Palko struggles to replace Cassel
Making his first start as Chiefs quarterback, Tyler Palko can say he threw for more yards than Tom Brady (236 to 234). Unfortunately for Palko, the other statistics didn’t fall in his favor, nor did the outcome.
Palko threw for those 236 yards but had three interceptions and no touchdown passes as the Chiefs fell to the Patriots 34-3 on Monday Night Football. The Patriots moved to 7-3 with the win, while the Chiefs dropped to 4-6, 0-1 without Cassel.
“Obviously, we would have liked to have had a little bit of a better outcome,” said Palko. “Anytime you turn the ball over in this league, you don’t give yourself the chance to win the football game. And three interceptions are inexcusable. I don’t care if they were tipped or what not; the ball left my hand and I’m accountable for the passes.”
The Patriots pressured Palko into a some hurried passes, but on one pass in particular with 10:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, Palko threw to a triple-covered Steve Breaston and was picked off by Phillip Adams.
Palko took the blame for the loss.
“I was as comfortable as I had to be,” he said afterward. “You know it was my first start, and you know obviously it gets easier with every start, but I felt comfortable out there. The offensive line did a great job and there were a couple sacks, but I needed to get rid of the ball. All in all, I felt pretty comfortable. Obviously there are some things I would like to have back, but it’s a learning process and [you] try to minimize errors, but today, those three throws — interceptions — you would like to have them back.”
Said Chiefs coach Todd Haley, “Tyler did a lot of really good things. You know, interceptions are things that can happen, and sacks at inopportune times can happen. But I think it is something to build on and he will get better.”
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