(Note: During the season, this feature will be done with the help of the All-22 film provided by the NFL Game Pass app. However, for some reason, the All-22 film wasn’t available for this game, so it was done using broadcast footage. I’ll do my best to make it work.)
Welcome to the inaugural post of “Anatomy of a Touchdown” where we’re not going to break down a touchdown…at least not this week. Generally, every week I will use this post to take one trip to the end zone from the Chiefs in their previous week and utilize the All-22 film provided by the NFL to break it down for you. However, since the Chiefs only made it to pay dirt once this week and it was a simple run up the middle, I’d like to use my time to look at the play that set it up.
As the play set up, it was a standard heavy right–tight end Travis Kelce had his hand in the dirt on the right side of the line–with an offset back in the backfield. Half back Spencer Ware lined up just to the right of quarterback Alex Smith, showing the defense a potential run formation. As far the as receivers, Jeremy Maclin lined up split wide right and Chris Conley wide left. Albert Wilson lined up in the slot as a third receiver.
As the play got underway, it seemed to be be a three-go, wide receiver drag. Kelce ran straight up the seam, and Conley and Wilson cleared out their defensive backs as well. Looking back at the replay as well as where Smith’s eyes are during this play Kelce was the first read, all the way. The Chiefs were hoping to get one-on-one coverage on Kelce, which they did, and the other receivers’ jobs was to clear out the rest of the garbage.
As you can see from this still shot, Smith’s eyes are straight down the middle of the field, where he expects to hit Kelce. The duo developed quite the chemistry last season, which saw Kelce gain over 850 yards of offense and catch five touchdown passes from Smith. You can also see from this still that Maclin is likely his second target, coming across the field on a short crossing route. Ware is likely Smith’s check down option, as he leaks out in the flat and then starts moving up the field. What’s interesting to note is Ware isn’t covered by anybody, and won’t be for most of the play, but more on that in a minute.
Although it’s difficult to tell from the limited footage we have to look at, this is where the play begins to break down. Smith is eyeballing Kelce and has him open, at one point. However, just as he cocks back to hit his prolific tight end, Seahawks’ rookie defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson sees Smith getting ready to attempt a pass and jumps as his high as his 6’4″, 291-pound frame will allow him. This blocks Smith’s view and essentially “breaks” the play.
At this point, Alex has two choices. He can tuck the ball, drop his eyes and make a run for it. Based on where the defenders were, he would have probably picked up about five yards before he had to slide. This would have caused the Chiefs to have to kick a field goal instead of score the touchdown. Choice No. 2 was to try and find another receiver to throw the rock to. 2015 Alex Smith–as good as he was and as fun as he was to watch–would have tucked and run. It seems that the 2016 version of the Chiefs’ quarterback is a bit more willing to move around and make a play, though. Smith takes off running to his right, clearing out a throwing lane. Seeing him do this, Maclin who had come to the end of his route, takes off towards the end zone, blowing past his defender, corner back veteran, Jeremy Lane.
This is where things start to get crazy. Marlin and Smith are literally using the same brain, because it was almost like Maclin knew what Smith was thinking. At no point does Smith point to Maclin or direct him downfield. This was strictly two franchise players doing what they do and making things happen. Even while Smith was being pursued, he knew he was going to hit Maclin or die trying. The entire time, Smith’s eyes never moved down to the ground in front of him.
For Maclin’s part, once Smith let the ball fly, he got himself into perfect position to make the catch. It wasn’t a pretty pass from Alex by any means. Throwing on the run is not one of Smith’s strong suits and the ball wobbled quite a bit on its way to Maclin, but it was pretty damn accurate, nonetheless.
As Maclin caught the ball, the only thing he did wrong during the entire play was go out of bounds, but that was pretty unavoidable considering that Lane had caught up with him and was forcing him out, even as he secured the catch.
Now, there is no disputing that this was a fantastic play between Smith and Maclin. It was a situation that had the potential for a Smith scramble gaining five yards (at the most) or a sack or even an interception. But, what made the play so fantastic–and able to happen in the first place, was the blocking by the offensive line. From the time Alex Smith received the snap from center Mitch Morse until he began to move to his left was five seconds. By the time Smith launched the ball to Maclin, nine ticks ran off the clock. That blocking was fantastic. Don’t believe me? Check out this pocket?
That blocking doesn’t happen last season. This is proof positive that a good offensive line makes all the difference in this offense. The only thing that went wrong here was Morse allowed Jefferson to leave his feet and block Smith’s vision. But that can’t always be avoided without taking out the big man at the knees. If you look at the edges, left tackle Eric Fisher is handling his man with no problems and newly acquired right tackle Mitch Schwartz is having no problems with his man either. While this was only one play, it 
shows the kind of offense the Chiefs can have and the kind of dynamic duo Smith and Maclin can be again this year. In conclusion, here’s a gif of the play for us to watch over and over and over again.Â
I hope you all enjoyed this rendition of Anatomy of a Touchdown! I can’t wait to do it all again next week!