Football Gods Aligning In Kansas City
November 19th, 2016
Consider the opening sentence in a beautiful and fresh story in the Kansas City Star.
That’s a newspaper, for those of you unfamiliar with that dying, 20th-century dinosaur.
“The Chiefs could potentially be without a number of starters for their home game Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
Read that twice. Heck, read the whole story. It feels good.
The Chiefs, who face the Bucs tomorrow, already have declared stud wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is out. Defensive tackle Jaye Howard, a key figure in their defensive line rotation, is doubtful and hasn’t practiced this week.
The guy who might be the best cornerback in football, Pro Bowler Marcus Peters, the Chiefs’ first-round pick last year, has a hip injury that’s kept him off the practice field this week. Even if he goes, maybe the football gods will cut his explosiveness just enough to let Mike Evans dominate.
Yesterday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Dirk Koetter talked about the possible “lethal” return tomorrow of sackmaster Justin Houston when paired with 10-sack man Dee Ford. But Houston has missed all season after knee surgery.
This isn’t like Jason Pierre-Paul returning against the Bucs last year. There was no worry that JPP would be missing the juice from his legs. Houston has to be a little rusty — right? — if he does even return.
It’s Week 11 in the NFL and teams are banged up. The Bucs, though, are very healthy by comparison. Their entire starting defense is ready to go. They’ve got healthy depth players, too.
With Doug Martin back and looking sharp in practice, the Bucs should have enough to move some chains.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s ok to dream about stealing this one and seeing the Bucs in the national spotlight with a 5-5 record alone in second place.
November 19th, 2016 at 9:29 am
I’ve learned this season that making predictions is a useless effort. I’m looking forward to the game.
Off topic, DT Sealver Siliga is supposed to be a big guy, but I can’t help but notice that, once again, Jason Licht taps a player with an injury history. Missed 9 games with a foot injury???
It’s as if Licht plays Russian Roulette with free agents. Five empty useless players in the hopes that a sixth goes off. Only, it turns out his gun is empty most of the time.
November 19th, 2016 at 9:36 am
I normally hate beating up on injured teams but at this point I will take it. Go BUCS!
November 19th, 2016 at 9:40 am
I think our defensive gameplanning is going to cause a blowout
I think everyone has sacks and blitz craze on their minds
There will be wide open lanes because of lack of containment
Alex smith will beat us with his LEGS. Easy 3rd down conversions and big runs with his legs
Going to be like the atlanta blowout in RJ. KC will do whatever they please
November 19th, 2016 at 9:50 am
Bonzai – if they pick up a player for depth who costs league minimum who cares if he has injury history..it’s the starters history that matters most. Hope Bucs went through injury spell early and continue to gain full strength towards the end of the season!!
November 19th, 2016 at 9:56 am
I’m not optimistic Joe. We lost to the RAMS who when healthy are worse than the Chiefs hurt. With the starters out I think the game would just be a little closer. No hopes here. If we win I’ll be shocked.
November 19th, 2016 at 9:56 am
Lol @ Kobe. You read a article pointing out all those injuries and you turn that into Alex Smith being a future hall of famer! Please just go away you fool!
November 19th, 2016 at 9:58 am
Can we leave GMC in kc and kidnap Eric Berry and bring him back with us? Please please pretty please.
November 19th, 2016 at 10:16 am
Bonzai, against teams with stout OLines (like Oakland?), the Bucs DLine looks really light (question ‘Where’s the beef?’ comes to mind). Hoping that Siliga can provide some of that beef in obvious run situations.
SB with Jameis, you might hate beating up on injured teams, but have a feeling you wouldn’t give up this year’s Bucs victories against Carolina, San Fran or Bears (they were all pretty well beaten up).
Kobe, have you done any research on the Chiefs this year? They have a whopping total of less than 900 rushing yds in 10 games. Alex Smith has 44 yds total in 8 games (as in 5.5 yds per game?). Chiefs whole team only has 5 TDs rushing.
DB55, I like Eric Berry too but no way I’d give up GMC for him. You may not like GMC, for whatever reasons, but our DLine would suffer big time if he wasn’t in there. It all starts up front.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:02 am
DB55, it’s funny that you say that, because a lot of fans (including me) wanted the Bucs to draft Eric Berry with the 3rd pick in the 2010 draft. Monte Kiffin had left the Bucs for Tennessee to become DC for his son. He tried to convince the Bucs to draft Berry, Stephen White was begging for the Bucs to draft Berry. But we settle on drafting GMC.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:03 am
KC is a ball club with quality and class. This starts with their ownership and spans across all team areas: coaches, players, support staff, etc. My poor Bucs have fruit loops for ownership, and musical chairs for everything else. Hopefully, that is ending. I hope we play and look good tomorrow. Sure wish we could get rid of the horrible pajama-style unis. May the best team win. Go Tampa Bay!!
November 19th, 2016 at 11:05 am
P.S.: Nothing wrong with GMC. Smith calls a monster game for him, the Kwonster, and LVD tomorrow. That will make it real interesting at Arrowhead.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:14 am
Suh was going 2nd overall. GMC was a clear cut consensus 3rd pick.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:53 am
I swear, Joes, you guys use the gayest photos of the players……WHY?
November 19th, 2016 at 11:55 am
The Bucs are just to unpredictable to predict they will win. In my football pools, if the opposing team has a losing record, I go with the Bucs. If not, I go against them. And we very seldom beat winning teams. Very, very..seldom! I will say this..IF..the Bucs play Defense like they did against Chicago (highly unlikely), we got a shot at winning. But as a professional betting man? I would not take them against KC. Geronimo’s Chiefs raid and scalphunting commences Sunday afternoon. Bucs are gonna have to do more than..circling the wagons folks. Especially in Arrowhead. It gets..crazy loud in there.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:55 am
The internet den of the buc fan depression right here……and its rubbed in your faces daily.
November 19th, 2016 at 12:46 pm
@DB55
That would be great.
November 19th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Looking forward for Donovan Smith penalties, he’s been perfect in that area, in every frigging game!. So please, Donovan; Don’t!
November 19th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
Whatever. Bucs coaches and players take it week by week. Chicago was last week, KC is this week. The defense is finally fresh so let’s go into arrow head and whoop dat ass. Im having a BBQ tomorrow and we gonna be using that good ole’ southern sauce not that p*#sy ass KC sweet. LET’S GO BUCS!!!
November 19th, 2016 at 1:06 pm
iamabuc I think you’re confused with Demar Dotson. Even though Smith gets some holds here and there.
November 19th, 2016 at 1:39 pm
More injury gamesmanship from our opponents. This time, the media is doing the Chiefs’ dirty work for them.
November 19th, 2016 at 1:42 pm
@DB
You’re asking for too much. I would be content with just leaving his garbage a$$$ there. Period! Anything in return would be a bonus.
November 19th, 2016 at 3:26 pm
Picking a guy up off wavers is not Russian roulette .._More like rock paper scissors
November 19th, 2016 at 7:51 pm
Ray
We two peas in a pod.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:20 pm
Howdy Guys! Bucs win tomorrow and make 80% of you Whiners shut UP?? Or, we Lose and make you Whiners Correct?………
Which is it that you actually want? SMH
November 19th, 2016 at 11:22 pm
I am still trying to shed my mind of the picture of DB and Ray Rice sleeping together in the same pod.
It’s ok, I will make it through.
November 19th, 2016 at 11:25 pm
Well…………I think we Win tomorrow. Call me whatever you want but don’t jump on the Bandwagon later!
November 20th, 2016 at 3:24 am
Eric Berry will be a free agent next year!
Eric Berry, Jason Pierre Paul, Alshon Jeffery, and Terrell Pryor.
Boom- playoff contenders.
November 20th, 2016 at 11:59 am
Alston is injury prone and JPP is at the end of his prime.
I like Pryor and berry though