The Kansas City Chiefs clearly employ a run-first offense, but Dwayne Bowe is certainly doing his best to draw attention to their passing attack.
He will definitely be on the radar of the Seattle Seahawks, who have struggled against the pass all year.
Bowe will look to victimize the Seahawks’ porous pass defense on Sunday and help the AFC West-leading Chiefs end a four-game road losing streak in the process.
Kansas City (6-4) has built its one-game lead over San Diego (5-5) and Oakland (5-5) in the AFC West largely behind a punishing running game featuring Thomas Jones and speedster Jamaal Charles. The duo has helped Kansas City average a league-leading 164.7 rushing yards per game.
But it’s been hard not ignore their passing game these days, thanks to Bowe, who has turned a corner in his fourth season.
Once a lightning rod for criticism, Bowe has turned the hometown fans’ boos into cheers. He had six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 31-13 win over Arizona.
The Chiefs’ 2007 first-round pick has caught at least one touchdown in a team-record six straight games and has 10 scores in that span. He needs two touchdowns to break the franchise record set by Chris Burford in 1962.
The most astonishing part about Bowe’s run is Kansas City’s painfully obvious lack of an established No. 2 receiver. Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki (31) is second on the team in catches followed by Charles (30).
Bowe’s resurgence wouldn’t be possible without a bounce-back year from Matt Cassel, who has 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
It is a far cry from 2009, when Cassel had 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his first season after signing a massive six-year, $63 million deal with $28 million guaranteed.
Cassel and Bowe look to feast on a Seahawks pass defense that ranks 30th in the league (283.2) and may be without its top cornerback, Marcus Trufant, who suffered a concussion in Sunday’s 34-19 loss to New Orleans.
If they can take advantage of Seattle’s weakest link, the Chiefs will pick up their first road win since a 16-14 victory over Cleveland in Week 2. Kansas City has lost its past two contests by a combined score of 72-49.
Winning in Seattle will not be an easy chore. Qwest Field has long been regarded as the loudest stadium in the league and the fans create a 12th-man atmosphere for the Seahawks, who hold a one-game lead over St. Louis (4-6) in the mediocre NFC West.
Seattle (5-5) has a good shot at winning the division for the first time since 2007, with four of its final six games at home.
Still, the Seahawks will need to be better in the red zone this week after turning the ball over twice and settling for field goals from Olindo Mare on four other trips against the Saints.
Kansas City has won four of the last six meetings between the former AFC West foes. This is the first meeting since 2006, when Larry Johnson’s three touchdowns powered the Chiefs to a 35-28 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.