Chiefs’ o≠ense fails to shine

Broncos benefit with K.C. attack still struggling

kansas city, mo. » For the better part of three months, Chiefs coach Andy Reid has used creativity to cobble together a productive offense despite some serious personnel limitations.

Namely, a banged-up wide receiving corps — which still has failed to record a touchdown — and an offensive line that tends to struggle in pass protection.

But on Sunday, in prime time against their division rival Broncos, there was no scheming around either. By the start of the fourth quarter of what turned out to be a 29-16 loss at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs found themselves in 16-point hole — largely because of the offense’s struggles.

The stats told the story. The Chiefs had gained only 66 yards on a mere 24 offensive plays. Quarterback Alex Smith, who entered the game with a 13-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, was harassed at times from the start, though he was sacked only once.

Denver’s ability to collapse the pocket, however, resulted in Smith’s first interception in 179 attempts. Midway through the third quarter, with the Chiefs trailing 20-10 after a momentum-turning defensive stop, Denver nose tackle Terrance Knighton deflected a Smith pass at the line of scrimmage, and defensive end DeMarcus Ware settled under it for the interception.

This gave the Broncos the ball at the Chiefs’ 13-yard line. Andwhile the defense held firm— the Broncos tacked on a field goal to increase their lead to 13 — the sequence was indicative of the kind of day it had been for the offense to that point.

The Broncos — who allowed Reid and the Chiefs to dominate time of possession 36 minutes to 24 in their Week 2 matchup — made it clear from the start that this time, things would be different.

On the Chiefs’ first play from scrimmage, Smith tried to hit receiver Donnie Avery — who was making his first appearance in nearly two months due to a groin injury — deep over the top. The pass fell incomplete, however, as Denver was all over it.

On the Chiefs’ second play, they attempted a “packaged” play — whichReid has been sprinkling in with great success this year— and gained 5 yards on a quick throwto De’Anthony Thomas. But Smith’s third-down pass for Dwayne Bowe fell incomplete, and the Chiefs were forced to punt.

After a Broncos touchdown — they scored the first time they touched the ball — the Chiefs’ sputtering offense proceeded to follow with two consecutive three-and-out series, both of which led to Denver points.

By the 4:12 mark of the second quarter, the Chiefs found themselves in a 17-0 hole.

And they are 7-5 after losing.