The Kansas City Chiefs must change one thing. Now, if they are able to change THIS ONE THING they will have an excellent season. If they can accomplish THIS ONE THING they will go far in the playoffs. If they can execute THIS ONE THING……
… oh, you get the idea. If the Chiefs can score more 7’s than 3s in 2016, they will go far. Very far.
It’s all about offensive efficiency.
You would think the Chiefs have enough weapons. I’ve said it recently and read others who will confirm… this may be the best group of wideouts the Chiefs have had in a decade. However, don’t expect John Dorsey to sit on his hands when NFL training camps come to a close. He seems to have a habit of picking up player during that time of year.
On the lineman front… that’s exactly what he’s done for three years straight. Rishaw Johnson in 2013, Mike McGlynn and Ryan Harris in 2014 and Jah Reid in 2015. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that pattern. And, if you’ve ever been to therapy, you know that patterns rule our lives. Just need to make sure your patterns… ie: bad habits… are not doing crack or endless over-eating or drinking too much alcohol right before bedtime (man, I gotta get back into therapy).
The Chiefs bad habit is… not executing once they cross the 50. You could call it… exe-cute-cuting.. That’s what the Chiefs do: they try to get too cute in their opponent’s end of the field. Clock management issues aside… and I know it’s hard for us to just push Andy Reid’s clock management issues aside because that would be like Princess Leia pushing Jabba the Hutt aside… but the Chiefs must stay focused on scoring in more when they get down to their opponents end of the field.
I’ve re-watched a number of the Chiefs 2015 games several times over this summer and found that there are quite a few times that Cairo Santos kicks one field goal after another (he set a record for consecutive FGs in one game with 7 straight FGs)… instead of the team punching the ball into the end zone… or at least extending the drive by going for a first down instead of a touchdown. It’s as if Reid gets confused once he crosses the 50 and doesn’t know whether to go for first downs or touchdowns. Either way, everyone from the coaches in the box to the coaches on the field to the players as well… they’re all not executing. I don’t know if it’s because the play has a low chance of succeeding or if the players lose their focus and aren’t on the same page but it’s not getting done with a high enough percentage of success, period. The team may have gone on a 10 game winning streak to close out the regular season but if they continue to settle for 3 points when they could pick up 7… it will mean their demise in multiple games this season.
The Chiefs were 26th in the league in passing TDs with 20 in 2015.They were tied for first in the NFL with 19 rushing touchdowns (shows you what a passing game the league has evolved into). The Chiefs had 39 total offensive related TDs in 2015. The Chiefs also tried kicking 36 field goals (making 30). Streakedge.com has charted the field goal-to-TD ratio for all teams from 1970 to present and found the average is a 1.6 TDs to FGs ratio average since that time. The Chiefs had 39 TDs and 36 FG tries, a 1.08 ratio. If you go by the number of field goals “made” it would be 39 to 30 which figures to be a 1.3 ratio. Either way, it points to the need for less field goals with more TDs in their place. Efficiency.
Answers Are on the Horizon
Breaking News! Tyreek Hill is fast. If you can ignore the media mass hysteria concerning the speed with which Mr. Hill moves from point A to point B… there’s actually a good wide receiver underneath all that Batman cartoonish Whiz-Pow-Bam Flim-Flam-Fluff that twitters are all a-twitter about with regards to Hill. I know, I know, “But Laddie, Tyreek Hill is only 5-foot-9 inches tall like De’Anthony Thomas and he’s going to get squashed like a snail trying to cross a freeway.” Well, Hill… beyond his hyper-drive gears… has lightning quick lateral moves too and can get open… and has also been noted for that this offseason. Plus, I’ve seen Hill take a big hit to the helmet as he was leaping for a pass… which he caught… then get right back up and flip the ball to the ref, no damage done.
Mike Williams should also help the snail cross the street… and score some TD’s in the meantime. Williams is 6-foot-2 inches tall, “has big hands” which Andy Reid has reminded us about this week. He has also scored 23 TDs his first 3 years in the NFL and that’s nearly 8 TDs per season. Compare that to Jeremy Maclin, the Chiefs #1 WR, and you’ll find that JMac has had 25 TDs in the past 3 years (his best 3 years) and 8 TDs last season. If Williams can return to his previous level of production, he’ll make an excellent #2 WR… if not an excellent #1B.
If you project a reasonable progression for WR Chris Conley and an ascending Rod Streater to the mix when attacking on the opponent’s side of the field… the Kansas City Chiefs should have an much more efficient attack this season. Having Maclin and TE Travis Kelce in the ascending part of their careers will make a difference too.
Improving the offensive line with RT Mitchell Schwartz and Parker Ehinger should help the cause. However, having RBs Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware begin their second seasons with their heads in the Chiefs playbook should make a big difference in offensive efficiency.
Is anyone licking their chops yet? I am… and I’ve already eaten breakfast.
All veteran players report today and the whole team has their first practice tomorrow afternoon. Are you ready for some training camp football?