Red Friday: Keys To Victory, What Division Rival Do You Hate Most
It’s here Chiefs fans, Red Friday. An excellent tradition that brings the community together. Fans across the Kingdom are wearing their red and gold, flying the window flag, dying the city fountains and grocery shopping for their tailgate or watch party at home. Red Friday is one of my favorite parts of the NFL season and we here at KC Kingdom want to help you get fired up during your Red Friday. First we’ll start with some keys to victory for the Chiefs, then finish it off with an interesting question.
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Keys To Victory:
1.) Run the ball
The Chiefs should be able to move the ball effectively on the ground. The Jaguars were the 30th ranked rushing defense in 2012, giving up an average of 85.6 yards per game. Jamaal Charles could have a field day and I think the Chiefs plan is to feed him the rock. Andy Reid is known as a pass first style offense, but he has to understand that Charles is the Chiefs bread and butter. Get Jamaal going early and it could be game over.
2.) Special Teams
One of the most significantly improved units this preseason was the entire special teams. The Chiefs have seemed to hit a home run with the hire of coach Dave Toub. He has every unit playing fast and confident. Through out the pre season, the Chiefs lead the NFL in average starting field position. This will seriously help the Chiefs become a very efficient offense. Winning the field position battle will take a lot of pressure off not only the offense, but the defense as well. This should be a fun unit to watch.
3.) Defense needs to create turnovers
The Chiefs new defensive style has been labeled as an attacking style, meaning exotic blitz packages and creating turnovers. New defensive coordinator Bob Sutton has the Chiefs playing together and fast.
During their third preseason game against the Steelers, the Chiefs defense came up with a big sack with a little over 2 minutes left before the half. That play stalled Pittsburgh’s drive and set up the Chiefs two minute offense, resulting in a touchdown throw by Alex Smith with seconds remaining. The Chiefs need to continue to be opportunistic and timely like they were in that situation against Pittsburgh.
Offenses thrive when their defense can generate a big stop or turnover. The defense seems poised to take that next step and there’s no better time to start than week 1.
What Division Rival Do You Hate Most?
As I sat there last night watching Denver destroy the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s annual Kickoff game, I was reminded of how much I despise the Broncos. I grew up with grandparents who lived outside of the Denver area. Sometimes for Christmas, they would give me and my siblings, Broncos memorabilia as gifts. They would be anything from coffee mugs, t shirts, hats, posters the list went on.
It didn’t help that John Elway was in his hay day, making me angry by beating us in the playoffs by greasing their jerseys. I couldn’t stand Rod Smith or Shannon Sharpe either. They always seemed to have big games against the Chiefs, no matter how the flow of the game was going.
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In the early 2000’s with Jake “the Snake” Plummer at QB, they would always run the stupid bootleg play that would just scorch the Chiefs for 20 yards at a time. It was like the Chiefs knew it was coming, but just had no way of stopping it. So frustrating to watch.
These are the reasons I believe I’ve grown up more of a Bronco hater than a Raider or Charger hater. The Broncos have been more of the team to beat in the division the whole time I’ve been growing up.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate the Raiders and Chargers but there isn’t a win I want more than against the Broncos. Let me put it this way, If the Chiefs went 2-14 again, and the only two wins were against Denver, then I would say it was a year to remember. Do I sound bitter?
The older generation of Chiefs fans tend to hate the Raiders more. My parents and grandparents grew up in the old AFL era when the Chiefs first became bitter rivals with the Raiders. They remember the knock down, drag out fights that the Chiefs and Raiders used to get into. Otis Taylor defending his QB, Len Dawson after a cheap shot was landed on him. The Chiefs losing to Oakland twice during the 69′ regular season, but defeating them in the playoffs on there way to Super Bowl IV.
Remember Hall of Fame running back, Marcus Allen making the jump from black and silver to red and gold in the early 90’s? Marcus Allen went in to the Hall of Fame as a Chief first after spending majority of his career in Oakland.
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There’s no doubt that the Chiefs and Raiders are loaded with bitterness and tradition, but it seems that the younger generation of Chiefs fans tend to hate Denver more. Especially after Peyton Manning made the move there last year.
The Chargers have been more annoying to me than anything else. I love beating them and watching “Phyllis” Rivers throw temper tantrums.
The Raiders have been a joke since their Super Bowl beat down in 2002, but always will be a pain for the Chiefs. Every year, the Chiefs get into a weird game with Oakland that involves a ton of penalties and weird scenarios that play a huge role in the result of the game.
I don’t care what the teams records are, the Chiefs and Raiders will play each other tough.
So now I ask the rest of the Kingdom, What AFC West team do you hate the most? Broncos, Raiders or Chargers? Make sure to discuss below in the comment section.
It’s Red Friday Chiefs fans, wear it proudly!