Kansas City Chiefs Rewatch: 2010 Week 16 vs Titans

After a double digit win over the Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs were in prime position to win the AFC West for the first time since 2003. All they had to do was win their final two games. The first came against the Titans.

Every game mattered at this point of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs, who were in a “win and you’re in” situation as far as clinching their first division title in seven years. While their final two games weren’t the most difficult on the schedule, the Chiefs had little room for error, as the Chargers were breathing down their necks in the division.

Fortunately the 9-5 Chiefs played their final two games at home and had played a nice game against the Rams the week prior. How would their final two games go?

Well, let’s find out with their first of the two, coming the day after Christmas at Arrowhead Stadium.

WEEK 16 VS TENNESSEE TITANS: DECEMBER 26TH, 2010

The first drive of the game went about as well as it could have for Kansas City, who marched from their own 31 yard line down the field and scored a touchdown in the first four minutes of the game. Just like that it was 7-0 Chiefs.

Tennessee then had a nice drive of their own, but went for it on fourth and six and didn’t convert, giving the Chiefs the ball back. The offense was on fire in the first quarter and scored again on their second possession making it a 14-0 game in chilly Arrowhead.

While the Chiefs didn’t find the end zone on their third possession, Ryan Succop kicked a field goal making it a 17-0 Chiefs lead and three for three on offense. The defense had done a nice job at stopping Tennessee from moving the ball much at all after that first possession and it wouldn’t get much better for the Titans offensively.

It was 31-7 in favor of the Chiefs at half and the second half was a snoozer. KC knocked a field goal through in the third quarter and Tennessee scored a touchdown late in the third quarter to make it a 34-14 game. That was the final score and the Chiefs moved to 10-5, notching double digit wins for the first time since 2005 when they won ten games.

With this win, all the Chiefs had to do was win in their season finale and they’d be AFC West champions for the first time in seven years. Could they pull it off?

REMEMBER THAT GUY?

• Casey Wiegmann recorded his 10,000th consecutive snap.
• Jared Cook was a budding young tight end in Tennessee and had five catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
• Kenny Britt had 89 yards and a touchdown off of four catches.
• The last time these two teams had met up in Kansas City, Chris Johnson played the bongos after a big run. This time around, he had just 14 carries for 58 yards.
• Glenn Dorsey, Tamba Hali, and Andy Studebaker made up the three Kansas City sacks.
• Kerry Collins was the Titans quarterback.

Matt Cassel bounced back after a not great game in St. Louis, throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. His favorite target was Dwayne Bowe, who after a few rough games, exploded onto the scene with six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown.

Jamaal Charles had a nice day running the ball, totaling 77 yards, but both of his touchdowns came via passes from Cassel. Thomas Jones had 51 rushing yards.

In the comical area for this game, the Chiefs were penalized after the big Bowe touchdown because Charles jumped into the stands. Apparently only one player is permitted to jump into the stands as a form of celebration. Okay then.

Defensively the Chiefs did a nice job, notching three sacks on Kerry Collins and continuing to be a “bend, but don’t break” kind of unit. Eric Berry had a 54-yard pick six at the end of the first half that essentially iced the game even with another half to play.

The defense allowed big games to Jared Cook and Kenny Britt, but only let the Titans find the end zone twice. Tennessee couldn’t get much going and their offense had little answer for stopping Dwayne Bowe and the Chiefs rushing attack.

With just one game remaining in the 2010 regular season, all the Chiefs had to do was win and they’d be division champs and in the playoffs. Could they pull it off?

Next up: Week 17 vs Raiders (7-8)