The great John Wooden once said, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
In a game where the Chiefs clearly weren’t at their best, they found a way to leave Buffalo with a win and a 6-3 record on the season. It was the little things that made this possible. Entering the fourth quarter, the Chiefs trailed the Buffalo Bills 13-3. However, in the fourth, Alex Smith and Co. got the job done scoring 14 unanswered points on their way to a 17-13 victory.
Andy Reid hinted at this perseverance stating, “There are games you’re going to have like this where everything is not pretty and you have to play through it.” Facing a tough defensive front led by Marcell Dareus made it tough sledding for most of the afternoon, but the Chiefs defense kept them in the game to give the offense a chance in the final 15 minutes.
Here are my five major takeaways from Sunday’s game:
1. Alex Smith is an above-average quarterback with terrific leadership skills. I don’t think Smith gets enough praise for his ability to lead a football team. Often termed a “game manager,” I don’t think that does him justice as he once again showed the toughness and athleticism he has exhibited on multiple occasions over his tenure in Kansas City.
2. No touchdowns from a wide receiver, no problem. The Chiefs are still without a touchdown to a wide receiver after Sunday’s victory. With Donnie Avery still nursing a groin injury, Dwayne Bowe was once again one of the focal points in a rather centralized passing attack. He led the way with 8 catches for 93 yards along with some key third down grabs.
3. Ron Parker is becoming a vital part amongst the Chiefs’ defensive backs. While fellow teammates Sean Smith and Eric Berry often get a lot of attention, Parker turned in an impressive performance matching up with the dynamic Sammy Watkins on multiple occasions. He also had a potentially game-saving forced fumble on Bryce Brown, who looked to be in for the touchdown.
4. The Chiefs are now 6-3 with a game versus the defending champs, Seattle Seahawks, next on the schedule. The game will be at Arrowhead and is definitely a winnable game for them, as the Seahawks have undeniably looked beatable on the road.
5. Cairo Santos is a legitimate NFL kicker. After choosing to keep Santos over Ryan Succop after preseason, there were plenty of doubts when he missed a couple of early field goal attempts in the opening weeks. However, after knocking through a 36-yarder on Sunday, Santos is now 12 of 14 on the year.
