It's nice to see the Kansas City Chiefs getting some positive press after a game in which they were beaten 34-3 and never scored beyond the opening drive of the game where they were held to a chip shot Ryan Succop field goal. ESPN's Bill Williamson, the site's AFC West blogger, writes that first-time starter Tyler Palko held his own and actually looked like he could develop into a capable player under center.
"Tyler Palko had his issues and he threw three interceptions," he writes, "But in his first start, Palko had his moments, especially early in the game. He didn’t look like a player who was lost. After entering the game with just 13 total NFL passes under his belt, he completed 25 of 38 passes for 236 yards. The left-hander looks like a coachable player who can improve. He’ll get his chance. The Chiefs put starter Matt Cassel on injured reserve with a broken thumb on Monday. He was injured in a loss to Denver last week. I’m interested to see how Palko responds after getting more practice time. He had a nice chemistry with receivers Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston. They had a combined 13 catches for 160 yards."
More practice will equal better game play but there's no question the Steelers defense that awaits on Sunday night is going to be much more formidable than the Patriots. While Andre Carter rose to the occasion, it's also clear that the Pats secondary was beat up. The Steelers will blitz from multiple directions and force Palko into situations he's never had before. The challenge will continue then, but there are signs that the Chiefs aren't sunk just because Cassel is out for the season.