On a day that saw Arrowhead Stadium become the loudest venue on planet Earth, the Chiefs certainly gave their rowdy fan base something to cheer about.
Kansas City's smothering defense battered Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor and got just enough offense from Alex Smith to remain unbeaten and untied with a 24-7 win over the Raiders.
Chiefs pass rusher Tamba Hali will haunt Pryor's dreamlife after racking up 3.5 sacks on a Sunday that saw Kansas City notch a whopping 10 takedowns.
The Chiefs are 6-0 because of a defense draped in strength at every level. Kansas City's paint-by-numbers offense, however, is a different story and the reason this team ultimately will fail, despite the pretty record.
Here's what else we learned:
- For lovers of high-octane offenses, this game was a special hell. Alex Smith -- with 4.1 yards per attempt -- made his home in the Gabbert Zone all afternoon. The Raiders came early at Smith, sacking him three times in the first quarter and forcing him to make throws. It recalled how the New York Giants effectively attacked Smith last season while the quarterback was with the 49ers. Put the heat on Alex, and his game-manager act melts.
- Chiefs undrafted rookie cornerback Marcus Cooper had a game-changing, fourth-quarter pick for the second Sunday in a row. He already earned a spot on Chris Wesseling's "Making the Leap"Â docket after his size and sticky coverage popped off the screen against the Titans in Week 5. He looks like a big find for Andy Reid.
- Pryor has no consistent playmakers. Denarius Moore flashes speed and moves -- as he did on a 39-yard touchdown grab -- only to vanish for deep pockets of time. He's Oakland's best pass-catcher when he wants to be, but the Raiders lack a true difference-maker.
- It was an ugly afternoon for offensive linemen. Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert exited the game with a left knee injury after bouncing back from a banged-up left shoulder. Raiders center Andre Gurode (knee) and tackle Tony Pashos (groin) also couldn't finish -- one reason Pryor was running for his life.
- The ball is back in your court, Seattle:
*The "Around The League Podcast" broke down every Week 6 game. Click here to listen and subscribe. *
