Jaworksi and Salisbury on Chiefs vs. Bengals

[eurycea]

Salisbury on Bengals

The Bengals still have a viable chance to make the playoffs. I'm not sure I'd be guaranteeing wins against the 9-0 Chiefs, but Chad Johnson has nothing to lose. If he's right, than he's a hero, if he's wrong, no one will remember or care. But it's good to see the Bengals feeling good about themselves. One game out of first place in the AFC North, they've still got a chance to win their division, beating the Chiefs would be huge for them.

Five keys for Cincinnati

1. Score early: This is not the tortoise and the hare. In this case, if the tortoise tries to win by staying the course, he will lose. The Bengals must jump out early and keep the game close. If they try to play catch up with this Chiefs' offense, they won't win.

2. Keep Chiefs offense on sidelines: I don't care if they rush Rudi Johnson 50 times or throw continuous short passes, the Bengals must move the chains. They can't have three and outs against this Chiefs' team. If they do, field position will become a factor and the Chiefs will dominate. Cincinnati must control the clock and keep Green and Co. on the sidelines.

3. Stop Priest Holmes: The Chiefs have so many weapons; you've got to pick your poison. In this case, take away their star. The Bengals can't allow Priest Holmes to take over the running and receiving game. Focus on stopping Holmes, and take your chances and hope for to get a few turnovers from Trent Green, Tony Gonzales, Johnny Morton etc... Limit big plays: Everywhere you look, Kansas City has talent, and as a result, they can score from anywhere on the field. If allowed to make big plays, they will dominate and win. If they manage to convert a couple of big plays, the Bengals must at least match them with their own.

5. Win special teams: Very few teams can, so I don't know exactly how to go about it, but field position is going to be huge. The more you let the Chiefs creep in on field position, the more the walls start to cave in. And as we've seen Kansas City is so complete, they can do it all.

Jaworski on the Chiefs

Everyone is watching to see if the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs can replicate the '72 Miami Dolphins perfect season. Clearly that puts a lot of pressure on the Chiefs. But one thing is certain: coach Dick Vermeil will have his team focused on theCincinnati Bengals. Vermeil has been around long enough to know that players have a tendency to read the newspapers and watch TV and start believing what they hear. He will keep them focused, because right now, the Bengals are a team that can beat the Chiefs.

Five keys for Kansas City

1. Keep attacking: Sometimes teams play to not lose the game, but the Chiefs always play to win. They must stay aggressive and continue to throw the ball down field. They must maintain their same playing style and intensity.

2. Force mental errors: The Bengals defense is susceptible to giving up big plays with mental mistakes. Against them, the Chiefs must use motion, formation variation and personnel packages to create confusion and force mental errors and mistakes.

3. Stop the run first: The Bengals believe in their running game. They'll want to establish the run to move and ball and keep the Chiefs offense on the sidelines. The Chiefs need to make the Bengals one dimensional, by stopping the run first and forcing Jon Kitna to beat them. Kitna makes poor decisions under pressure, so put him in known passing situations. He's thrown three interceptions over the last three games. Conversely, the Chiefs lead the NFL with 19 interceptions.

4. Efficient on third down: Last Sunday against Cleveland, the Chiefs converted 12 of 16 third down attempts. And overall, they're a little over 42 percent and No. 5 in the NFL at converting third downs. When a team can convert on third down, they stay on the field. And when the Chiefs stay on the field, they have more opportunities to make explosive plays with Priest Holmes, Johnny Morton, Eddie Kennison, Tony Gonzales, Dante Hall.

5. Power running game: Offensively, the Chiefs have been excellent on toss plays and working the edges and perimeter of opposing defenses. Now, they need to get their downhill running game going, which would allow Holmes to work the cut back lanes. When that happens, they'll get those chunks of yards on the ground

[HoosierCat]

Jaworski's advice is good, though some of it is a bit obvious (Chiefs need to convert third downs...well, duh). I also agree with Salisbury, except for point 3. Keeping Holmes under control is important, but I would key on Trent Green, not Priest. If Green is given time, he *will* dismantle our secondary (see point 2, mental errors). The blitz will be key. DC Frasier loves to blitz, a la mentor Buddy Ryan, especially wth corners and safeties. Bengals have made a few big plays on those blitzes but they've also been burned several times.

[redsfan2]

I'd have liked to see them switch and do take on the other team as well. Salisbury kind of states the obvious, while Jaworski goes into more detail for you. Both good takes though.

Sports Weekly's week 11 match ups for the Chiefs and Bengals is a good one too. If you haven't checked it out yet, its worth it.

[diehardchef]

Other teams have tried to key on trent and it did'nt work.

1. He has one of the if not the best Offensive lines in front of him.

2. If he see's a blitz coming Tony G, Tony R , priest stay back to block and they kill you with the long ball.

Im not saying you wont get to him from time to time but, he will make you pay from time to time. They run a very complicated offense, it is the same as the rams had a few years ago. If every one is doing there job, its almost imposible to stop.

After this game, I hope the begals have a good year. But I will say this, the chiefs are a fun team to watch chief fan or not. Dont think i have ever seen a team having so much fun and clicking so well.

[redsfan2]

Other teams have tried to key on trent and it did'nt work.

1. He has one of the if not the best Offensive lines in front of him.

2. If he see's a blitz coming Tony G, Tony R , priest stay back to block and they kill you with the long ball.

Im not saying you wont get to him from time to time but, he will make you pay from time to time. They run a very complicated offense, it is the same as the rams had a few years ago. If every one is doing there job, its almost imposible to stop.

After this game, I hope the begals have a good year. But I will say this, the chiefs are a fun team to watch chief fan or not. Dont think i have ever seen a team having so much fun and clicking so well.

I knew you had at least one GOOD post in you.

Bengals have been getting good pressure on the qb with the standard 4 man rush. Whether that was against O lines as good as yours or not is a matter of debate for you and those other teams. Fact is we've done it against every team we've played win or lose.

2 problems with the blitz. 1 like I said we don't do it that often, and 2 when we do its not easy to read and will happen before the receivers have a chance to get deep. Coach Vermeils offense has been hard to stop everywhere he's coached. He has lost games in the past though, so its not totally out of the question it could happen again.

Easiest way to stop your offense is for us to keep running the ball. Your stats against the run combined with our admittedly new found running game make that a possibility as well. Your team does have a few nicks and bruises that could be a factor in the latter stages of the game. Our running back Like most of the bigger ones gets stronger as the game goes on. Oddly enough surprising even us the defense has too. They do a lot of their best work late in the 3rd and then in the 4th.

Chiefs are a fun team to watch. I really liked the game against Buffalo. For the 1st time in years, the Bengals are fun to watch too. You can't be too upset with the media pulling for us. Everybody always likes the underdog. Like DMChief said ............ good game ........ no injuries. Would like to see you guys finsih the season undefeated AFTER this week.

[rockymtnchief]

IMO if you want to beat KC you have to do it with big plays. Our defense gives up a lot of yards, but when you get to the red zone they slam the door shut. If the Bengals try creeping their way down the field and controling the clock it won't work. You need big plays on special teams and deep passes from Kitna. Just remember that this isn't the same KC defense as last year. It won't be easy.

Defensively you have your hands full. KC doesn't have a 1000 yard receiver, it has 4 guys with 400+ yards each. This isn't just the Priest Holmes show anymore. The ball is spread to so many different players that you really can't key on one or two players. If the Bengals can get Trent Green out of rythm you may slow down the offense but I doubt they can be stopped. Remember that to get to him you have to get through an o-line with 16 pro-bowl rings. I hope the game is as good as the media is hyping it up to be. Go Chiefs

[DMChiefs]

Right on man.... wheeeeee!

[KYBENGALFAN]

we need to bring back ICKEY WOODS for this game, so he can do the ICKEY SHUFFLE on top of Dick Vermeil's face after scoring scoring and scoring some more.. prediction. 52-17 BENGALS... WHO DEY !!!!

[DMChiefs]

WHO DEY? The team that isn't a joke and the team that's better.

Ask your parents to help you type something that makes some sence.

[HoosierCat]

Props to the Bengals, they did what needed to be done. Played contain on Priest and got after Trent. Heluva game by Peter Warrick, he just earned his first-round pick status today.