Chiefs Get First Arrow In Their Back

Football Betting Lines

09/11/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If you're a pessimist, you'll say that Kansas City's Week 1 loss at Houston is just the first of many. If you're a realist, you'll say it is a harbinger of what could be a very difficult season if improvements aren't made. If you're an optimist, you'd best keep your mouth shut because anything you say about this team right now will make you look stupid.

After scoring just 32 points in a winless preseason, Herman Edwards's squad tallied just three against a Texan defense that ranked 25th in points allowed a year ago. The offense had four turnovers, two of them leading to 10 of Houston's 20 points.

"When you give it away four times, you're not going to win in this league. I don't care what kind of offense you have," said Edwards. It was Kris Wilson's fumble that changed the momentum. With the score 3-0 in favor of Houston, the tight end/H-back caught and fumbled a ball that was scooped up by Mario Williams and returned 38 yards for a score. A year ago, the play would have been ruled an incomplete pass. However, the NFL has altered the interpretation of a catch by eliminating the vague yet tacitly understood "football move" from the criteria. After the fumble, Kansas City dropped all confidence, which Houston gladly scooped up.

"That wasn't the real Chiefs team out there today. At least, I don't think it is," said tight end Tony Gonzalez, who caught five passes for 28 yards. "We're still in the process of figuring out who we are. When we do that, we'll be a better team than we were last year, and we were a playoff team last year."

That's nice, but it's wishful banter that sounds good only in the preseason.

What Gonzalez is talking about is his team's lack of identity. In the real world, a lack of identity leads to insecurity, reckless behavior, and self- hate. In football, it leads to instability (see Kansas City's offensive line, which surrendered three sacks and paved the way for just 72 rushing yards), reckless turnovers (see Damon Huard's two interceptions and fumbles by Eddie Drummond and Kris Wilson), and frustration (see what awaits this team come mid-October).

LARRY JOHNSON? HELLO? LARRY?

The Chiefs hope to attain a blacksmith identity predicated on the smash-mouth running of Larry Johnson. However, after an extended holdout during training camp, the now-much-wealthier Johnson carried the ball only 10 times for a pedestrian 43 yards. His longest run went for just eight. He did catch seven passes for 44 yards, but his overall output was a far cry from the 211-yard rushing performance he had last time he visited Reliant Stadium.

"I'm not going to let what happened today happen next week," Johnson said. "I'm going to get back to my old ways."

For that to happen, he'll need more from his front five, including left tackle Damion McIntosh. The headlining free agent acquisition over the offseason missed a large chunk of training camp with a knee injury, and it showed in his conditioning on Sunday.

KICKING WOES

Forget in-depth analysis: rookie kicker Justin Medlock has simply been no good since joining the Chiefs as a fifth-round draft pick this season. After going 3-6 in the preseason, the former UCLA Bruin maintained his 50 percent form in Week 1. His one miss was from just 30 yards out. The Chiefs signed ex-Packer and Colt Dave Rayner on Tuesday, though it kept Medlock on the roster to sort out his struggles.

WHO'S HOT

The offense's poor showing overshadowed the defense's solid output. One member of that defense was second-year safety Jarrad Page, who made his official debut as a full-time starter after assuming that role on a tentative basis late last season. Page had four tackles and intercepted a Matt Schaub pass in the end zone.

WHO'S NOT

The entire Chief offense struggled, including first-round rookie receiver Dwayne Bowe. He caught three passes for 42 yards but had two drops. Bowe must rebound and make positive strides early, especially after veteran No. 1 receiver Eddie Kennison tweaked his hamstring against the Texans.

NEXT UP

Kansas City fans will have to wait until Week 3 for that offensive because their team is traveling to the Windy City this week to face an angry Bears defense that just stymied LaDainian Tomlinson and the Charger offense.

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Visit Andy Benoit at www.benoitmedia.com

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LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.

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