Week 10 - A Sneak Peak At The Chiefs

by John Bena on Nov 6, 2007 6:00 AM MST

Date: Sunday, November 11, 2007

Time: 11:00 p.m. MST

Teams: Denver Broncos (3-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)

Location: Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City, MO

CHIEFS SNAPSHOT --

Record -- 4-4(2-2 @ HOME)
Offensive Ranks -- Points - 15.5(29th), Yards - 286.2(30th), Passing - 206.8(17th), Rushing - 79.5(30th)
Defensive Ranks -- Points - 18.2(8th), Yards - 321.6(13th), Passing - 216.8(19th), Rushing - 104.9(14th)

BRONCOS AT CHIEFS POINTS OF INTEREST --

--Sunday's game marks the Broncos' 94th regular-season meeting with the Chiefs, and Denver owns a 41-52 all-time record against Kansas City, including a 12-34 away record...

--The home team in the regular-season series with the Broncos and Chiefs has won the last nine games dating back to 2002, and that streak is the longest in Denver history against any one opponent...

--Denver is 1-0 against the Chiefs in the postseason, defeating the club 14-10 on Jan. 4, 1998, in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game...

--Sunday marks the first road AFC West game for Denver, which has won its last five divisional road openers since 2002...

--The Broncos are in the second game of a stretch in which they will play six road games in an eight-game period, marking only the second time in club history (1969) they have gone through such a stretch...

--Denver also is in the second game of a five-game period in which four contests are on the road, and that marks the first time since 1997 (Nov. 24-Dec. 21) it will play four-of-five games on the road...

--The Broncos have the NFL's top winning percentage (.702) in the month of November since 1995, posting a 33-14-0 record...

--Denver's 50-49 (.505) record on the road since 1995 is the sixth best in the NFL....

--Broncos K Jason Elam has totaled more points (203) and field goals (46) against the Chiefs than any player in NFL history...

--Broncos RB Travis Henry has posted at least 100 rushing yards in both of his career games vs. the Chiefs (2002 and `03 w/Buffalo)...

--The Broncos' 5.5-yard per rush average against Kansas City in 10 games since 2002 is their best against any team they have faced at least three times during that period...

--Denver also is averaging 164.0 rushing yards per game against Kansas City in its last 10 contests...

--Four of the last six games between Denver and Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium have been decided by four points or less...

--Nineteen of the 34 meetings between Denver and Kansas City since 1990 have been decided by seven points or less...

--In the last three weeks, the Broncos' kickoff coverage (18.9-yd. avg.) ranks third in the NFL while the club is averaging the eighth-most yards on kickoff returns (25.8) in the NFL during that period...

--The Broncos lead the NFL in percentage of 20+yard kickoff returns (88.5)...

--Denver has converted at least 50 percent of its third-down attempts in five games this year, and the club is fifth in the league in third down success (48.5% / 48-of-99) this year...

--The Broncos' 48.5 percent third-down success projects to be the second best for a season in club history (trailing only a 48.9% rate in 1996)...

--Broncos QB Jay Cutler is second in the league in third-down completion percentage (73.8) and third in third-down passer rating (110.3)...

--QB Patrick Ramsey, in relief of an injured Cutler last week, tied a career high with 29 completions (for 262 yards) and recorded the most passing attempts (46) by a Bronco in a game since the 2005 season opener...

--The Broncos are second in the league in lowest three-and-out percentage (13.9) and are fourth in the NFL in 10+yard plays (114)...

--Denver's pass defense is eighth in the NFL (194.9 ypg.)...

--WR Brandon Marshall (45 rec., 609 yds.) is on pace to record the most receptions (90) and receiving yards (1,343) in a season by a Bronco since Rod Smith in 2001...

--WR Brandon Stokley is tied for second in the league in first down percentage on receptions (88.5% / 23-of-26)...

--DE Elvis Dumervil has three multiple-sack games this year and is tied for seventh in the NFL with seven sacks this season...

--LB D.J. Williams leads the Broncos with 86 tackles (72 solo) while CB Champ Bailey has a team-high five special-teams stops...

--P Todd Sauerbrun is averaging a career-high 49.0 yards per punt (5th in the NFL)...

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK AT KANSAS CITY --

TEAM (5 CONSEC. AFC WEST ROAD OPENER WINS) - Can win its divisional road opener for the sixth consecutive season with a victory on Sunday.

TEAM (33-14 IN NOVEMBER SINCE 1995) - Can improve its NFL-best 33-14 (.702) record in November since 1995 with a win on Sunday.

TEAM (10-3 ON ROAD IN NOVEMBER SINCE 2000) - Can improve its 10-3 record in road games during November dating back to 2000 with a win on Sunday.

CB CHAMP BAILEY (22 INTS) - Needs two interceptions to tie Steve Atwater (24) for eighth and four to tie Louis Wright (26) for seventh in Broncos history in career interceptions.

CB CHAMP BAILEY (301 INT YDS.) - Needs 34 interception return yards to tie Randy Gradishar (335) for 10th, 39 to tie Tom Jackson (340) for ninth and 59 to tie Louis Wright for eighth in Broncos history in career interception return yards.

CB CHAMP BAILEY (3 INT RET. FOR TDS) - Needs one interception returned for a touchdown to tie Tyrone Braxton (4) and Mike Harden (4) for the most interceptions returned for a touchdown in Broncos history.

QB JAY CUTLER (60% COMP PCT. IN 7 CONSEC. GMS.) - Can extend his personal-best seven-game streak of having a completion percentage of at least 60 percent.

DE ELVIS DUMERVIL (7 SACKS) - Can equal his sack total from last season (8.5) with 1.5 quarterback takedowns on Sunday.

DE ELVIS DUMERVIL (3 MULTI-SACK GMS.) - Can become the first Bronco since Trevor Pryce in 2000 to post at least four multiple-sack games in the same season with 1.5 sacks.

DE ELVIS DUMERVIL (6 PASS BREAKUPS) - Needs two pass breakups to tie DT Michael Dean Perry for the most pass breakups (8) in a season by a Broncos defensive lineman under Head Coach Mike Shanahan (1995-Pres.).

K JASON ELAM (475 FGA) - Needs two field goal attempts to tie Norm Johnson (477) for ninth and four to tie Nick Lowery (479) for eighth in NFL history in career field goal attempts.

K JASON ELAM (380 FGM) - Needs three field goals made to tie Nick Lowery (383) for fifth in NFL history in career field goals made.

K JASON ELAM (583 PATA) - Needs one extra point attempt to tie Pat Leahy (584) for seventh in NFL history in career extra point attempts.

K JASON ELAM (580 PATM) - Needs one extra point made to pass Jan Stenerud (580) for sole possession of sixth in NFL history in career extra points made.

K JASON ELAM (1,720 PTS.) - Needs 16 points to tie Norm Johnson (1,736) for sixth in NFL history in career points scored.

RB TRAVIS HENRY (5,975 YDS.) - Needs 25 rushing yards to reach 6,000 for his career.

WR BRANDON MARSHALL (918 REC. YDS.) - Needs 82 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career.

DE SIMEON RICE (121 SACKS) - Needs half a sack to tie Clyde Simmons (121.5) for 12th and 5.5 sacks to tie Derrick Thomas (126.5) for 11th in NFL history in career sacks.

P TODD SAUERBRUN (32 PUNTS IN20) - Needs two punts placed inside the 20-yard line to tie Micah Knorr and Chris Norman (34) for fifth in Broncos history in career punts inside the 20.

P TODD SAUERBRUN (258 PUNTS IN20) - Needs four punts placed inside the 20-yard line to tie Darren Bennett and Mike Horan (262) for 15th in NFL history in career punts inside the 20.

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Comments

as i have said before....

May Todd Sauerbrun not get his records this week. I'd like him to not punt and hold for Elam instead.

Hey O-Line!!! Block Somebody!!!

by mdierk on Nov 6, 2007 10:34 AM MST reply actions

I'd like for a back-up QB to hold.

I don't know why we use Elam. If the play goes bad Elam can't do much with the ball, and we wouldn't want him to take a hit either.

A back-up QB gives us a chance to save a blown play, and also gives us more credibility for the rare occassion we do a fake. (If we always have a kicker hold, but then bring in a QB the other team knows what's up).

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Nov 6, 2007 10:56 AM MST reply actions

I have never been...

a fan of Sauerbrun holding either...Though, when Jake was the holder there was the risk of foolish fakes like the one they pulled last year that nearly got Elam killed....

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on Nov 6, 2007 11:17 AM MST up reply actions

I laughed....

when I saw your comment TSG. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you're point is well taken. I'd rather have the backup QB hold, just incase something happens. Bad snap, aborted play, etc.

by dpurvis on Nov 6, 2007 12:59 PM MST up reply actions

You guys know that Denver will never let us coach.

...but they should at least let us take over the special teams coaching gig.

We know our stuff darn it!

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Nov 6, 2007 2:10 PM MST up reply actions

I have to say

Realistically, all signs point towards a KC win this week, as far as past trends are concerned. I am desperately awaiting good news in HT's defensive breakdown for this game.

The thing is I still can't wrap my mind around KC actually being a better team than Denver, even with all the injuries. QB questions, no passing threats, two RBs behind an O-line that isn't getting it done in run-blocking, and has had multiple games where the pass blocking has left something to be desired. On Defense a group of unheralded retreads and no-names, with some guys not living up to expectations...oh wait.

An I talking about Denver or KC??

by Jeremy Bolander on Nov 6, 2007 3:28 PM MST reply actions

Quick preview

We should dominate on defense. Everywhere on defense, both in terms of scheme and personel. The only negative is that we aren't executing on run defense. But on paper they don't have a prayer. I'll cover their defense in the story.

I haven't finished my research on their defense and on injuries, so I won't comment on that yet. But their offense looks like it should have a rough time.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Nov 6, 2007 3:38 PM MST up reply actions

Here is a great Statistic

Shanahan is 10-2 playing the 9th game of the season, or what is known as "The First Game of the Rest of Your Life (season)".

This includes a very impressive 8-1 within the division, though I believe if Denver were to beat KC this week, it would mark the first time he has beat KC to start off the second half of the season.

BTW, the 1 divisional loss? The freakin' raiders. I hate the raiders....

by Jeremy Bolander on Nov 6, 2007 3:44 PM MST reply actions

Nice....

I gave up on those stats, however.....many of them are good, or have been good, but are getting roughed up this year...

The Broncos also have the best record in the month of November since Shanny became coach, alot of good that did last week....

Keeping the faith, however that we'll find a way to get out of this...

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on Nov 6, 2007 4:45 PM MST up reply actions

Some stats I like and others...

I've never cared much for stats like "in a certain month". I don't know how those stats effect things.

But there are stats that I like that others don't. For instance, I'm big on yards per carry. A couple of years back I read a good article that showed how YPC is really a bad way to evaluate a back. I just can't tear myself away from the stat though.

I think recent records against a team help (recent, because years ago doesn't acount for changes on the team or staff). Homefield records count too (Arrowhead is as loud as always).

I imagine it would be interesting to see what stats some people focus on and which ones they don't put much in. I bet there's a wide range of opinion.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Nov 6, 2007 5:07 PM MST up reply actions