Laddie Morse
The sings that the Kansas City Chiefs are up against a team without anything to lose are numerous. The feature image used shows WR Adam Thielen slapping 2nd year QB Bryce Young’s hand. Thielen is now 34 years old and Bryce Young has zero support of his head coach, so the Panthers should be an easy victory for K.C.. However, there are questions to be answered along the way.
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It’s game over for the Panthers if the Chiefs Defense can shut down the Panthers RBs. ESPN shows that the Panther’s RB Chuba Hubbard is the fourth best RB in the NFL right now:
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TeamRankings.com shows the Chiefs are in the top five of teams stopping another team’s rushing attack:
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adapted from teamrankings.com – photo credit
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That appears to be a key stat to watch in this game.
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If these two go off and have even an average game, it’s lights out for the Carolina club. Here’s one of DeAndre Hopkins typical catches (0:46). Do we really need to worry about DeAndre Hopkins catching the ball?
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Same goes for Kelce. We in Chiefs Kingdom have seen what Kelce can do. No need to worry about him.
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During the Bills last offensive play, when Josh Allen rushed for a 26 yard TD, the Chiefs were in a zone coverage scheme.
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If K.C. does that again, it’s a positive sign, because it’s something they’re very good at, vs the pass.
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The Chiefs are a better team when Pop is in the game. With Kareem Hunt’s return the team has goen back to a run centric scheme. Pop should only help their cause. When K.C. runs the ball 20 times or more, they have a 98% win rate. They couldn’t get away with it this week against the Bill as they rushed only 17 times. The Chiefs also need to pay attention to when it’s a 3rd down play… and when it’s not.
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This just came in:
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Here Shaun Smith explains why the Chiefs haven’t been getting sacks or pressures:
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The Chiefs got all of 2 sacks last week against the Bills so it will be important for them to put Bryce Young in a vice this week. With Charles Omenihu set to return soon — probably not in this game — the Chiefs Defensive front needs to apply more pressure on the opposing QB.
StatMuse.com shows that the Chiefs are 15th in the league in pressuring the opposing QB:
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With the trade for the Patriots DE, Joshua Uche, on October 28 — when it was finalized — the Chiefs should be getting more out of him, especially for someone who was a 2nd round pick (in 2020). Uche has zero sacks on 25 defensive snaps, so far, for K.C.. Some feel that Uche should have produced something against the Bills, a team he has faced before and been in the same division with for years, and seen them twice each season.
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Late Update
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I don’t know how the Chiefs continue to manage the cap to their advantage, but they do it somehow.
What do you think?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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