The Kansas City Chiefs headed into their bye week after an embarrassing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and this week came back to defeat the Oakland Raiders 26-10. An impressive offensive effort that went for over 400 yards, and a defense that shut the Raiders out in the second half led them to a much needed win that put them behind by only a half game for the AFC West lead.
Kansas City Chiefs Week Six Takeaways
This Offense Can Get the Job Done
The Chiefs amassed over 400 yards of total offense in this win. Alex Smith was what Alex Smith is best known for being: an efficient game manager. He completed 19 of 22 pass attempts for 224 yards and a 109.1 passer rating. He failed to account for a touchdown but he consistently moved his offense down the field. The run game accounted for all three touchdowns scored by the Chiefs. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe accounted for a one-yard touchdown, bulldozing his way through the Raiders defense. Jamaal Charles and Spencer Ware each accounted for a touchdown as well.
Kansas City’s Run Game Is Truly Dangerous
The Chiefs’ rushing attack was the unopposed star of the show. Star running back Jamaal Charles is officially back from last year’s ACL tear. He ended rushing for 33 yards and a score on just nine carries. In addition Charles also caught a pair of passes for 14 yards. The bulk of the work in this game went to Spencer Ware, who carried the ball 24 times. He turned those carries into a career best 131 yards along with a touchdown. He continued to demonstrate his receiving ability out of the backfield by turning his two catches into 32 yards. This dynamic running back duo absolutely thrashed the Raiders’ struggling defense and proved that this offense is still dangerous.
Once they take the training wheels off Charles, this may very well be the most dangerous backfield in the NFL. Ware has proven himself time and time again in the opportunities he’s been given. He is a major threat both running the ball and catching passes, having over 100 yards receiving in a game this season. Charles has served as the focal point of the Chiefs offense since 2009. He has the highest yards per carry average in NFL history and is a true elite talent. His speed, vision, agility, and elusiveness are all off the charts. With both those backs to work with for a full season, there may be no stopping the Chiefs’ ground game.
The Defense Is Still Strong
In the first quarter, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr dropped back and launched a deep pass down the field. The receiver deep down field had the potential to haul it on for a long touchdown, but Marcus Peters had other ideas. He jumped the route and made a beautiful interception to give the ball back to his offense. In the next quarter, linebacker Dee Ford had a strip-sack on Derek Carr and teammate Tamba Hali recovered. The Chiefs allowed just ten points to Oakland’s top five defense, proving that they’re still a solid unit.
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