Offense sputters again in loss to the Bills

A lot of football fans may have been wishing this game had been blacked out after all.  Certainly most who had tickets didn’t show for this messy affair, a 16-10 loss to Buffalo.

KC couldn’t take advantage of early turnovers by the Bills. A fumble forced by Mike Vrabel on a sack of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick midway thru the first period gave KC the ball on the Bills nine.  Three plays later they faced a fourth down from the one, but Matt Cassell was dumped for an 7 yard loss trying a naked bootleg. 

The Bills then went 93 yards keyed by a Marshawn Lynch 47 yard run and 9 yard TD reception Terrel Owens for a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

A 13 play drive by the ended with a chip shot field goal by Ryan Succop. 

Brandon Carr then stripped Shawn Nelson and recovered at the Bills 49 but KC couldn’t capitalize as Cassel failed to connect with an open Mark Bradley in the end zone.  KC had 30 first half plays in Bills territory and just three points to show for it.

Ryan Lindell hit 41 yard FG with 1:12 to go to make it 10-3 Bills.  

Just when Cassel looked to be playing better he made a poor decision to not throw it away while under pressure and was intercepted at the KC 25, but Brandon Flowers responded with his own interception of Fitzpatrick in the KC end zone to snuff out  potential score.

After a Bills field goal to make it 13-3, Jamaal Charles burst 76 yards up the middle for the Chiefs longest run of the year with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and it was 13-10.

A critical turnover by the Chiefs came when Cassel was picked on a deflection by Paul Posluszny and returned it to the KC 35. The Bills converted it to another field goal and a 16-10 lead midway through the fourth Q.  

With just over two minutes to go on third and 10 at the Buffalo 22, Cassel hit a wide open Chris Chambers at the three but he dropped the ball.  Can't anybody catch a freakin' ball?

On fourth down Jairus Byrd picked off his league leading 9th pass of the year on a deflection, Cassel’s third pick of the half. A last second Chiefs attempt in the end zone ended in Cassel’s fourth interception.

Jamaal Charles rushed for 143 yards on 20 carries, Cassel was 26 of 43 for 224 and 4 picks. Glenn Dorsey left game with an apparent knee injury and did not return.

So after two straight wins, it’s three straight losses with Cleveland coming to KC for the final home game of the year.  Thank God.