The Kansas City Chiefs finally have a winning record at 5-and-4, but you wouldn’t know that based upon their offensive performances, especially the points scored per game, which is 24.6 and currently leaves them ranked 15th in the league. That’s very different than 2020, when they were ranked 6th in PPG, or 2nd in 2019, or #1 in 2018. Something is rotten in Denmark, starting with Chiefs Super Bowl LV MVP, and 2018 MVP, and the one time future GOAT: Patrick Mahomes II, but also includes the 5th winningest HC of all time — tied with Curly Lambeau — Andy Reid. Before we get to them, let’s take a look at the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021.
The Chiefs have a bad rep right now based upon their early season performances. However, if you split this season into the first 5 games, and the next four games, you’ll notice a dramatic difference. First, take a look at the number of times the Chiefs defense forced a Punt in those games:
First 5 games = 11 Punts (2.2 per G)
Next 4 Games = 15 Punts (3.75 per G)
While the Punts per game stat doesn’t truly outline the most impressive stats, if you take into consideration: Punts, Fumbles recovered, INTs, Blocked Field Goals, and forcing a turnover on Downs — in other words, STOPS — the stat line looks like this:
First 5 games = 17 Stops (3.4 per G)
Next 4 Games = 23 Stops (5.75 per G)
That’s more than two (2) more stops per game in the past four games for the Chiefs defense. Or, one (1) more stop per half of football. That’s a significant number of stops, especially when you figure that the past four games includes a blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans: 27-to-3.
Some disagree with me that DE Melvin Ingram was the right choice for the Chiefs, however, he made an impact from the first snap he took vs the Packers:
Four Legged Table
My analogy is a four legged table… if you don’t have a fourth leg that can withstand the pressure of an opponents’ offensive line, you will have no supper… literally and figuratively. Ingram, Chris Jones, Jarran Reed, and Frank Clark hold up this table. Nate Taylor of the Athletic said yesterday, “The Chiefs now have four legitimate pass rushers.” The addition of Ingram was also being compared to that of Terrell Suggs late in the Chiefs 2019 season, by K.C. 610 sports talk radio.
Frank Clark in particular is someone who’s gotten his fair share of criticism in recent months, but has been at the top of his game lately. Plus, Clark has been displaying an excellent team attitude:
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While DC Steve Spagnuolo runs a system built around pressuring the QB, take nothing away from L’Jarius Sneed’s play on beating Davante Adams for his first INT of the year. Sneed confessed to noticing what the Packers do in film study which tipped him off to the route, before Adams ran it.
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The Chiefs defensive secondary is climbing up the ladder in the NFL as a whole. They’re currently tied for 12th in the league in total interceptions with seven (7).
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Special Team Were Special
Punter Tommy Townsend is finally fulfilling the promise he was brought to Kansas City to fulfill.
Townsend also recognizes his gunners:
Chiefs Offense: The Vanishing Point
As mentioned above, the Chiefs have been scoring at a reduced rate ever since Patrick Mahomes first season as the starting quarterback:
Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes haven’t come out and admitted, “Hey, I don’t know why this isn’t working” however, Reid said this week after the win over the Packers:
“In the second half, we’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot, not with turnovers, but the penalties. So, that, we can work on. You can’t work on the win if it’s a loss. Right? You can’t do that. They go down as “Ws”, they don’t keep score on those. Um, I’d rather work on getting better, and still have the opportunity to win a game, and so, that’s how we finish this one.”
What? I say, WHAT!? Did Andy Reid say anything there worth helping us understand how the Chiefs are going to improve? Is he saying he’d rather improve after a win instead of improving after a loss? Doh. What a rancid revelation of irrelevancy.
I’ve suggested here before in an Open Letter to Clark Hunt, that I’d like to see Andy Reid sit the remainder of this season. After Reid’s postgame presser, I still feel that way. There is something going on with Mr. Reid that is beyond our knowing, which leaves us guessing. My guess is, his emotions and attention are totally on his youngest son, Britt Reid, as he awaits his court date to determine how long he’s going to jail for his nearly killing a young girl while drinking and driving. Honestly, I’d be equally upset and unable to focus my attention too.
Earlier this season, Reid was taken to a hospital after the Chargers game at Arrowhead and we were informed that he was dehydrated. From Solarahealth.com comes this connection between depression and dehydration:
Dehydration Saps Your Brain’s Energy. Dehydration impedes energy production in your brain. Many of your brain’s functions require this type of energy become inefficient and can even shut down. The resulting mood disorders that result from this type of dysfunction can be categorized with depression. Social stresses such as anxiety, fear, insecurity, ongoing emotional problems, etc., including depression can be tied to not consuming enough water to the point that your brain’s tissue is affected.
I’m convinced more than ever, that Andy Reid is facing personal mental-emotional challenges beyond the help of just applying the adage: work smarter not harder. Even Rex Ryan, on the morning sports talk show, “Get Up” has noticed a change in Reid:
Baffling? Exactly. That pretty much spells out the experience of Chiefs Kingdom in 2021.
So, what ails QB Patrick Mahomes? A downturn in Mahomes’ play has been so noticeable that some fans — 800 or so — have signed a petition to “Bench Mahomes” and even have a website called: “Bench Patrick Mahomes.” I have to file this under, “Over-zealous Chiefs Fans” just like the “Save-Our-Chiefs” group 8 years ago.
Besides, that’s not what I want, to bench Mahomes is ridiculous. It is worth noting that there are those who have gone that far, but other issues have affected our young quarterback and those likely have to do with his primary relationships, and the challenges that come with being a new father and husband. However, even ArrowheadPride has noticed:
This also had an effect on the Packers game and “Mahomes just wasn’t himself” is a common phrase you’ll here if you keep your ear to the tracks. There are those outside the Chiefs organization who have noticed as well:
Against the Packers, Mahomes was 20-for-37, for 166 yards passing and a 74.8 Rating and a 43.7 QBR. Probably the most un-Mahomes-like stat line was his 4.5 yards gained per completion. His career rate is 12.4 yards gained per completion so you can see why you should be concerned. So, I decided to take a look at each game for Mahomes this year. We know defenses are going to the two-deep safety look but who knew it might be this successful against one of he best passers in his first 50 games, that the game has ever seen.
With the understanding that Patrick Mahomes has been one of the best split second decision makers in the past, it’s hard to understand why his YPC would be plummeting so consistently and dramatically throughout this year. While the defense has been getting better over the second quarter of the season… over the past five (5) games, Mahomes is averaging 5.9 YPC. A huge step down from the first four games of 8.925 YPC.
36th in 2021 says it all.
We can surmise that the “take what the defense gives you” adaptation in Reid and Mahomes new approach is in part the reason for the down turn in YPC, that can’t possibly explain it all. Mahomes said just last week, he’s not going to go away from what he knows, which is the long ball… but when defenses take that away so completely, that has to have an effect. A dramatic one at that. Still, that can’t explain it all. Can it?
Offense & No Defense/Defense & No Offense
For long time Chiefs fans, we’re used to seeing the Chiefs operate without a good defense, when they had an offense that was lights out. Now, it looks like we’re forced to endure a bad offense while the defense carries the day.
The Offense has been looking for a #2 WR for as long as there has been football. Can this 2021 Chiefs offense recapture the glory of years gone by? Yes, but. Now, that’s one huge “but” you got there. No offense intended, and no offense is what the Chiefs have right now. Why? It really comes down to limited options.
Remember the “Greatest Show on Turf?” Well, Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner had many more then two good WRs to target, although most will only site Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt. The reality is, they also had wideouts Ricky Proehl and Az Hakim. That doesn’t even take into account RB Marshall Faulk as a WR out of the backfield, or what Faulk could accomplish as a runner.
When you also consider that those Rams teams of old had Hall of Famer Orlando Pace at left tackle, you have a bit of magic. What the Chiefs have in comparison is, holes, and too many holes in their roster to mention.
So, you may be asking yourself: why were these Chiefs so successful over the past two years? The answer is, two or three-fold. No Sammy Watkins is one answer. The other answer, and this one is likely the greatest reason of all: the rest of he NFL has caught up to the Chiefs. Plus, they’ve figured them out.
The real answer is… Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are both in the midst of very different personal crises. Well, that’s my take anyway! What’s yours?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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