Chiefs Host Texans, Week 6: OPEN THREAD

Chiefs Host Texans, Week 6: OPEN THREAD, by David Bell – Let’s start with the

12 Factors That Will Affect This Game:

1. The Chiefs are more talented than the Texans with more “blue chip players.”
2. I would even venture to say that the Chiefs defense has not only more “Blue rated” players than do the Houston Texans.
3. The Chiefs haven’t “gelled”… yet.
4. The Chiefs offense took a step back for 2 weeks and that has more to do with newbie WRs, Mahomes lack of blocking, and his limited mobility.
5. The Texans offense has stepped it up a notch for 2 sequential games so the Chiefs defense and Special Teams will have their hands full. Grand Caveat: They beat the Lions and held the Colts to 19, despite all the problems. 
6. The Texans Defense is playing pretty well. It is not a great defense and Pat Mahomes will be able to defeat the Man-up or zone secondary defense as his mobility appears to be fine (as of Thursday’s Practice).
7. The Texans have JJ Watt. Need I say More?
8. The Texans sport DeAndre Hopkins, perhaps the best all-phase WR in the game.
9. The Texans have a pretty decent RB combo in Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde.
10. Despite subtracting four starters, the Chiefs are still a Tier 1 Team.
11. The Chiefs have lacked a basic defense and failed to pressure, hurry, hit or sack the opposing QB. Watson must be hurried, which is when he makes mistakes. He was sacked 62 times in 2018. That should tell you what the Chiefs aim is when facing Watson.
12. The Chiefs have not been able to stop the run, but the run game has not been the reason for the loss.

Game Prediction

I have the Chiefs over the Texans in a tough six point game — 32-26.

Motivator Tidbits

The Chiefs are 4-1. No one expected them to go undefeated (except Pete Sweeney at ArrowheadPride). Players were having emotional reactions instead of acting like Professional Football Players. This was especially apparent with the re-emergent of the juvenile delinquency of Travis Kelce — but he was not the only one. 

The Chiefs are still a “Tier 1 Team.” However, reality has struck with injuries, including Pat Mahomes struggling with an ankle injury for two straight weeks and five key players potentially out for week six. The Chiefs should have, player by player, been jolted awake to the facts and should know what they need to do to win the next game, the only game they should be focused on.

Chiefs Injuries – Charles Goldman at Chiefswire

Everyone of the injuries above is to a key player. Especially of note, is the loss of Eric Fisher, due to the necessity of keeping Pat Mahomes upright. I think he should be ready to go next week. Ty Hill could probably play this week. I can see from his behavior that he is ready to play. With the need to get the offense back on track it is possible he will be allowed to play. They were running tests (MRI & X-Ray’s to ensure his status on Friday/Saturday).

Additional notes: Xavier Williams (DT) is on IR with a High Ankle Sprain. Alex Okafor is back, and was FP on Thursday. Anthony Hitchens and Ty Hill were both LP Thursday. Cam Erving was back to FP.

Houston Texans Injury List

The Texans have gotten healthy and that is a big reason they are rebounding with wins. They’re a pretty good team rising in the potential hoping to get to the playoffs and win.

6 Key Contributions for the Texans to win

1. QB DeShaun Watson must make accurate passes and utilize his #1 WR.
2. #1 WR DeAndre Hopkins must make the catches and find spaces for open for Watson passes.
3. Speed WR Will Fuller is growing in stature and must have a good game.
4. TE Darren Fells is also beginning to make a contributions and must have a good game.
5. RB’s Duke Johnson and Carols Hyde must excel in the run game, putting the Chiefs on their heels.
6. JJ Watt must play a supreme game and force pressure on Chiefs QB Pat Mahomes — not just average game in game out pressure but top level stuff.

6 Key Contributions for the Chiefs to win

1. Tyrann Mathieu must continue to pressure the run and be an aerial defender.
2. Frank Clark must occupy the Texans OL or beat them. If they double team him he needs to pressure them to fence him out allowing the rest of the Chiefs defense to get pressure on Watson — that is key to making him make mistakes or forcing him out of the pocket and into pursuers.
3. WR’s Mecole Hardman & Byron Pringle must run strict routes and hold on to the ball.
4. RB LeSean McCoy needs to have a breakout game. 
5. Defensive players must react to the RB and blocking, make the proper reads, fill the holes and make tackles. 
6. PMII must hit receivers on the spot and use his feet to move the chains.

Basic Bottom line for the Chiefs: Players know what to expect and what is expected of them. As Eric Bieniemy said, the players must do their job and fulfill the basic expectations of the coaching staff. That is why they are in the position they are. Do your job is the basic admonishment.

The Misery Index

The Texans play in a hostile environment on the road. Their play level across the board should not match the Chiefs, player for player. How well second tier type players (Red), play on either side of the ball, will play a significant role in the outcome of the game. It’s way past time that the Chiefs force their opponent to the point of despair.

The Chiefs should take advantage of playing in Arrowhead Stadium… but as we have seen they can lose there (Colts). QB DeShaun Watson is coming into his own and has a top WR plus a very good RB combo. This still does not equal the tools available that Mahomes has, even if Hill is out.

Key to the Game?

Pat Mahomes is they key to the game: if he beats the secondary with timely throws, man up or not, the Chiefs win no matter how much the Texans boast Deshaun Watson.

This is a dangerous game for the Chiefs due to their own misery (Injuries). Many want to elevate a Deshaun Watson led Texans team with Duke Johnson  and a top quality WR in DeAndre Hopkins, declaring them to be an upset strongman to a weak Chiefs team. I guess I can’t blame them. After all, we have watched the Chiefs perform poorly two weeks in a row.

OC Eric Bieniemy, in his presser as the game with Houston approaches:

“At the end of the day we just have to line up

and play better football.”

That is true and DC Steve Spagnuolo said in his presser when questioned about stopping the run:

“…it’s everything… Usually [it’s not just one thing]. ” … you can’t put your finger on it. To us, we just go right back to the basics. It’s about defeating blocks, getting off blocks, and making tackles. That’s the run game. It’s overpopulating the ball… “

What this means is:

• that the right player fills the gap and makes the tackle and… is backed by appropriate pursuit from other LB’s,
• that the Front Four players move laterally down the LoS, in unison,
• that the Front 7 defeat blocks and prevent cut backs,
• that the Cornerbacks and the Strong Safety hit the play from the back of the D,
• that all defensive players hit the RB hard, driving through his body and taking, his legs out so he cannot advance,
• it means gang tackling, making it hurt to be a ball-carrier.

Now do it, dang it!

The Joyous, Happy, Winner Index

This is the place where we all arrive, we wipe the brow with the back of our hand (player, coach, analyst, pundit, fan), and utter the words: Whew!

· We have witnessed the players do what is expected of them to do.

• • We have seen the coaching staff properly prepare the players for the game and the opponent.
  • We saw play calling with expertise from Andy Reid.
  • We were seeing the Chiefs as the tough Top Tier Team that they are, and…
  • We are witnessing their “Identity” despite the travails of life in the NFL. 

Led by Patrick Mahomes, whose demands upon himself are tough, and at the top, this is what we will see on Sunday. Set Patrick Mahomes free and let’s win this game.

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

Weather Report

It looks like another ideal day for football!

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