Chiefs: Things Got Real, Real Quick
by David Bell | December 12, 2018
Week 14 saw two high-powered “shoot ‘em up” teams involved in a tough, physical defensive contest. The Rams fell short and lost while the Chief’s game ended in a spell-binding finish led by Quarterback Patrick Mahomes who led a drive that culminated in a TD pass to running back Damien Williams to achieve a tie as the game wound down. On the ensuing Ravens possession they fumbled the ball (stripped) which earned the Chiefs a shot at a game winning field goal attempt from 43 yards out. Harrison Butker missed wide right by about 3 feet and the game fell into overtime.
In overtime the Chiefs drove the first possession of the extra period into scoring range and Butker booted a 35 yard field goal to take the lead.
Now here is where things are important. Apparently Raven’s quarterback, Lamar Jackson, had sustained a slight sprain of the ankle. Head coach Harbaugh of the Ravens had run in RGIII to take over. Suddenly, the Chief’s Defensive Coordinator sent in a basic 34 front and the Ravens ran the ball. Both linebackers inside and linemen stopped the running play off of the Ravens right guard for a 2 ½ yard gain. That left second and 7 ½. The ensuing pass plays were negative the last being a defense by Kendall Fuller and that play sealed the victory on a 4th down throw. Chief’s win a tough, physical game that had both sides aching with their bruises, contusions.
Review of Roster Losses 2018
1. Eric Berry – has not played a snap but is and should be viewed as one of the top 5 Strong Safeties in the NFL. Berry is now Day to Day and is available for Thursday night’s contest against the Chargers.
2. Armani Watts – the heir apparent to the Free Safety role was knocked out of the season before it even began.
3. Starting Right Guard Laurent Duverney-Tardiff – suffered a broken leg in the Rams game.
He may be back for the playoffs but I am not counting that as a “Hatch”.
4. Mitch Morse suffered a concussion and was out for several weeks.
5. Due to factors other than injury, the Chiefs lost a super-star running back when Kareem Hunt was released from the team.
6. Justin Houston missed games due to injury.
7. Cam Erving was injured in the Ravens game unable to return.
8. Spencer Ware sustained a shoulder injury and left the game, unable to return.
There are more of course but these 8 items have had to be overcome.
Taking a Look at the High Points
Sure, the High Points are due to low points which relate to injuries as well – these need to be understood in relation to team depth and they reveal in this game a definitive view of roster depth and a solid look at what is successful for the Chiefs in a microcosm. We don’t always understand how depth is important but we should examine first the players that departed due to injury before the boys from Arrowhead entered the game.
When Cam Erving left the game, newcomer Andrew Wylie stepped in and replaced him. Previously, during the Morse’ concussion protocol, Austin Reiter did an admirable job starting in his place. It earned him a 2 year contract extension.
Mitchell Schwartz has performed his role as right tackle and is ranked among the top 4 OT’s according to PFF. I have mentioned Ty Hill but a couple of observations about the play of Chris Conley – he has been solid and will exceed the record of total yards receiving this season. An oddity in this regard: it appears that Travis Kelce will also exceed that record.
Having lost Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware took over the feature back duty and he did well, despite play-calling stupidity by Andy Reid near the end of the 4th quarter (by this time Ware was out with his sustained shoulder injury). Substituting for Ware was Damien Williams. Williams did have some good success with runs between tackles before the final possession. Again, this is a good indication of roster depth. Darrell Williams, who was the #4 RB before Hunt departed also got snaps in the game.
Patrick Mahomes led a comeback charge and tied the game on two huge 4th down plays.
Justin Houston came back to his old turf and forced a fumble ending the Ravens last chance to score and win the game giving the Chief’s the opportunity. This is when Reid went Reid Stupid. The result was a missed 43 yard Field Goal attempt by Harrison Butker, who would later during overtime redeem the miss with the FG that provided a 3 point margin for the win.
Now Let’s Play: “How Stupid Can You Get?”
When I speak of Reid’s Stupidity, we have Sutton’s Stupidity as well. All during the game he was using the nickel when what was required was stopping the run. He misused linebackers who held back to defend the pass and thus were not attacking the LoS when the type of game that Lamar Jackson was set up to use meant the run game.
HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET?
I mentioned on Sunday the late part of the game. Sutton shifted up to using linebackers as aggressive tools and a stop near the end of the game on a run play for 2 ½ yards set up pass defenses for then QB RGIII and all three were incomplete. This included the last pass defense by Kendall Fuller which sealed the victory. Bob Sutton has forced players into defensive sets and schemes that don’t fit what the opposition is doing. He fails to employ talent in the right mode and is unable to adjust his “Scheming” to what is going on out on the field of play. Sutton is become a disaster. Waiting to employ an attacking defense until the 4th quarter and the overtime demonstrates just that.
HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET?
Failing to use his ILB’s in an aggressive attacking mode, yields players who wait and react rather than read and attack. Moving players around as was touted before the season began was not used at all until the 4th quarter and employing the blitz which has worked for the Chiefs is not used at all.
HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET?
It’s Reid’s team and he is not forcing the DC to focus on countering what the opponent is doing. Sutton doesn’t do it but it’s Major Andy “Stupid” Reid not intervening that is the problem.
Now For a Final Read
Other teams are seeing how to limit the Chiefs offense and how to attack a weakly employed group of defenders. I am sure that you can see that these are the same holes that are not countered by using the strengths of the players. This was true on offense and defense during the game.
If I look back at the games that we did not score 30 points or more… 2 were versus the Broncos, 1 was against the Jaguars, and now add the Ravens game to that list.
If I look forward to the playoffs, and the remaining 3 games. We are going to see tough physical play by defenses the rest of the way. It is said that defense is what wins in the postseason. Last week I remarked we are already in the playoffs – we are trying to gain the top “Bye” position which should give us a better shot at the Super Bowl. Andy Reid needs to adjust his thinking on the approach to scoring and Bob Sutton needs to suddenly understand what other teams, that the Chiefs are playing, are going to do. Sutton should employ an attacking defense and stop this points don’t matter baloney and use the strength of his players which were brought to the Kingdom with talent and strengths. Most of that is implemented through aggressive, attacking downhill play. Get with it Sutton!
Things got real, real quick in week 14 and the Chiefs have only 3 days rest before getting to the Chargers. It’s time for Andy Reid to step up and steal a game which the Chiefs would likely lose to a flowing Phillip Rivers team. We need to dam up that confluence and seal the AFC West. That would go a long way to ensuring the AFC Top Bye Team is the Chiefs and gain Home field advantage throughout.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne