Chiefs First Drive: Zero to Seven

We'll take this drive by drive this week.

Kansas City marched down the field and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. It was that kind of afternoon.

1-10-KC 28 (14:54) 7-M.Cassel pass short right to 82-D.Bowe to KC 42 for 14 yards (23-M.Trufant, 57-D.Hawthorne).

Seahawks send Lawyer Milloy on a strong safety blitz. Thomas Jones picks it up ably. That nullifies all pressure except for some late arriving interior pressure from Brandon Mebane.

Matt Cassel takes the snap, drops five steps and flings to Dwayne Bowe. Bowe is sandwiched between Marcus Trufant (over) and Lofa Tatupu (under and to his left) but the pass finds a window and Bowe receives and fights forward for another five.

Jones' awareness makes this play possible. It's designed for play action, but seeing the blitz, Jones forgoes the play fake and picks up Milloy.

1-10-KC 42 (14:14) 7-M.Cassel pass incomplete short right to 15-V.Tucker.

Great jump by Mebane, but though he forces Ryan Lilja back, he can't separate and pressure. Seahawks create no pass rush.

Cassel targets Verran Tucker on a curl, but Trufant dives in front and tips the pass away incomplete.

2-10-KC 42 (14:10) 20-T.Jones left tackle to KC 46 for 4 yards (57-D.Hawthorne)

Chiefs flip strong side before the snap. Seattle does likewise.

KC bunches up Seattle's weak side and pull Lilja left and in front of Jones. Lilja blocks out Aaron Curry. Tim Castille stands up but does not move out Tatupu. Jones follows behind left tackle and then slices left for four. David Hawthorne ankle tackles and Milloy hits Jones straight on for the split tackle.

Aaron Curry emphatically calls a time out. (Emphatic = panic?)

3-6-KC 46 (13:33) (Shotgun) 7-M.Cassel pass short right to 82-D.Bowe to SEA 35 for 19 yards (59-A.Curry, 36-L.Milloy).

Seahawks execute a zone blitz from their nickel Babs formation. The line is: Clemons-Curry-Mebane-Brock. Tatupu rushes the left "A" gap. Babineaux attacks off right end. Curry drops into cover.

Bowe runs a crossing pattern and though he's chipped by Curry, no one is there to pick him up over the middle. Cassel lobs it to Bowe and Bowe catches and runs up field for 19.

I figure, either: The Chiefs perfectly navigated the Seahawks coverage or someone, maybe Curry, botched their assignment.

Curry runs Bowe down after a gain of 19.

1-10-SEA 35 (13:01) 20-T.Jones right tackle to SEA 31 for 4 yards (95-K.Balmer).

Jones attacks the strong side and finds a crease. He hits it hard and falls forward for four.

2-6-SEA 31 (12:22) 7-M.Cassel pass deep middle to 15-V.Tucker to SEA 7 for 24 yards (29-E.Thomas).

Seahawks rush four. No pressure.

Tucker runs a dig from the left and towards the deep middle and receives running away from Kelly Jennings and in front of Earl Thomas. Thomas jumps left but recovers to contain. Jennings is burned out of the break and a mile away from coverage.

Easy. Blasted easy and infuriating.

1-7-SEA 7 (11:37) (Shotgun) 7-M.Cassel pass short middle to 82-D.Bowe for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

KC is set: 2 WR (left), TE (right), WR (right (tight)), RB (left), Shotgun (Tony Moeaki starts split wide but motions into a bunch alongside Bowe before the snap)

Seattle: 4-3

Moeaki draws Thomas underneath. No clear indication why. Thomas, Tatupu and Curry are covering Moeaki. Bowe slants away from Jennings, loses him, catches towards the back of the end zone and taps his feet for a touchdown.

That's two big receptions at least partially attributed to Thomas being out of position.