Burning Questions: Chiefs vs. Browns

The Kansas City Chiefs fell to 3-11 with a 41-34 loss to the Cleveland Browns at Arrowhead Stadium.  For the second week in a row, the Chiefs dropped a game they could have — and should have — won.

As good as the offense looked at times while putting up a season-high 34 points, the defense was much worse.  They made Jerome Harrison (who?) look like a Pro Bowl player as he nearly set an NFL single game record for rushing.  He did, however, break the franchise mark previously held by the great Jim Brown.

Following two poor performances, Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel played his best game of the season but was overshadowed by the black hole that was the Kansas City defense.  While we try to find something worthwhile from another lost season, here are the questions I asked myself following the Chiefs-Browns game.

Why would you ever kick to Josh Cribbs?

If any franchise should know about game breaking kick returners it’s the Chiefs.  After all, it was Dante Hall nearly broke the return TD record that Cribbs shattered Sunday against Kansas City.

Going into the game with Cleveland every day there was a question (or three) asked of Todd Haley about Cribbs and his ability to change a game.  Yet there was Ryan Succop giving the shifty returner a chance to do exactly that late in the first half after the Chiefs had put up 21 straight points.

No sooner could I get out “man, things sure have snow-balled for the Browns” after Andy Studebaker recovered a botched snap in the end zone for a touchdown, did Cribbs scoot past 11 Chiefs special teamers on his way to the end zone and completely turning the game around.

Is there any way Clancy Pendergast keeps his job?

A man can only do so much with limited talent available to him.  It’s the main reason I feel you need to give Matt Cassel a pass on this season due to his lack of supporting cast past Jamaal Charles.  But even Cassel has shown the ability to show flashes, but the Chiefs defense has not shown much of anything here in the final stretch.

Kansas City spent their first three picks on the defensive side of the football and have seen very limited results.  No. 3 pick Tyson Jackson has improved as the season has come along but still has yet to have a signature game.  Third round pick Alex Magee and fourth rounder Donald Washington have been virtually invisible.

I realize it’s unfair to judge a draft class too soon, but when you put together the young players lack of results and an overall historically bad performance from the defense it’s hard to imagine Pendergast being given a second season.  When factor in that Scott Pioli’s former New England associate Romeo Crennel is sitting out there, it’s all but a certainty that Todd Haley will have a new defensive coordinator in 2010.

How far down the list of needs is running back with the emergence of Jamaal Charles?

Charles is the real deal.  Playing behind the same patchwork offensive line as Larry “2.7″ Johnson, Charles has averaged nearly twice as many yards per carry.  He has the type of home run speed that Johnson never had and even a surprising bit of power when he needs it.

The question now turns to what kind of help do the Chiefs need to provide Charles in the backfield.  Once LJ started his (final) downward spiral, the assumption was that Kansas City would spend a high draft pick or a lot of money in free agency on a feature back.  Now that Charles has cemented his spot, does Scott Pioli still look for a running back in the draft or bring in a veteran power back to give Charles a breather.

As good as Charles has been, every team is better off with at least two solid options at running back.  Especially when your lead back is also your best option on kickoff returns (and probably punt returns).  25 carries, 3 catches, 3 returns every week and all of a sudden Charles is looking at nearly 500 touches over a 16 game season.  Titans workhorse Chris Johnson will only end up with roughly 415 this year.

With huge holes to fill at both safety spots, inside and outside linebacker, offensive guard/tackle, wide receiver and defensive tackle all of a sudden running back — once at the top of that list — is now down at the bottom.

Tags: Clancy Pendergast, Cleveland Browns, Jamaal Charles, Josh Cribbs