Tamba Hali returns to the Chiefs defense for today’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Hali’s return is a huge boost to a Kansas City that had a very disappointing second half without him and Justin Houston. On offense, the Chiefs will be missing their number one pick in the 2013 draft, offensive tackle Eric Fisher, something sack leader Robert Mathis is looking forward to.
The Colts are on a three game win streak and look to extend that in the postseason. This team struggles after losing wide receiver Reggie Wayne, but they have rebounded nicely in recent weeks. Luck should get most of the credit, but the Colts’ offense also secures the ball very well; having a league-low 14 turnovers all season. The Chiefs only had 18 turnovers, but four of them were against the Colts. During their Week 16 matchup, the Colts took care of business holding the Chiefs to seven points.
Regular season match ups normally mean nothing when it comes to playoff results, especially when Kansas City did not have its two best defensive players on the field. Head coach Andy Reid gave his starters Week 17 off to let them get rested which may help, but it may also hurt his team. The one player Kansas City is hoping to have a big day is Jamaal Charles. Charles has been the biggest playmaker for Kansas City and in their match up against the Colts, he rushed for over 100 yards. He is also very capable of catching passes, making him even harder to defend.
Last year, the Colts were one and done in the playoffs, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champs, Baltimore. The Chiefs have not won a playoff game since 1993, including three losses to the Colts. At the beginning of the year, Kansas City was a lethal team with a stingy defense and a quarterback who did not make mistakes. Then they hit a skid and have not really recovered from it. One positive is the Chiefs have performed very well on the road this season, going 6-1. Chiefs vs. Colts- who you takin?
