Three losses by a combined eight points, for three consecutive weeks the Chiefs have knocked on victory?s door and came up short. As this young team continues to struggle to find a way to win late in ball games they will welcome back running back Larry Johnson, who returns from a four week combined Chiefs-NFL suspension/deactivation.

The Saints meanwhile will come into Arrowhead without their #1 RB Reggie Bush who was a late week scratch with a knee injury. In his place will be a combination of Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas, the Saints currently ranked 27th in the league in rushing will look to get the ground game on track against the Chiefs who are ranked dead last in rush defense.

This is a make or break game for the Saints who are 4-5 and three games back in the ultra competitive NFC south. To keep their playoff hopes alive the Saints will not only need to win this game but win it convincingly enough to generate some confidence within the team to make a stretch run successful enough to make the postseason.

As bad as the Saints rush offense is their pass offense is its polar opposite, it is ranked #1 in the league in passing yards a game highlighted by receiver Devery Henderson who is averaging nearly 30 yards a catch. All of this without # 1 receiver Marques Colston for a majority of the season. QB Drew Brees the ring leader of this offensive juggernaut has to lead the Saints to their first road victory of the season.


At some point the Chiefs will stop being satisfied with improved play and it will start affecting their physce if they keep losing these close games. With six key players out for the Chiefs this week mostly on defense, the MASH unit is growing larger and larger for the Chiefs. If the Chiefs can beat the Saints this week, a team that has it’s back against the wall and will definitely not be looking past them.

It will give the young players the knowledge they cannot only play with anybody they can also beat anybody. Herm Edwards was voted a top five coach to play for by the players association, not to say he is on the hot seat but nobody survives a 1-15 season now days, no matter how many were close calls. A win against the Saints goes a long way to ensuring he is on the Chiefs sidelines in 2009.

Keys to the Game

Work L.J. into the lineup: With the recent success of the spread offense, Tyler Thigpen directing the attack with Jamal Charles, Mark Bradley, D-Bowe and Tony G it would be easy for the Chiefs to say thanks but no thanks to L.J. Who returns this week from suspension, regardless of how he fits in the offense the Chiefs need to remember the only game they have won this season has a lot to do with L.J. and his 198 yards against Denver. This will be the perfect game to work L.J. into the lineup, the Saints defense is not particularly strong ranking 25th overall and 19th against the run. Bottom line L.J. makes this team better it is on Herm and Chan Gailey to make sure L.J.?s return does not mess up the rhythm the offense currently has.

Shut down the Saint?s passing attack: This one maybe easier said than done without their starting DE, OLB, CB, MLB and Nickel back. The Chiefs will have to dig deep to come up with a answer for Drew Brees and the #1 ranked passing attack. The Saints thrive on the big play if the Chiefs can shut that part of their game plan down and make them dink and dunk Brees could get frustrated and that could lead to some turnovers. And while the Chiefs were successful last week in stopping the big play, giving up the big play has been the knock on this team along with a bad run defense. The Saints by far are the biggest big play threat the Chiefs have faced this season.

Eliminate the unnecessary mistake: Last week the Chiefs lost because they had a injury at long snapper and the replacement blew the snap on a PAT. This team will make several mistakes every single game, young teams do that and it is part of the rebuilding process. Coaches will be ok with aggressive mistakes like pass interference, holding and horse collar tackles but they get infuriated with the mental mistakes, off sides, illegal formation and false start penalties. Uncovered kickoffs right before half and blown coverages deep down field are exactly the mistakes the Chiefs cannot afford to make and give an explosive Saints offense any kind of advantage in this contest.


Injury Report

Tamba Hali DE Quadricep Out

Derrick Johnson LB Thigh Out

Adrian Jones G Ankle Out

Patrick Thomas LB Thigh Out

Brandon Flowers CB Thigh Out

Patrick Surtain CB Quadricep Out

Jamaal Charles RB Ankle Probable

Jarrad Page S Groin Full Probable

Saints Report

Reggie Bush RB Knee Out

Aaron Glenn CB Ankle Out

Jonathan Goodwin C Knee Out

Mike Karney RB Knee Out

Brian Young DT Knee Out

Garrett Hartley K Back Probable

Aaron Stecker RB Hamstring Probable

Marques Colston WR Knee Probable

Jon Stinchcomb T Calf Probable

Weather Report: Kickoff at Arrowhead will sunny and 51 degrees with 16 mph south westerly breeze.

Final Score: Chiefs 21 Saints 31

The Chiefs are the trendy pick to win this week, from local sports talk radio to ESPN every one has the Chiefs beating the Saints? I understand the Chiefs seem to have grown by leaps and bounds the last three weeks and may have found their QOF and played some good teams close but the Saints are way to motivated, explosive and talented for the Chiefs with all of their injuries to pull this one out. Tyler Thigpen will probably have a good game, the Saints defense has been a big disappointment this season. The Saints know if they lose this game they are out of the playoff hunt, QB Drew Brees will not let this game get away.