Chiefs Sunday: Tasty Tidbits – for the 11th day we knew what to expect and we knew on the 10th day that it was not going to be David and Goliath or even Davey and Goliath (Pat Mahomes and the defense) hosting the top team in the NFC… the vaunted matchup between Mahomes and Rodgers… is not going to happen!
A Big Bit
WR Davante Adams is not likely to play. He is the Packers top target for Aaron Rodgers.
Chiefly Injury Tidbits
Offense: Patrick Mahomes, Eric Fisher, Andrew Wylie are OUT. That’s three regular starters.
Defense: Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Kendall Fuller – Out. That’s 3 starters.
Packing to Go, Injury Tidbits
The Pack has a long list of FP’s and LP’s and their big injury the list is Davante Adams, WR who is the best WR on the Packers team.
AFC West Tidbits
In the AFC West, the Chiefs lead the division by 2 over the Raiders and have a 3 game lead over the Chargers and Broncos.
Matt Moore or Less Tidbits
Andy Reid has been preparing Matt Moore for his first start in quite a while. Previously, he was teaching and coaching at a Jr. HS. He was thrown into the mix when the Chiefs were leading 10-6, took over for Mahomes, and did okay, looked cool and calm even if his lead-off was for naught: the Chiefs settled for a FG.
In the second half, Moore came into his own even throwing over the top to Tyreek Hill for a long TD. My impression of Moore improved my attitude about the injury to PM2 and the fact that Moore was going to start against the Pack.
Biting Bits: Mahomes Ruled Out
This week, Moore has gotten all the snaps with a few mixed in for Pat Mahomes. That was a “tell” right there but Pat practiced Wed-Fri. He was probably bending ears left and right to get the start. But he sits this week.
Andy Reid’s Teams with Substitutes Bits
Andy Reid is a top NFL Coach. He has not won the Super Bowl but he has coached one and been a coach on a team that go there and won it. At Philly, he had occasions where his starting QB was out. Reid has a winning record over all of the substitutes that he coached. He led the Eagles to 4 consecutive NFC Titles and a Super Bowl Berth in which the Eagles played well but lost to the dastardly Patriots 24-21, in the waning minutes of the game. He hasn’t been back… yet.
Reid is the NFL’s #6 coach in wins with 212. His prior success in preparing backup QB’s should boost Matt Moore. The two have conversations to and from the field and all hours of the day. Reid knows Moore’s favorite plays. He knows Moores tendencies weaknesses and strengths.
Shady Tidbits
Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy need to use LeSean McCoy. He is a top NFL RB and his career is extended playing here in K.C.. In a game where the offense should use the run and play action more extensively, McCoy’s touches against a less than stellar defense should yield high positives. Maybe even a long break away. Use McCoy Andy!
Travis Tidbits
This is going to be the type of game where Travis Kelce should get the number of targets that will favor his ability. Short crosses, or single moves into a voided flat will work, longer crossing patterns mixed in would be the peaches!
Hill and Watkins Tidbits
Sunday Night will be the first time in 3 weeks that we see Sammy Watkins along with Tyreek Hill. Playing off of each other’s speed and ability to get open should open the door for Matt Moores’ passes in the intermediate distances. From that, one or the other can break over the top. Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman should be in that mix as well. They have both been targets of favor and can continue their contribution.
More is Moore Tidbits
What really can be observed here? We are exposed on the left side of the OL. The basic Depth chart says that Cam Erving is going to get the nod since Fisher didn’t get back. At LOG it will be Rankin and Wisniewski, the latter can substitute at OC but the #2 OC is Nick Allegretti. I really would like to see Nick get snaps in a game to see how much he has progressed. He was, afterall, an afterthought in the draft but he has made the coaches stand up and take notice.
Reiter has struggled a bit but is not a waste, we go from that point. I really want to move another player to LOT but who? Cam Erving is the backup for Fisher and has gotten the starts? Behind him? Greg Senat. Interior substitutes are Rankin and Wisniewski.
Steve Spag-Bits
With so many key players out on defense, I am sure that DC Steve Spagnuolo has been hard at it since the day began Friday after the win vs the Broncos. In his presser last week, he had to contain himself as it was obvious he was engaged and fully believed that his players had a top game. Now his challenge is what does he do to uplift the players and obtain a similar result? Against the Pack, this will be a far tougher task.
Primarily the Secondary Tidbits
I am not so concerned now with Fuller out. The Corners are going to be tested but we saw Rashad Fenton substitute for Fuller last week and I am fairly comfortable with that and the CB group as well as the Safety crew. Fenton played well versus Denver. He will be targeted by Rodgers. The other CB is Morris Claiborne who has plenty of NFL experience and Spags can mix and match at that point. Fenton does it all pretty well. He doesn’t have explosive speed but he has the intelligence to know how to read things and use that to make up for initial attempts to break for the post. He back pedals very well. The knock on him is that explosive speed and he doesn’t have that great twitch in the hips that you like to see. Fenton uses footwork to counter exposure.
Claiborne made a couple of plays last week as he became familiar with Spagnuolo’s defense and schemes.
How Spagnuolo uses players for the front four, mixes looks to a 3-man rush look, and linebackers picking their moments to swap in for the blitz is a powerfully active and aggressive defense.
Spitting the Bit: Defense Methodology
I expect the defense to perform on the upside and challenge every Green Bay WR. The Chiefs are not going to shut Rodgers down like last week. However, I do expect a stellar stand-up performance by the defense. They are, after all, coming of the high of handling the Broncos all game long aside from the first drive and 6 points. Stuffing the 2 point attempt probably was a motive for them.
The mix will need to be a surprise and the blitzes like last week must be hidden to the last possible moment. Any one who knows the play of Aaron Rodger knows that he likes to bail to his right. If the Rushers contain things in the pocket and force that flight the Secondary hangs tough to 3 to 4 seconds the result should be Rodgers throws the ball away or is forced out of bounds. He is not as likely to gain ground with his feet as he was in the past: age, wisdom, injuries.
My prediction for tonight’s game? Chiefs 24, Packers 30.
David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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