Chargers Scouting Report: Kansas City Chiefs

By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:07 PM PST ∞

Kickoff: 10 a.m. Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

Series: Kansas City leads 50-44-1 and has beaten the Chargers in nine of the past 10 meetings at Arrowhead. The Chiefs beat the Chargers 30-16 at Qualcomm Stadium on Sept. 30.

Player to watch: DE Jared Allen

The carefree wild buck has been a bit tamer this season -- off the field, that is, after a second DUI arrest led to a two-day jail stay in the offseason. On the field, he has been that same ferocious pass rusher and is tied for fourth in the NFL with 9 1/2 sacks. He also has batted down or deflected a career-best 11 passes and has four tackles for losses on running plays. The stats are more impressive when you factor in that Allen missed the first two games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for his alcohol issues. Though he's in just his fourth season, Allen already has the seventh-most sacks (37) in Chiefs' history. Allen entered the NFL as an overlooked player -- Kansas City nabbed him in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft -- from Idaho State despite winning the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in I-AA as a college senior. He was an immediate hit as a rookie with nine sacks and followed that with 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles in 2005. He had 7 1/2 sacks last season before revving things back up this season.

Offense

Who says the Chiefs miss Pro Bowl RB Larry Johnson? With Johnson (foot) out and after the midweek retirement of Priest Holmes, Kansas City plugged in fifth-round pick Kolby Smith, who rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns against Oakland. The yardage is the most by a Chiefs back this season. The Chiefs also have handed the ball to second-year QB Brodie Croyle. The former Alabama standout was decent in his first start against Indianapolis, but struggled in his second (12-of-23, 145 yards) against the Raiders. TE Tony Gonzalez has 62 receptions for 738 yards and four touchdowns. The 60-catch season is his ninth in a row, the longest such streak by a tight end in NFL history. WR Dwayne Bowe, the team's first-round pick, showed off his skills against the Chargers earlier this season when he caught eight passes for 164 yards, including a 51-yard score. Bowe has 49 receptions for 731 yards. T Damion McIntosh played for the Chargers from 2000-03.

Defense

No surprise, "Downfield Donnie" leads his team in tackles. OLB Donnie Edwards, who led the Chargers in tackles each of the past five seasons, leads the Chiefs with 87 tackles. If Edwards is still in front at the end of the season, it will be the 10th consecutive season he has led his teams in tackles. And in Kansas City, nobody cares if the tackles are made downfield. OLB Derrick Johnson also is having a strong season, with 78 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. S Jarrad Page has a team-leading three interceptions while CB Patrick Surtain has two. CB Ty Law has just one interception, and it came against the Chargers. DE Tamba Hali has five sacks to complement Allen's pass-rushing skills.

Noteworthy

The Chiefs signed former Chargers K John Carney on Tuesday in hopes of boosting their sagging field-goal fortunes. They released Dave Rayner, who was 15-of-22. Ö P Dustin Colquitt is ninth in the NFL with a 45.0 average. Ö OT Kyle Turley and WR Jeff Webb are former San Diego State standouts. Ö Despite losing to Oakland last Sunday, the Chiefs are 11-3 against AFC West foes at Arrowhead dating back to the start of the 2003 season.

-- Mike Sullivan