NFL: Chiefs 45, Washington 10
2013-12-09
LANDOVER, Md. The first quarter was so lopsided that nearly all the footprints in the snow were on one side of the 50. That discrepancy was quickly corrected when the teams changed sides, just part of the visual record of the Kansas City Chiefs thorough embarrassment of Washington.
After three straight losses, the Chiefs found an opponent that offered little resistance. They scored on their first four possessions, sacked Robert Griffin III five times and Kirk Cousins once, and returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in Sundays 45-10 rout.
The score was 17-0 after the first quarter and 38-10 at halftime. Quintin Demps immediately answered the lone Washington touchdown with a 95-yard kickoff return that resembled at times a winter stroll, part of a stunning tally of 321 return yards by Kansas City in the first half alone.
The Chiefs (10-3), who lost two to the Denver Broncos sandwiched around a defeat to the San Diego Chargers, went back to doing what they did so well during their 9-0 start beat up on a bad team. Washington (3-10) certainly qualify: Sundays game was their fifth straight loss, and coach Mike Shanahan appears increasingly likely to be gone after a third losing season in four years.
Fans quickly deserted Washingtons first snowy home game in decades, and those that stayed had plenty to boo all game long. The Chiefs took the opening kickoff and gained 8, 9, 22 and 13 yards on their first four plays. Washington was a team with nothing to play for, and they looked like it. Shanahan eventually pulled the plug on Griffin, inserting backup Kirk Cousins for the final quarter.
Alex Smith completed 14 of 20 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Jamaal Charles ran 19 times for 151 yards and a score, and his 35-yard, right-then-left scamper was a highlight of the second half. Dwayne Bowe caught four balls for 69 yards and a TD. Dexter McCluster took a punt 74 yards for a score and set up another TD with a 57-yard return. Tamba Hali had a pair of sacks, and Derrick Johnson set up a touchdown with a 40-yard interception return.
The runbacks by Demps and McCluster were the ninth and 10th return touchdowns for the Chiefs this season: four on interceptions, two on fumbles, two on punt returns and two on kickoff returns.
Third-round pick Knile Davis scored his first rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, leaping over his own man and breaking a tackle for a 17-yard run.
Griffin, who endured yet another week of questions about his relationship with Shanahan, hit 12 of 26 passes for 164 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Alfred Morris ran for 31 yards on 12 carries, although that was enough to put him over 1,000 yards for the season.
NFL Preview: This year, NFLs beasts reside in NFC West 2013-09-02By Tony Jones
The Salt
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First Published Aug 31 2013 03:40 pm Last Updated Aug 31 2013 11:18 pm
The NFC East has the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.
The Denver Broncos are the talk of the AFC West. New England annually rules the AFC East, and the Green Bay Packers almost always are a guarantee to contend in the NFC North. All are glamour franchises in the NFL. All are good to great teams this season.
Separated by 12 hours if you choose to drive are Seattle and San Francisco, home of the Seahawks and the 49ers, respectively. They are the two teams that will comprise half of the best division in the league in 2013. Two franchises that share an intense dislike for each other. Two teams with charismatic coaches, star quarterbacks, nasty defenses that are trying to knock you out of a game on each play, and guys who have no issues with telling you what they think in the media.
And, oh yes: Both are serious Super Bowl contenders.
Listen to defensive back Brandon Browner when he says that Seattle "has big goals" this year after advancing to the playoffs last season, when the Seahawks defeated the Washington Redskins and gave the Atlanta Falcons all they wanted before bowing out in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Take heed when the pundits pick the Niners to win it all behind Colin Kaepernick, his bevy of offensive weapons and a defense led by Patrick Willis, the best linebacker in the league.
Add in the Arizona Cardinals, much improved because they have Carson Palmer at quarterback, a guy who can get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald. And dont overlook the St. Louis Rams. They think Sam Bradford is about to become an elite signal-caller, and their defense is much improved now that Jeff Fisher has had a year to settle in as coach.
To say the drama finally is returning out west after years when this division was a doormat might be an understatement.
"We have high expectations for this season," Seattle coach Pete Carroll told reporters during training camp. "We wanted to have a good offseason and we wanted to have a good camp, and I thought we did that. Were ready to go for the season coming up. Im happy with how seriously the guys took things, and were ready to try to take that next step.
Seattle and San Francisco are at the forefront. The Niners have Kaepernick, a talented dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and eye-catching physical ability. The Seahawks have Russell Wilson, smart and compact and a great leader in just his second year. The defenses are two of the best if not the two best in the league.
QB Carousal continues in Philly, Colts vs. Eagles Betting Preview2010-11-05Sportsbook.com Colts vs. Eagles Betting Odds: Philadelphia -3, Total: 46.5
Injuries abound as the Colts travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles Sunday afternoon. Indianapolis will be without TE Dallas Clark (wrist) and most likely RB Joseph Addai who is doubtful because of a shoulder injury. Indianapolis could also be missing WR Austin Collie (thumb surgery) and RB Mike Hart (ankle) who are both questionable. Collie has a better chance to play than Hart does.
The NFL betting public doesn’t seem too concerned about Indy’s injury woes as 80 percent of the Colts vs. Eagles point spread bettors are backing the visitors.
The news for Philadelphia is much brighter as QB Michael Vick will return after missing five games due to a rib injury, meaning Kevin Kolb is back to the bench. WR De’Sean Jackson has been upgraded to probable despite missing last game with a concussion. The one negative is starting CB Ellis Hobbs is unlikely to play because of a strained hip flexor, which is not good news when you face Peyton Manning.
With injuries to Addai and Hart, Donald Brown will get the full workload of carries despite his lingering hamstring problems. Brown has just 97 yards on 32 carries (3.0 YPC) with one touchdown this season.
Luckily for Indianapolis, Manning is fully healthy. He is averaging 306 passing YPG with 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Collie leads the team with six TD catches and has 44 receptions on just 54 targets. WR Reggie Wayne continues to be Manning’s favorite target, and is tied for fourth in the NFL with 641 receiving yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Indianapolis ranks 28th in the league in rushing defense, allowing 133 YPG.
The poor Colts rush defense plays right into the strength of Vick who is averaging 7.2 yards per carry. LeSean McCoy has also run the ball effectively with 477 rushing yards and a 4.5 YPC to go along with five touchdowns. He also has 38 catches (27 in the past four weeks) out of the backfield for another 293 yards. Jackson helps stretch the field with a 20.8 yards-per-reception average this year, but hasn’t done much in his past three games (6 rec., 77 yds, 1 TD).
The Eagles have taken care of the football, leading the NFC with fewest giveaways (nine) and sporting a plus-7 turnover margin this season.
The Eagles have lost five of seven ATS at home, while the Colts are only 1-3 ATS on the road this year. Although they have only played four times since 1996, Indy has won each of the four meetings by 22 points or more.
This NFL betting trend found at Sportsbook.com indicates that the Colts will win again this Sunday.
Play On - Road underdogs or pick (INDIANAPOLIS) - after having won 3 out of their last 4 games against opponent after having won 4 or 5 out of their last 6 games. (39-16 over the last 5 seasons.) (70.9%, +21.4 units. Rating = 2*).
To check out all of the Colts vs. Eagles betting odds or to scan all of the NFL Week 9 betting lines, head over to Sportsbook.com now.