Sep 14, 2007, 18:05 GMT
- As both combatants in this week's Soldier Field duel between the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs would likely attest, it is difficult to win football games without scoring touchdowns.
The Bears and Chiefs were two of four NFL teams that failed to find the end zone last week, joining the Buccaneers and Falcons, and each member of that quartet finished Week 1 in the loss column.
Chicago did not put together a complete effort in its first meaningful action since a Super Bowl XLI loss, falling to the San Diego Chargers by a 14-3 count.
The Bears turned the ball over four times in the defeat, with two of the miscues charged to quarterback Rex Grossman (one interception, one fumble), and running back Cedric Benson and special teamer Brandon McGowan also responsible for turnovers that kept the offense from moving toward the San Diego end zone.
Adding insult to injury (and vice versa) were season-ending knee injuries suffered by Bears defenders Mike Brown and Dusty Dvoracek in the setback.
Kansas City fared no better, going to Houston and laying a 20-3 egg that left many Chiefs stakeholders lamenting the erosion of what was recently one of the NFL's great offenses.
Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, fresh off signing a lucrative multi-year contract, carried only 10 times for 43 yards in the loss. Johnson had an NFL- high 416 rush attempts in 2006.
Quarterback Damon Huard, starting the first season-opener of his career, threw two interceptions as part of Kansas City's four-miscue day.
Winning will be the primary objective for both the Bears and Chiefs this week, and putting together their initial touchdown drives of 2007 will likely be viewed as part and parcel of that effort.
SERIES HISTORY
Chicago has a 5-4 advantage in its all-time series with Kansas City, but was a 31-3 road loser when the teams last met, in 2003. The Bears won the previous meeting, taking a 20-17 decision at Soldier Field in 1999. The Chiefs are 1-3 all-time in Chicago, with their only win there coming by a 21-10 count in 1990.
Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards is 0-1 all-time against the Bears, with his Jets losing by a 20-13 count at Soldier Field in 2002. The Bears' Lovie Smith will be meeting both Edwards and the Chiefs for the first time as a head coach.
Smith and Edwards both served on Tony Dungy's staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 through 2000.
WHEN THE CHIEFS HAVE THE BALL
Though Edwards explicitly announced his intention to reduce the workload on Johnson this season, the fact that the Pro Bowler garnered only 10 rushes a week ago was indeed a surprise. Johnson actually accrued more yards through the air than on the ground, turning in team-highs with seven catches and 44 yards. Expect Johnson, who missed most of the preseason while embroiled in a contract dispute, to top 25 touches in Week 2. Kansas City will need to offset Johnson with something of a passing game, an element of the attack not in evidence much in Week 1. Huard finished 22-of-33 passing for 168 yards on the day, but only seven receptions for 90 yards went to wide receivers. With No. 1 wideout Eddie Kennison (hamstring) out for the Chicago game, rookie Dwayne Bowe (3 catches, 42 yards) and Samie Parker (4 receptions, 48 yards) will have to step up their production. Future Hall-of-Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez had five receptions for just 28 yards against the Texans, and was part of an o- line that surrendered three sacks.
Chicago's discouraging performance of Week 1 did not extend to the defense, which shut down reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson to the tune of 25 yards on 17 carries. One of the Chargers' touchdowns came on a trick-play halfback pass from Tomlinson to tight end Antonio Gates. The Bears turned in three sacks of Philip Rivers in the loss, including one each for ends Adewale Ogunleye and Mark Anderson, but the team's only pick of the game went to the now-injured Mike Brown, who also recovered a fumble. Linebackers Brian Urlacher (6 tackles) and Hunter Hillenmeyer (9 tackles) combined for 15 stops in the game. In the secondary, cornerback Nathan Vasher posted a sack, and safety Adam Archuleta notched seven tackles and a pass breakup in his first meaningful game in a Chicago uniform.
WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL
Chicago comes off a week in which it managed just 11 first downs against San Diego, a dormancy it will have to reverse if it seeks a win against the Chiefs. Grossman (12-of-23 passing, 145 yards, 1 INT) didn't put together the worst outing of his career, but neither did he make a host of big plays. Grossman's top targets were wideout Bernard Berrian (5 receptions, 83 yards) and tight end Desmond Clark (3 receptions, 38 yards), with No. 1 wideout Muhsin Muhammad (1 catch, 8 yards) turning in a particularly quiet performance. The passing game could be bolstered this week by the possible debut of first-round draft choice and tight end Greg Olsen (Miami-Florida), who missed Week 1 with a knee problem and is questionable for Sunday. The running game, led by Benson, will also have to perform better. Benson carried 19 times for just 42 yards against San Diego.
The Chiefs defense was average at best against Houston, allowing running backs Ahman Green and Ron Dayne to top 100 combined rushing yards and surrendering 225 yards through the air to Matt Schaub in his Texans debut. A bright spot for Kansas City was the play of linebacker Donnie Edwards, who turned in eight tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery in his first game with the club since leaving for San Diego after the 2001 season. In the secondary, second-year safety Jarrad Page chipped in the club's first interception of the campaign, but was also part of a group that allowed 142 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown strike, to wideout Andre Johnson. A pass rush that will be missing Jared Allen (NFL suspension) for the second consecutive week had two sacks versus Houston, though starting ends Tamba Hali (6 tackles) and Jimmy Wilkerson (2 tackles) did not break through to Schaub.
FANTASY FOCUS
It seems unthinkable that Larry Johnson would be a riskier fantasy start than Cedric Benson, but given the quality of Chicago's defense, that is exactly the situation fantasy managers face this week. Kansas City should find ways to get Johnson the ball, though how many yards that translates into remains to be seen. The only other offensive player worth starting in this game could be Gonzalez, who was quiet last week but will be going up against a Bears defense that struggled to defend San Diego tight end Antonio Gates last Sunday. Chicago's defense is a must-start against Kansas City, and kicker Robbie Gould will likely get you some points as well.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Chiefs haven't shown any offensive signs of life since the start of training camp, and playing the defensively stout Bears is not an antidote for their deficiencies. Kansas City is going to have to win this game on defense, where its talent is average and its opponent is likely to come out firing after a rough go in Week 1. All signs point to a Chicago romp before a relieved group of home fans.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Bears 28, Chiefs 6
© 2007 The Sports Network
Your Talkback on this Story