Kansas City Chiefs lose 20-15 to Tampa Bay in second pre-season game

The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday night in the second pre-season game for both teams.

Tampa Bay (1-1) used a fourth quarter interception of Chiefs quarterback Tyler Palko to score the go-ahead touchdown, turning a 13-13 tie into a 20-13 lead with about six minutes left in the game. After another terrible kick-off return by the Chiefs Quinten Lawrence (15 yard gain but fumbled which lost two yards), Palko took over at the Chiefs 12-yard line.

Using a terrific mix of runs and passes out of the no-huddle formation, Palko guided the Chiefs down to the Tampa Bay 2-yard line with a chance to score the tying touchdown with a little over a minute left in the game. However, a false start penalty on 4th-and-2 pushed the ball back to the 7-yard line and Palko's throw to rookie WR Rich Gunnell was short of the end zone.

On the positive side, and in a development foreign to all Chiefs fans, the team didn't waste a single time out in the second half so even with Tampa taking over the ball with barely a minute left to go, the Chiefs defense was able to stop the Bucs on three consecutive runs up the middle, calling a time out after each play and forcing a punt on fourth down. Bucs coach Raheem Morris had punter Brent Bowden run out of the back of the end zone for a 2-point safety and allowing Bowden to get a free kick to the Chiefs on the 20-yard line instead of trying to punt it out of the back of the end zone. The safety made the score 20-15 Tampa Bay.

The Chiefs could not convert when they got the ball back and the game basically ended when Tampa intercepted Palko's desperation throw on 4th-and-11 with 15 seconds left in the game.

The Chiefs fell to 0-2 in the pre-season, but now move back to Kansas City for their final two pre-season games beginning Friday (8/27) against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Despite the loss, the Chiefs showed enough energy and crispness in their play that fans can take at least a little comfort in the team going forward.
 

• QB Matt Cassel looked sharp in his half of play, going 14-for 19 for 125 yards and one touchdown.
• The offensive line created holes for the running backs and gave the quarterbacks time to throw.
• The defense swarmed to the ball, especially the starters.
• After Thomas Jones' fumble on the third play of the game, the Chiefs starting offense played virtually mistake free for the rest of the half.
• Javier Arenas has probably locked up the role of kick returner unless Dexter McCluster blows the coaching staff away in the next two games. Arenas' 57-yard kick-off return after Tampa's first field goal jump-started the offense.
• Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will be a sweet combination in the backfield. Jones picked up a blitzing linebacker in the second quarter that allowed Cassel to throw for a key first down.
• DE Tyson Jackson made another nice play on defense. That's two in two games. Pro Bowl, here we come.
• The Chiefs started Jovan Belcher and Derrick Johnson as their inside linebackers. Last week's starters, Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays played second string. Belcher and Williams stood out. Johnson and Mays combined for one tackle. Stay tuned on who the starting linebackers will be.
• Wallace Gilberry continues to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks from the end position. If he gets better against the run, he'll push Tyson Jackson for a starting job. Ok, maybe not as long as Scott Pioli is in charge, but Gilberry is playing great.
• RB Jackie Battle might have sewn up the third running back job with outstanding play on offense and special teams.

Of course, there were plenty of things that did not go right Saturday night that will keep the coaches busy this week in practice. But that's a subject for another column.

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