Dexter McCluster for 5. Davis bounces outside and runs through Craig Toler for 5 more. This is how I feared the Colt defense would play after I picked them. Knew I shouldn't have trusted them. 7-yard flare to McCluster. Mathis nearly got there after a great spin move, but it's Alex Smith - the ball is coming out quick. Davis cuts back for a short gain to make it first-and-goal at the 6 with little resistance from the Colts thus far. After a couple of misses, Smith hits Dwayne Bowe on a slant on 3rd-and-goal to put the Chiefs on top. 7-minute TD drive pretty masterfully called by Doug Pederson and/or Reid. Took barely 15 minutes for my weekend picks to start sucking! Chiefs 7, Colts 0
Not David Reed, who was laughable against the Rams, but Lavon Brazill returning kicks for Indy, a nice run up the sideline for about 35 up to the IND27. (In fact, Reed was cut right after Thanksgiving.) Play-action slant from Andrew Luck to T.Y. Hilton for 11, and we are in no-huddle mode. 5 more to Hilton, then another 24 on a drag route to beat a blitz. Brazill gets ripped down by his facemask on a screen pass without a call. Mayock states "it wasn't on the face mask" when it plainly was. Sideline jump ball to Coby Fleener down to the 15. 5 more to Brazill, then Hilton loses the DB with a step-fake at the line and scores on a little go route from the slot. Chiefs scored in 7 minutes, the Colts in 2:30. 7-7
Fast pace of the Colt defense kept the Chief pass rush from getting anywhere, so at least my preview go something right. Demps powers out to the 26 with the return, which he brought back from WAY deep. No kneeling today. Smith overthrows Bowe on 1st down, Vontae Davis resets things with an illegal contact. After Davis gains 4, Bowe runs through LAUGHABLE tackling by LaRon Landry and Toler and takes a 10-yard quick slant 62 yards, all the way to the 2. Smith has to throw away the first-and-goal pass, and HUGE stops at the goal line by LBs Kavell Connor and Kelvin Sheppard on Davis force a FG. I'd call that a potential turning point of the game if the Colts were showing any sign of stopping anything else. Chiefs 10, Colts 7
Also, Robert Mathis, any time you want to show up would be great. Yeah. Defensive player of the year, huh. Fearless Brazill nearly out to the 30 on the return. Donald Brown with the Colts' first run of the game for 4. Justin Houston hits Luck as he throws to force an incomplete. Indy cannot afford a 3-and-out here. Luck's nearly sacked by Ron Parker on a blitz and has his pass deflected by Allen Bailey.
SECOND QUARTER
Chiefs start at their 20 after the punt, and things are going close to perfectly for them so far. After two incompletions make you think the pass-happy Reid is trying to keep the Colts in the game, DONNIE AVERY burns Toler by 5 yards to score on a 79-yard TD bomb. Chiefs 17, Colts 7
On behalf of my picks, I would like to thank the freaking Colts for not even showing up today. I'd especially like to thank their defensive backs for running about as fast as grandfathers right after Thanksgiving dinner. Weekend's not even an hour old and I'm already well on my way to starting 0-3. This one's rapidly heading to screw-this mode. Also, Alex Smith can throw deep? Since when? Good for him.
Colts from their 20. Now the Chiefs are in trouble, here's Trent Richardson. And the worst trade in NFL history manifests itself in one play. Bottled up by Sean Smith for a loss, he tries to cut it back, tries to switch hands while Tamba Hali hacks at the ball and just puts it on the ground. Justin Houston with the recovery, I believe.
And hell, the Chiefs don't even need Charles to whip Indy's ass two weeks after losing to them at home by 16. Davis breaks down to the 4 to make it 1st-and-goal. On 2nd-and-goal, Smith throws a crazy backflip pass to fullback Anthony Sherman to put this game in total screw-this mode. Thanks a lot, Colts. Chiefs 24, Colts 7
Excuse me while I go forfeit my pick on Streak for the Cash. Colts looked headed for another 3-and-out but Luck danced away from the rush and hit somebody called Griff Whalen for 17. T.Y. Hilton down on the play. Hali collapses the pocket on 2nd-and-5 to force a bad pass. After scoring easily with the up-tempo offense on the opening possession, the Colts are now doing everything slowly. Eric Berry stops Fleener short of a first down on a route that was never run deep enough to force 4th down. The Chiefs go for it on 4th and inches, and Hali stuffs the useless Richardson about 2 yards behind the line. EXCEPT - it was a read option, Luck kept the ball and hopped around left end for 21 yards. What a brilliant fake! Hilton's back and bounces off a tough shot from Berry for 10 on a quick screen. 3 straight incompletions follow, though, with Houston deflecting the 3rd down pass. Colts settle for an Adam Vinatieri FG. Chiefs 24, Colts 10
Demps returns the kickoff from the stands and doesn't make the 20. 2 carries by Davis for a first down, then 3 straight by... Alex Smith for another. Charles has been ruled out of the rest of the game. The Chiefs don't need him! Then it's 3 straight screens, ending with a middle screen to Anthony Fasano for another 1st down across midfield. After a timeout, the Chiefs convert a 3rd-and-short with an 18-yard flare to McCluster down to the IND20. He got a completely illegal pick from Bowe to get open, but also a sweet pancake block downfield by... DONNIE AVERY, who returns to his old self a couple of plays later when he drops a pass over the middle. Smith, who has apparently turned into Colin Kaepernick, scrambles inside the 10 on 3rd-and-7 for another 1st down at the 2:00 warning.
Facemask penalty on useless Vontae Davis tees K.C. up at the 4, and Knile Davis surges in easily to make this a blowout by halftime. Chiefs 31, Colts 10
Luck hard-counts the Chiefs for one 1st down, hits Hilton on a corner route for 22. That doesn't last after Houston embarrasses Gosder Cherilus with an inside move for the first sack of the game. Luck then throws a TERRIBLE pass DIRECTLY TO Brandon Flowers, who Stevie Wonder would have seen. What the hell was that? The Chiefs nearly even score on the Hail Mary on the final play of the half.
Halftime adjustments? Pfft. This thing is over. The Colts are going to have to run the offense like they did their opening drive to stand a chance of even cutting the lead in half. Luck was 7-7 that drive, 5-14 and a pick afterward. In fact, it was Pep Hamilton's brilliant UN-adjustment away from the spectacularly-working no-huddle that's helped sink the Colts. So I'm not expecting any intelligent coaching move there.
The Colts don't stand a chance anyway. Mathis is too busy shining his Deacon Jones award to put much pass pressure on Alex Smith, and their secondary is far too suspect to risk blitzing to help their lame straight-up rush. They'll probably have to blitz, and maybe they'll strike gold with a Mathis strip/fumble, but more likely Smith burns them a couple more times. If he even has to throw, since K.C. will be looking to eat clock and Indy hasn't shown any sign of stopping the run.
Of course the Chiefs are beating a team on the road by 21, at halftime, who they just lost to by 16 at home. Of course this game has 41 points at halftime when the whole last game only had 30. Rest assured RamView is on the over for the rest of the playoffs, but the real lesson here, kids, is Don't. Gamble. On. Sports.
THIRD QUARTER
Luck opens the second half with ANOTHER TERRIBLE interception Husain Abdullah steps right in front of for a Chiefs INT, and what the HELL is wrong with Luck? He looks even worse than he did in the Rams game and the Chiefs aren't putting near as much pressure on him as the Rams did.
Congratulations to Chiefs Nation for ending their long drought without a playoff win. 3rd-and-2, Knile Davis leaks down the sideline almost unguarded, Smith scrambles away from late pressure by Mathis and finds him easily for yet another TD, sending RamView's playoff picks to an official 0-FOR-3 START. 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U, 38-10 Chiefs. Good news, Saints fans! I picked the Eagles!
The Colts may be one of the most embarrassing teams that has ever been in a playoff game. Da'Rick Rogers, though, beats Sean Smith and catches a bomb, almost a prayer, from Luck for 56. Donald Brown runs in the TD the next play off a good lead block by Cherilus and a pull block by Illini rookie Hugh Thornton. Chiefs 38, Colts 17 Noting here the Chiefs' near-complete inability to slow down an up-tempo offense. Also picking up my jaw off the floor that Pep Hamilton had the sense to go back to it. I think the dam's already broken and the water's flowed out, but we'll see.
WHY IS ANDY REID PASSING? Smith gets sacked to start the next drive. Aubrayo Franklin got it off a strong bull-rush by Ricky Jean-Francois on Jeff Allen, another Illini lineman. The bell then tolls for the Colts with a 17-yard pass to Hemingway. MORE PASSING, but Knile Davis is ALL ALONE in the flat for another 12 to midfield.
Following that, though, UH-OH! IT'S MY SACK/FUMBLE! Mathis', actually, as the Colts had the rare brains to rush him from left end instead of right, where he completely abused Allen and Fasano on the worst double-team ever and hacked it away from Smith trying to scramble again. Absolute shame on Andy Reid for the idiotic amount of passing he's doing this half with a big lead. You're up three TDs and passing four plays out of five? You contemptible idiot.
Hang on, Walt Anderson wants to review whether Kelvin Sheppard's recovery was in bounds. He did. Colts at the KC41. End zone bomb to Hilton incomplete, then a square out to him for 11. They connect for 8 more on a short cross. Seeing-eye pass to Brazill on a slant for 19 down to the 3. A screen to Brown, who lined up in the back of a quads-right formation, gets Indy in the end zone on 2nd-and-goal. Brandon Flowers injured on the play. Potential head/neck injury, he had an awkward collision with a teammate's leg trying to make the tackle. He walks off but heads straight for the locker room. Chiefs 38, Colts 24
That'll be enough to get me to stop working on the postgame show. And the bell tolls now for Hemingway himself, injured on the kickoff. Got his foot twisted pretty good. The Colts defense finally gets a stop with a 3-and-out. Conner stopped Davis on 1st down, Smith ran for a couple on an option play and JOSH GORDY broke up a 3rd-down slant to Bowe. Punt away, and the worm has really turned in this game.
Colts at their 28. And, so much for that worm. Abdullah pulls off his 2nd INT after Hilton biffs a pass in the flat. Husein Freaking Abdullah.
Indy gets another 3-and-out, stuffing Davis on 2nd down and blitzing Smith hard to force him to throw a screen pass away on 3rd down. Fans want a grounding penalty, but I think Davis was in the "general vicinity". Which in this case was probably Speedway. Colts have to blow a timeout to prevent a 12-men-on-the-field penalty but Ryan Succop hits from 42. Chiefs 41-24
Donald Brown sprints away with a middle dumpoff for 26 to the IND45. Luck hits Brazill for 30 more on a crazy play, rolling out, pulling up on Allen Bailey and finding Brazill behind coverage up the sideline. Draw to Brown for 13 more. Massive block by Mike McGlynn. Two plays later, it's Fleener getting behind the zone and in the back of the end zone. We may actually have a ball game again here. Chiefs 41, Colts 31
Yes, I know, the Colts have actually cut the halftime lead in half. Bowe starts off the drive with a 20-yard catch on a corner route, but Jerrell Freeman stuffs Davis on a screen. Smith keeps it for 13 on a read option across midfield. That had to be a forehead-smacker for Colts fans, as did the penalty on Gordy the net play for holding Fasano. The eagle-eyed officiating crew mistakes the "27" on Gordy's jersey for a "41" somehow. Which must mean we're about to start the 17th quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Colts avert disaster to start the quarter when a missed assignment lets Cyrus Gray run free up the sideline. Smith, however, barely overthrows him. That probably would have been the ball game. Mathis flushes Smith on 3rd down to force a throwaway and a punt.
Colts try a draw from their 10 but Dontari Poe stuffs Davis on a draw. DROP by Brazill on 2nd down. Luck steps up from blitz pressure on 3rd down, though, and hits Hilton for 16 on the sideline. 14 more to Hilton, this time on the Colts' sideline. Brown drags Jaye Howard for a 7-yard gain up the middle. ANOTHER sideline route to Hilton for 13 at the KC40. Brown off left tackle for 6. Luck gets all day and scrambles for 12 down to the 22. Another first down. Slant to the Griffmeister down to the 10. First and goal. Brown lines up wide and takes a quick screen down to the 2 after breaking a bad tackle by Berry. Then, disaster. Berry blasts the ball away from Brown on a 2nd-and-goal run. The disaster is Kansas City's, though, after the ball bounces right back to Luck, who alertly scoops it, sees an opening and jumps over the line to score a TD. Chiefs 41, Colts 38
The Chiefs' poor play-calling choices in the 3rd quarter (too much passing!) and inability to do anything against Luck running the no-huddle have brought us to the doorstep of one of the biggest chokes in NFL history.
Slant to Hemingway, who finds a clean, well-lighted place at the KC30. Davis cuts back and grinds for 5. His injury history then kicks in, as he's down after the play clutching his knee or the back of his leg. Yikes. Cyrus Gray is next man up for the Chiefs at RB. Gray, btw, is a member of RamView's Never Draft A Kicker class from 2011. Most of whom would have been much worse picks than Greg Zuerlein. (I also had Alfred Morris, though.) Anyway, Erik Walden bats down the 2nd down pass, but Bowe makes a huge catch to beat Gordy on a slant for 5 and a first. Gray only gets a couple up the middle, then a far-too-fancy screen to Fasano is only good for 1. 3rd-and-7, I'm thinking look for McCluster. Andy Reid's thinking he wants a timeout. And a double bacon cheeseburger. I know, too easy.
Or, how about 49ers draft bust A.J. Jenkins? It's a shallow drag with blocks and/or legal-enough picks set up out front, and the speedy Jenkins runs crossfield behind it all and then up the near sideline for 27. As happens too often after long plays, though, the play clock runs down on the Chiefs and they have to blow ANOTHER timeout with 6:49 left. McCluster now lines up at tailback and gains 3 around right end. Reid then ingeniously LOSES FOUR with a far-too-tricky screen to Sherman. LaRon Landry stayed down after the play, appeared to take a shot to the head making the tackle. This game isn't going to be done in time for the start of the second game; will the NFL and NBC have the courtesy to delay it? Smith dumps off on 3rd-and-long, setting Succop up for a 43-yard FG that looks pretty meaningless. Chiefs 44, Colts 38
Over/under for the game was 46. RamView took the under. Succop just scored the game's EIGHTY-SECOND point. You're welcome.
5:36 left, and the Colts have a chance to take the lead of a game they had trailed by 28. INT, TD, TD, INT, TD, TD, is Luck due for another INT here? He scrambles for 5 on 2nd-10 and Fleener makes an excellent over-the-head catch on an out route for 11. Justin Houston down now for K.C. 4:44 left, if the Chiefs show blitz, Luck should look deep for Rickey Proehl.
YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU'RE FREAKING WELCOME. Luck's line gets him all night to pass and he hits Hilton behind double coverage for a 64-yard TD. Hilton came out of a trips alignment, those always confuse defenses, and easily got behind Kendrick Lewis. Hilton is over 200 yards receiving.
Holy cats. Colts 45, Chiefs 44
So, who else is recalling Succop's choke at the end of regulation in San Diego last week? Chiefs start at their 20. Bowe's wide open off a slant for 25 because the Colt defense thought there was a false start and they all stopped. Yes, the right guard did twitch. Another slant to Bowe for 13 and K.C.'s already across midfield. Are the Chiefs running down the clock now? Handoff to Gray for 3. Big play alert at the IND39, as the Chiefs appear to completely botch a screen, Mathis and Cory Redding come at Smith untouched and force him to throw a wild pass out of bounds that should be a grounding penalty, because he wasn't an inch outside the pocket. As usual, the grounding flag comes out a mile late. I'd say that's a costly penalty for the Chiefs, but a sack wouldn't have been a whole lot better. Shallow drag to McCluster only gets them to the Colt 43. They'll have to go for it on 4th down with only 1 timeout left. The 4th down play will come at the 2:00 warning.
4th-and-11 for the Chiefs' season. Even though we just had the freaking 2:00 warning, Reid coughs up the Chiefs' last timeout. You have got to be kidding me. I'm flinging deep, let's see what the Chiefs do. Smith does look for Bowe deep down the far sideline, but he can't stay in bounds with the throw, and the Colts have pulled off one of the stunning comebacks in NFL history. Luck kneels it out.
Final score: Colts 45, Chiefs 44
First off, holy crap, was that a good game. Made me rewrite the postgame show, I'll say that. First RamView Player of the Game Award goes to T.Y. Hilton: 13 catches, 224 yards and 2 TDs. He was their whole offense at times. Golden Goat Award to Andy Reid. I KNEW not to trust Andy Reid! Philly fans remember that terrible time management well, and the Chiefs passed way too much while holding the big lead.
Colts-Broncos looms as a very interesting matchup. Peyton Manning won't be dodging rushes from Mathis the way Alex Smith was. And Mathis better get there next week, because the Colt secondary, with Vontae Davis running like Kevin James going up a flight of stairs and Greg Toler, who can't cover anybody when he's healthy, moving about as well as Morgan Freeman carrying a piano on his back, stands no chance of covering the Rocky Mountain Flying Circus. And there's the dome team outdoors in the playoffs factor (though we have yet to see how the Saints handle that). Denver by a lot.
Andy Reid did an admirable job rallying the Chiefs to the playoffs from 2-14 the year before, but in the playoffs, he turned into... Andy Reid. Ask all the fans of Marty Schottenheimer's or Norv Turner's teams how you improve enough to overcome that. No, losing their top 2 RBs did not help, but COME ON, you had a 4-TD lead. Similar situation 2 months ago, Jeff Fisher was banging out the clock with Benny Cunningham. KC's biggest offseason need to address definitely looked like the secondary today. Indy's basically a one-receiver team, you can't let that guy go nuts on you. We Rams fans know about that, trust me.
Oh, and for goodness' sake, RamView is 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U.
On (late, as usual) to game 2 in Philadelphia, definitely the one I would have guessed if you told me a game today was going to end 45-44.
-$-
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