Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: NFL Owners Vote to Change Trade Deadline

Chargers/Chiefs: 5 Good Questions with Arrowhead Pride

Photo

As most of you know, SB Nation is lucky enough to have the world's best Kansas City Chiefs community as part of its network in Arrowhead Pride. Joel Thorman, who share most of the managerial duties over there with his brother Chris, agreed this week to answer five of my questions about the red-hot Chiefs heading into Monday night's game.

In return, I answered five of his questions about the Chargers that will be posted up on Arrowhead Pride sometime in the next few days. On to Joel's answers...

 

How do you explain the Chiefs winning three games in a row? What changed with the team after losing to the Chargers?

First, they stopped turning it over so much. That was clearly the biggest problem as they lead the league in turnovers after the first two weeks. Second, I think it's getting used to playing without Eric Berry and Jamaal Charles, two incredibly important players that were lost in the first two weeks of the season. The Chiefs definitely played like a different team from the second half of the Chargers game on.

Star-divide

Have the Cornerbacks gone back to being a strength of the Chiefs defense after being a weakness for the first few weeks?

Yeah, they're getting there. Brandon Carr really has been the best cornerback on the team this season, overall. Recently, though, Brandon Flowers has had some success. They're a good duo and I think their early season struggles are due more to the play of the defense as a whole, and less about an individual effort.

 

How would you rate the Chiefs running game with Jackie Battle as the starter?

Average, I think, and that's a step up when you lose Jamaal Charles. Battle has been a very, very interesting player the last few weeks for the Chiefs. We joke he's been a preseason star for a few years because he was always the guy that received the lion's share of the preseason carries (which means you're probably not a starter). He's a big dude at 230-plus pounds and always seems to fall forward for positive yardage. He's a load, for sure.

 

Fill in the blank: If the Chiefs do (blank) they'll beat the Chargers.

Don't turn the ball over. Really, I think that's what it comes down to (just like San Diego). With the homefield advantage, I think the Chiefs can keep this game close as long as they don't make silly mistakes. As we learned last year at Arrowhead, turnovers can energize the crowd and give KC plenty of momentum to keep it competitive.

 

What's your prediction for the rest of Kansas City's season? Do you think they could challenge for the AFC West Championship once again?

Yeah, I think they can challenge for the AFC West crown. They have a solid team that, as long as they don't turn the ball over, will keep most games close. Will they actually do that though? That's a different story. We've seen basically two Chiefs teams so far -- the team that was roasted 89-10 in the first two games and the team that played the Chargers tight and then won three straight. So I can't really say for sure I know which Chiefs are for real.

Comment 15 comments  |  2 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

I should point out

That statistically the Chiefs are a top 10 team. Jackie Battle has had two straight good games so while we think he’s a legit runner that can be a strength of the team, we’re not totally sure yet.

by Joel Thorman on Oct 27, 2011 8:51 AM PDT reply actions  

First three games

Game 1 – lost Charles mid-game = loss
Game 2 – lost Berry mid-game = loss
Game 3 – played the Chargers very well in SD = loss
Games 4-6 = wins

We may have written the Chefs off too early after week 3. Losing games when a key player goes down mid-game is to be expected. And they played the Chargers as an equal in week 3 in San Diego even though they lost.

I think we were all expecting a two team race in the west, but it looks like KC might make it a three team race. If Rivers starts playing like Rivers, I think we win going away on Monday. If we see the Rivers from the first 7 weeks (and by Rivers I really mean the entire SD passing offense), I think it will be a very tight game. Either way, it’s nice to have the AFC West competitive again.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Oct 27, 2011 9:24 AM PDT reply actions  

Flip your

Game 1 and Game 2 injuries. Berry was out against the Bills in the first quarter and Charles was out against the Lions.

I’ll wait until you say something sig worthy

by BillsFanSanDiego619 on Oct 27, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions   2 recs

I for one never wrote them off

There was a lot of Suck for Luck and 0-16 talk when we met the first time, but it never felt right to me. I may not know much, but my gut feeling is usually right about teams. These guys were never a 0-16 team, even with the injuries.

It's NEVER a shrimp on the barbie. It's not even a shrimp.

by The Land Of Real Beer on Oct 28, 2011 4:27 AM PDT up reply actions  

No chance of that...

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 27, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions  

You should be familiar with turnovers so far this season.

There are only four teams in the entire league with a worse TO differential than San Diego.

I was once fired from a job two days after I waited on Matt Cassel and his wife Lauren Killian. Totally my AP moment to remember. Unfortunately also one of my stupidest moments.

by Chiefs_swagger on Oct 27, 2011 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions  

CHARGERS WIN IN ARROWHEAD

beating the chiefs in Arrowhead is hard. i dont care who they have or lost. something about that stadium its like Heinz Field of the midwest. but the bottom line is that the chargers will come out ahead. they will also beat them convincingly too. that is until Norv Turner decides scoring is wrong and lets KC back into the game. around the third qtr, chargers will be up by three scores and norv will let off that gas pedal. in comes the chiefers d.bowe and scores on us, twice. then we finally hold on for a 31-27 victory. whew!!!

by DANNY IBARRA on Oct 27, 2011 12:27 PM PDT reply actions  

how about we change the pace a bit here?

we beat the crap out of the chiefs in the first half and decide (just for fun!) to play a whole game and hold into the lead the second half. Rivers will have a good game completing 73% of his passes scoring 2 TDs and no turnovers.
Norv will be again an underrated genius to the media and Rivers will take the pressure out of his shoulders
doesn’t this sound better?

by claudiotheophilo on Oct 27, 2011 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions  

what about

the whole team plays 100 percent better Rivers throws 4 tds and RM24 runs for 150 catches for 150 and scores 3 tds and vj goes for 120 and 2 Tds from now on for the rest of the season

by Gorditoe1 on Oct 27, 2011 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions  

And then the alarm goes off and we wake up.

It's NEVER a shrimp on the barbie. It's not even a shrimp.

by The Land Of Real Beer on Oct 28, 2011 4:24 AM PDT up reply actions  

only to see they actually won

and the alarm goes off again…
A dream within a dream

Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
Bolts from the Blue

by Superduperboltman on Oct 28, 2011 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


BFTB Apparel Store

Bftbshirtstore_medium

Facebook

Chargers on Twitter


Managers

Paddlin_small John Gennaro

Assistant Editors

Dont-panic-thumb_small Wonko

Pomeranian_of_war_small Richard Wade

Antonio_small creanium

Columnists

Sdclogo2_small Orz

Tn_small Jeff (sliderockmpc)

Wrong_small_small Superduperboltman

Screen_shot_2011-08-05_at_2 jkvandal