Game Notes | Week 3: Chiefs vs. Falcons

Who did I piss off to draw game coverage on this one? Who says professional football doesn't have a minor league system? I got proof positive right here -- this game is clearly a cut below. I might nod off or find myself flipping over to the Discovery channel today. I don't expect any of you to follow along with my in-game comments on this one . . . unless Matt Ryan's mother is a Dynasty league maven.

At least I get the Jags/Colts at 4:00.

The awful-off begins with a three-and-out from the Falcons. Tyler Thigpen drops back to pass . . . and is sacked by John Abraham on the first play.

I'm interested to see Larry Johnson today. Game-watchers have thrown dirt on his grave in both of the first two games of the season.

Matt Ryan's accuracy is off early. He just threw behind Roddy White on 3rd & 4 after over-throwing his first attempt.

LJ comes off on 3rd down. "Not a guy that pass protects and not a receiver. This is really a weakness of this offense."

Awesome special teams tackle by Jarrod Page on a 57-yard Dustin Colquitt punt. Yes, a punt-return tackle has been the most exciting play of this game. Not surprising.

I've seen Michael Turner in two games now, and I can report that the Chiefs are a far, far better tackling defense than the Detroit Lions. Both teams are awful, of course, but the Chiefs' defense is light years ahead of the embarrassing Lions' unit.

The Chiefs try to set up a fullback screen, and they fail miserably. I mean, what's the upside of that play? A couple of yards? It's not exactly Chris Johnson out there on the receiving end. Tyler Thigpen has generated zero offense, and the Falcons corners, Chris Houston in particular, have been all over the receivers.

From what I've seen so far, Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt is the team's best player. This is a sad, sad offense. Woeful.

Michael Turner just dragged a linebacker 10 yards on his way to a 38-yard gainer. Norwood with a nice cutback run. Norwood with a nice run on a bootleg screen pass. He can cover some ground in the open field. Turner just ran through a Derrick Johnson tackle. I'm not sure he can brought down by one man. And on cue, he just carried about four Chiefs on his back into the end zone. The Falcons are bowling over the Chiefs right now. Six plays, all involving running backs, for a 92-yard scoring drive.

The game-watchers were right. Larry Johnson looks like he's running in sand, and he really misses Willie Roaf and Will Shields.

Jamaal Charles just dropped a sure first down pass with a chance to break off a long gain. That's four straight three-and-outs for the Thigpen-led Chiefs offense. If Damon Huard is healthy enough to play, Herman Edwards should be canned by the end of the day for subjecting us to this traveshamockery.

Harry Douglas just lost about 10 yards on a failed reverse. Matt Ryan drops back for a bomb, and Roddy White gets well behind the Chiefs corners for 70-yard bomb TD -- mostly (57 yards) in the air. Awesome throw by Ryan . . . he's got plenty of arm. How did White get that far behind the corners?

Jamaal Charles stuffed for no gain on a screen pass. Falcons take over and go three-and-out. I can be forgiven if my eyes wonder over to Carolina/Minnesota, right? Steve Smith is an animal. If the ball's in the air, he's getting it. Jonathan Stewart is just a huge ball of muscle. DeAngelo Williams' role is going to decrease throughout the season.

Tyler Thigpen is garbage. He has -1 yards through a quarter, and he just threw a horrible pick.

I think Larry Johnson would be OK at least behind a good O-Line. He's kind of like Clinton Portis in that their big-play ability is all used up, but they can get positive yardage on every play and move a team down the field. LJ's situation is pretty sad, really.

Anxiously awaiting a Dustin Colquitt fake punt bootleg. It's the Chiefs only hope for a first down. Oh crap, there's one to Jamaal Charles -- first down! Deep sideline pass to D-Bo, receiving and DB tangle feet and down goes Bowe. That's a good strategy for the Chiefs though. Just throw it up for grabs to D-Bo and hope for a jumpball or a pass interference call. Seriously, this play should be a staple of every Chiefs drive.

Another first down screen play to Jamaal Charles. The Chiefs are going to break the record for most screen passes attempted in a game. Ha -- another Tylger Thigpen pick. Jesus, this guy's three shades of awful.

Nice throw by Ryan to Roddy White. He has some accuracy issues, but he's just good enough to sustain fantasy value for White. Jerious Norwood never runs inside. They always do an off-tackle cutback run with him.

Turner rumbles in for his second TD of the day. He can kill cupcake defenses.

Jesus, Thigpen just threw a sideline out over the receiver's head and into the coach's gut. That's not an NFL throw. Words alone cannot do justice to the wretchedness of that throw. Tyler Thigpen 18-yard run!

Antoine Winfield just came a corner blitz and blind-sided Jake Delhomme. Winfield picked up the fumble and ran it in to tie the game with a minute left in the half. You could see Winfield coming for an eternity on that play.

And . . . another screen pass, this one to Kolby Smith. LJ not in the game in the 2-minute offense. I don't think Thigpen has completed a non-screen pass in this game. We want Ingle!

Thigpen just threw off his back foot for no reason. Ball down the sidelines to Bowe, and it sailed out of bounds. Thigpen with a short sideline throw, and it's not even close. His footwork is a mess -- he's not even setting. Once he sees a receiver, he's just getting rid of the ball. I think they need to roll him out b/c he's probably much better throwing on the run.

Where did that come from? Thigpen with a 15-yard laser to D-Bo for a TD. Nice pass. Seriously. On the other hand, this is problematic b/c it will likely keep ol' Herm from making a QB-switch at halftime. Damn you, Tyler Thigpen!

Larry Johnson opens the 2nd half by running through a gaping hole as the Falcons over-pursue, and it goes for 48 yards. LJ starting to find some running room on this drive. LJ just passed the Nigerian Nightmare, Christian Okoye, for 2nd place on the Chiefs all-time rushing list. Priest Holmes is first.

LJ tough run down to the 1-inch line. I think he got in. Great effort. You gotta review that, Herm. Nope, no review, but LJ gets it in on the next carry. LJ's drive numbers: 7 carries for 71 yards. Fantasy saving drive right there.

Michael Turner pushes a few defenders in for his third touchdown of the day.

Larry Johnson has his 28th career 100-yard game. Thigpen looks much better in the second half, much more accurate and better footwork.

Holy fockin' Ronnie Brown! He just blew up for a 62-yard TD run, his fifth TD of the day! Sweet vindication for Rotoworld guru Gregg Rosenthal who has stood by Brown amid all the Ricky Williams talk.

Curtis Lofton with a TD-saving tackle as Larry Johnson comes up just short on 4th & goal. I've run out of steam with this game.

Jerious Norwood pops outside on 3rd & 6 and goes 44 yards down the sideline. He's fast.

Tyler Thigpen touchdown pass . . . to Falcons cornerback Chris Houston. D-Bo fell down on the play, but it was still an awful pass.