Kansas City Seeks to Snap Another Extensive Winning Streak at Arrowhead

Oct 14, 2008, 1:19:07 AM by Pete Moris

Significant Winning Streaks Often Stop at Arrowhead Stadium

Dating back to ‘95 the Chiefs have snapped a signfi cant winning streak (three games or more) of an opponent on 13 different occasions at Arrowhead. Kansas City’s most frequent victim in that regard has been Denver with the Chiefs snapping six different Broncos winning streaks at Arrowhead over that timeframe. Tennessee enters Arrowhead owning an eight-game winning streak. The Titans last regular season loss was a 23- 17 decision at San Diego (12/9/07). During its eight-game winning streak, Tennessee has allowed just 11.1 points per game.

RB Larry Johnson and KC’s Rushing Attack vs. the Titans
Chiefs RB Larry Johnson has topped the 100-yard rushing plateau in two of his last three starts, including a season-high 198-yard effort in a 33-19 win vs. Denver (9/28). The Chiefs are 22-7 (.759) when Johnson produces a 100-yard game, including a 15-1 (.938) mark when he does it at Arrowhead. Dating back to ‘95 the Titans are 9-29 (.237) when allowing a 100-yard rusher. KC owns a 12-1 (.923) mark when Johnson has 30 or more carries and is 14-2 (.875) when he has two or more rushing TDs. Johnson is seeking to become just the eighth active NFL running back with 30 or more career 100-yard efforts. Cardinals RB Edgerrin James tops that list with 56 games of 100 or more rushing yards during his NFL tenure.

The Chiefs will face a Titans rushing defense that ranks 13th in the NFL, permitting just 95.8 ypg. KC owns a perfect 10-0 record at Arrowhead when Johnson has 125 or more rushing yards. Dating back to 2005, the Titans have lost their last four contests when allowing a back to hit the 125-yard plateau. However, only San Diego RBs LaDainian Tomlinson (146 yards on 12/9/07) and Michael Turner (136 yards on 9/17/06) have accomplished that feat against the Titans since the start of the 2006 campaign.

The Chiefs are Traditionally Tough at Arrowhead When Positive
The Chiefs have won 19 consecutive games at Arrowhead with a positive turnover ratio, the fourth-longest active streak in the NFL. Kansas City hasn’t lost a home outing with a positive turnover differential since 2002. The Chiefs are 9-2 under Herm Edwards when positive. The Chiefs are 46-4 (.920) at Arrowhead when positive dating back to ‘95. KC was +3 (4 takes/1 give) in its last home contest, a 33-19 win vs. Denver (9/28).

The Titans are 23-6 (.793) on the road with a positive turnover mark dating back to 2000, including a streak of seven consecutive wins. However, Tennessee is just 6-23 (.261) on the road when negative over that span. The Titans are tied for the NFL lead with a +6 (15 takes/8 gives) turnover differential and have been even or plus in every game in 2008. Tennessee leads the league with 14 takes, including an NFL-high 10 INTs. Kansas City has forced a league-high 11 fumbles, recovering eight of those opponent fumbles, the highest total in the league.

Points Could Be at a Premium in This Contest
The Chiefs are traditionally stingy when it comes to relinquishing points at Arrowhead. Dating back to ‘95, KC is 53-8 (.869) at home when it holds opponents to 21 points or less, including a 6-1 mark under Herm Edwards. Denver entered Kansas City averaging a league-high 38.0 ppg and was limited to half that average in a 33-19 loss (9/28). Dating back to 2005, the Titans are just 3-13 (.188) on the road when they are held to 20 points or less. However, Tennessee did register a 13-10 win at Baltimore (10/5).

During Tennessee’s eight-game winning streak dating back to last season, the Titans have held all eight of those opponents to 17 points or less. In total, the Titans have outscored those eight foes by an average score of 20.9 to 11.1. Dating back to 2000, the Titans are 49-9 (.845) when holding foes to 17 points or less, including a streak of 10 consecutive victories. Tennessee’s fi ve wins in 2008 have come by 11.8 ppg.

The Importance of a Halftime Lead, More Scoring Stats
KC is 54-11 (.831) at Arrowhead when leading at halftime dating back to ‘95. Tennessee has won six consecutive games with a halftime lead and has also won six straight road games with a halftime lead. Dating back to 2006, the Titans are 12-4 when leading at halftime (6-2 on the road), but are just 9-10 when trailing at the half (4-5 on the road). Tennessee has led at half in four of of its fi ve victories in 2008 and trailed in the second half in just one game this season - at BAL (10/5). The Titans own the NFL’s secondbest overall scoring differential at +59 (115 scored/56 allowed). Tennessee leads the NFL in defensive scoring effi ciency, permitting opponents to score on just 16.9% (11 of 65) of their drives. The Titans have allowed TDs on a league-low 9.2% of their defensive possessions.

The Chiefs have held opponents scoreless in the fi rst quarter in 16 of a possible 38 games (42.1%) under Herm Edwards. KC has held two oppponents (NE, DEN) scoreless in the fi rst quarter this season. The Chiefs are still seeking their initial fi rst-quarter TD of 2008 and have racked up just six fi rst-quarter points this season. The Titans and Giants (prior to MNF) are the only teams that haven’t permitted a fi rst-quarter TD this season. The Titans have allowed only nine points in the fi rst quarter in 2008.

Tennessee has scored 48 points in the second quarter. Only six teams have scored more. Tennessee has allowed just seven points in the third quarter this season and is tied for the NFL lead with the N.Y. Giants in second-half scoring defense, permitting just 17 points after halftime (prior to MNF). The Chiefs have outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter by a 32-29 margin.

Chiefs QB Brodie Croyle Could Return, QB Kerry Collins vs. KC
If QB Brodie Croyle returns to the lineup vs. the Titans, it will mark his fi rst start at Arrowhead since opening vs. Tennessee (12/16/07). Croyle suffered a shoulder injury on Opening Day at New England (9/7). It would mark just his third career start at home. His other regular season starting nod at Arrowhead came vs. Oakland (11/25). Dating back to 2006, the Titans are 1-7 when permitting an opposing QB to post a 100.0-rating game. Croyle’s career-best rating was a 99.2 mark at Indianapolis (11/18/07).

Titans QB Kerry Collins owns a 1-5 regular season mark as a starter vs. the Chiefs (0-1 w/Carolina, 1-0 w/N.Y. Giants and 0-4 w/Oakland). His lone victory against the Chiefs was a 13-3 win as a member of the N.Y. Giants (9/23/01). His last four contests against KC have come with the Raiders. Collins owns a 5-3 record as a starter since joining Tennessee in 2006, including wins in his last fi ve starts. In those fi ve victories, he has completed 87 of 155 passes (56.1%) for 955 yards with three TDs and three INTs, numbers that translate into a 72.9 rating.

The Chiefs are 31-4 (.886) at Arrowhead dating back to ‘95 when the club forces two or more INTs. Dating back to 2006, the Titans are 15-2 (.882) when they pick off two or more passes. Titans CB Cortland Finnegan and S Michael Griffi n are tied for the NFL lead with four INTs apiece. Tennessee has allowed a league-low one TD pass on the season.

More Chiefs-Titans Rushing Notes
The Chiefs will face a Tennessee squad that has averaged 33.2 rushing attempts per game in 2008. Only Baltimore (40.3) and Washington (33.4) average more carries per game than the Titans. Percentage-wise, the Titans run 54.4% of the time, which ranks third in the league behind Baltimore (59.0%) and Atlanta (54.5%). KC currently ranks ninth in the league in rushing, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

The Titans are tied for second in the league with seven rushing TDs. Titans RB LenDale White has registered a rushing TD in four of his last fi ve games. The Titans are 4-1 when White produces a 100-yard contest. Tennessee is currently outgaining its opponents by an average of 23.2 yards per game on the ground (119.0 ypg gained/95.8 ypg allowed).

Chiefs-Titans Statistical Tidbits
Chiefs DE Tamba Hali is set to make his 38th consecutive start on Sunday. Hali has started every game of his Chiefs career thus far, meaning only S Gary Barbaro (101 from ‘76-82) and DE Art Still (51 from ‘78-81) have started more consecutive contests to begin their Chiefs careers.

The Chiefs are 12-7 (.632) all-time following a bye week. The Titans are 7-6 (.538) following a bye under Jeff Fisher. Four of those six postbye losses have come on the road … Since the start of the ‘95 campaign, Tennessee is 2-9 (.182) on the road vs. the AFC West in the regular season with those wins coming by a 13-10 margin at Oakland (12/22/01) and by a 26-17 count at Kansas City (12/16/07).

Tennessee’s offense ranks third in the NFL in Red Zone TD effi ciency at 68.8%, while its defense ranks sixth in that department at 35.7% ... Opponents convert 21.8% (22 of 101) of their second-down opportunities for fi rst downs vs. the Titans. Only Tampa Bay’s defense is better at 20.8% (20 of 101). KC’s defense is eighth in that area at 25.7% (27 of 105) ... Only four teams have forced more negative plays than Tennessee (37). KC is tied for 10th in the league, forcing 19 negative rushing plays.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.

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A 15-year veteran of the Chiefs, Moris is the associate director of public relations for the team and contributes an in-depth examination of each upcoming game Tuesdays in-season.