The Chiefs are averaging 22.5 points the last four games with Tyler Thigpen at the helm. With the Bills expected to exploit the shaky Kansas City defense, go Over here.
We were not sure that we would ever be using the phrase, “The Kansas City offense is providing a major headache for their opponent this week” this season, but we indeed have that here vs. the Buffalo Bills. On a warm afternoon in the Midwest, it means that the points come easily in this one.
As each week goes by with Tyler Thigpen as the starting quarterback, we are seeing the Chiefs get more comfortable in their new offensive designs. Thigpen’s mobility enables them to spread the field and get a lot of receivers out into coverage, and he is doing a solid job of finding them, and as a result, the Kansas City offense has averaged 22.5 points over the last four games.
Thigpen completed 85 out of 140 passes for 945 yards during that span, with a sparkling ratio of eight touchdown passes vs. only one interception. And with Larry Johnson having had some game contact to get his timing back, there will also be a run balance that has been lacking for much of the stretch.
That style of play creates major headaches for the Bills. Not only do they have to travel off of a short practice week, which makes adjusting to these new looks difficult enough, but they will be missing starters Donte Whitner and Jabari Greer in the secondary, and possibly Bryan Scott, Whitner’s back-up, as well.
For a team that has struggled all season to get a pass rush (only 15 sacks in 333 opposing pass plays), that disheveled secondary is going to be hard-pressed throughout the game, especially since Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe, who each have 55 receptions already, can beat just about anyone man-to-man that Dick Jauron has at his disposal.
Jauron’s team can still win here, however, because they can score on their own. The Kansas City defense continues to shuffle lineups each week, and lacks both talent and chemistry. The Chiefs are simply without a strength, lacking the ability to stop the run (1,654 yards and 16 rushing TD’s at 5.1 per carry), rush the passer (six sacks in 316 pass plays), or cover receivers (65.8 percent completions and 7.77 yards allowed per pass).
It is the ideal unit for Trent Edwards to get his confidence back, which turns this into a game dominated by the offenses.
Free Pick: Bills, Chiefs Over 42 (-110)