Chiefs Loss: “Striving After Wind”

Chiefs Loss: “Striving After Wind”

by David Bell

In this version of the Sunday ArrowheadOne, I am focused on a great lamentation — as I am sure that Atlanta had one of those when they lost to the Chiefs in that preseason game a week ago… but this one? Our “Ones” stunk it up on defense. The officiating stunk as well, but, the officiating can only affect situations and the players who commit a foul, should be penalized. Those penalties gave the Bears one touchdown chance — starting with a special teams penalty that led to the Bears retaining the ball and then scoring a TD. Other penalties also contributed to that march down the field. Perhaps the largess of my emotional response illustrates the son of David’s ardent conclusion: that I’ve been overly rich in my view of the potential of the additions to be solid defenders. In this outing my hopes were dashed and I was, as Solomon concluded: “Striving after wind.“

No matter which way it turns out, it was a preseason game. The Chiefs must shift gears and move forward, solving the weakness. Brett Veach? Is there a trade or signing in the offing now? That score was the difference in the end result but was not the problem for the Chiefs. Inability to play defense and stop the Bears attacking down the field was the problem.

Stinking up the Joint

Woe be the followers who witnessed the game. I listened on the radio and then watched replay and came away with some conclusions:

An Offensive Breakdown:

1. Offense overall: Patrick Mahomes played a solid game. Not great but he was the field general and played his role. He was harassed by the Bears Defense which illuminated a great exposure — the offensive line did not pick up the blitz well and Nagy used it effectively. OTOH, Reid did not adjust his play-calling to ensure that the blitz was countered.
2. Drive # One: on the first drive he used all 4 tools of the receivers which included both wide receivers. He hit Kelce for another gain and then passed to Hunt who scored.
3. Conley and Ware: Later, Chris Conley was in for a catch. Also, it was good to see Ware in the game and making plays so far as using the tools available.
4. Last Possession: Mahomes last  drive of 80 yards that stalled still showed the offensive power the Chiefs possess. That drive was 10 or so plays to the point of the FG.
5. Game Stats: PMII was solid with 18 of 24 passing and 196 yards, no Ints and 1 TD. His feet got him out of trouble which is also important.
6. Game plan: The offense part of Reid’s game plan worked on multiple drives. Hunt/Ware is going to be a potent pair. Darrel Williams got into the mix and then later, Kemp got free, made a superb move and put in his own bid or making the roster. To keep Dieter, Pringle and Kemp is going to be a major problem for the Chiefs — I am looking at them over other veterans.

A Defensive Breakdown:

1. Inside Linebackers Hitch and Rags and More: They fulfilled their promise. Each had at least 6 solo tackles. There is criticism leveled about both of them over pursuing but that was minimal. The fill behind them had to make plays and Reid said their play improved as the game went along but that they needed to communicate more effectively. Adjustment via coaching should ease this. They did have a couple of misses as did Ben Niemann when he was in the game and I really appreciate his toughness, willingness to hit hard and ability to fend off blockers. Having looked at the ILB play, I am concerned about how Terrance Smith and Ukeme Eligwe got tangled up and moved out of the play at hand. It shows They definitely are a level back and substitutes. 
2. The Aerial Defense was key (fault) and was the reason for the failure to stop Chase Daniel. Daniel also was superlative and also had nearly 200 yards passing. What struck me was in his third season I felt he should have the opportunity to get a staring job. I know that Drew Brees believed he could start before he came to KC. I firmly believe Chase  Daniel could be starter for a team that needed a solid QB who doesn’t make mistakes, is accurate and I don’t understand why he is not earning the opportunity.
3. Andy Reid’s Mea Culpa: Kendall Fuller played his man-up best and masterfully. He looked All-Pro material to me. The other starters got beat 5 times at last. Here I am referring to David Amerson, Orlando Scandrick, Eric Murray and so on. Reid said they dialed up a vanilla defense. The rest of the defenders looked amateurish at best. Both Amerson and Scandrick did not live up to any sort of expectation leaving me to wonder if it was the defensive sets or the players. When you have a quick and fast WR you must stick with him in “cover 1” work and the safety should have over the top coverage in a single high and when shifting out, with two safeties, the player covering fronts and the two safeties cover the area with depth over the top. This broke down as well. Many are going to conclude it was the defenders fault but, I see part of it with the defensive secondary sets sent in by DC Bob Sutton. I just plain am disappointed in what went on for the first two quarters. Bob Sutton has a lot to answer for in my view.

The offense with PMII under center did indeed score 10 points. That can be an NFL game situation for any team. It was not great but solid.

What did not happen was on the field and play-calling adjustment by Andy Reid. He was calling plays. Nagy, familiar with the Chiefs had a game plan that worked — he dialed up the blitz and it came up the middle and the Chiefs offensive left did not handle it. Three times the blitz came through the middle. You cannot block two players and when this happens, the outside man has got to block to the inside — in other words hand off to “no-one” and keep the pressure moved to the outside. In single back sets it can become impossible to stop the rush up the middle and play calling adjustments must counter it. This is Reid’s failing in this regard.

How I Misread Quality of Having Drafted a QB: …and giving up picks to go get him — Patrick Mahomes may surely be noted. What I saw was pressure and PMII handling it and avoiding sacks. True. He had three throw aways in the first half. Those avoiding taking a sack. Eric Bieniemy has some work to do with Andy Heck. The Bears just taught the rest of the NFL a lesson that will get used against the Chiefs if the front five don’t close part of this pass rush exposure. PMII did have a failure to read the defensive sets a couple of those plays — he’s not captain check down but that should have occurred by shifting the play to a close cross or a WR setting his route to get immediately open. Reid was calling had some glaring miss-fires.

Others?: We saw Mike Purcell, Justin Hamilton and Jarvis Jenkins make plays, and Breeland Speaks performed well. Kpass also was in the mix but he had two penalties that cost a bunch. Still, if he is mixing it up and involved in making plays, that is a good thing. The roughing the passer call was a bu–, no, baloney call… I watched on video before watching replay. When play is continuation, it is not a roughing the passer occurrence. The official called it that way. That call was the gift of one TD as I mentioned.

Penalties were a killer! This must be remedied ASAP. Period. The team needs to play around the officiating as well.

Mahomes Finale – What Patrick Mahomes observed about the offense is pertinent. In the post-game interview he stated:

“I feel like with all the receivers, tight ends and running backs, that we’re still building those relationships and that chemistry…”

From Here? The Chiefs are going to have a very difficult time with cutting players but once again I am calling on UDFAs or players like Andrew Wylie who should make this roster… such as Marcus Kemp who shined… Chase Litton who again was solid in leading the offense.

There is more. It appears to me that the two acquisitions of experienced corners is going to be, at best, a work in progress. That leads me to consider young cornerbacks and safeties getting a lot more time. I am unhappy totally with Amerson and Scandrick — and also the fact that as Reid observed, they were using a vanilla defense. This still hurt my “feelings” but I know this was a preseason game. The offensive debut was a success even with fending off the blitz. The Chiefs moved the chains effectively. The defense? I am very, very concerned about the secondary. I realize at the same time, Berry and Nelson were not playing and Sutton’s sets were “vanilla” so is that a player’s fault or that of the DC? Is a hue and cry to be resounding all through KC all week as a potent storm of concern? Ya’ damn betcha.

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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