The Long Term View: Don’t Worry, Chiefs Have a Plan – Week one is overreaction week. Fans take a limited amount of data and extrapolate, the results, across the entire season. For the supporters of the Kansas City Chiefs, a number of concerns have emerged. Can the Offensive Line keep Mahomes healthy? Will Chiefs secondary be good enough? Is the rebuilt pass rush worth the investment made? Where are the blitzes and sophistication, on defense? There’s nothing wrong with a little forward thinking, but fans need to realize that Chiefs have been doing quite a bit of their own. Brett Veach, Andy Reid, and Steve Spagnuolo, have a plan, for this year, and the years to come. As long as the ultimate goal is within reach (Super Bowl), they should stick to it.
O-Line Woe Line
Unless you’ve been mugged, mauled by a dog, or diagnosed with a terminal illness, you’ve never known the fear that Chiefs fans did watching Mahomes limp off the field. The season hung in the balance, in that moment. It’s natural then, to have concerns about the OL. Truthfully, emotions have amplified these worries, beyond reason. Chiefs may not have the best line, in the league, but they have one of the better units. A deep defensive group, in Jacksonville, was going to give them trouble. If there’s anything to be adjusted, it might be Chiefs game plan. As formidable as the offense looked, in the first quarter, Chiefs just need to win games, not the admiration of the masses. When they’re facing a good pass rush, that should be the focus. Get the ball out quick, and let the players make plays. Considering the adjustments Reid made, after the injury, I’m pretty sure that’s already part of the plan, going forward.
Secondary Problems?
There’s no sugar-coating it, Ward looked lost, at times, on Sunday. Fuller, despite being in excellent position, gave up multiple contested catches. Bashaud Breeland, a guy Chiefs grabbed, for minimal investment, looks to be far and away the best CB. Fans have been waiting for a trade, at this spot, for a long time. Ultimately, there’s a pretty good reason we haven’t seen one: value. Mark Field is the type of CB you can trade for on cut-down day. For that matter, so is Charvarius Ward. The guys available, then, have potential, not polish. Chiefs need some of that, going forward, but it won’t help them this year. Terez Paylor, of Yahoo Sports, recently suggested that Chiefs will make a move, prior to the trade deadline, at CB. This makes a lot of sense. The price for a solid CB, from a team with hopes and dreams, is quite high. That price drops as the losses pile up and coaches realize their roster, overall, simply isn’t good enough. Chiefs made a couple contract restructure moves, in addition to structuring Tyreek Hill’s deal, in a unique way. Those moves ensure that Chiefs have the cap space to absorb a big contract, at the trade deadline. I’m not sure who they’re after, but rest assured, Chiefs plan on developing Ward, for the first half of the season, and acquiring a quality starter, for the Super Bowl run.
Pricey Pass-rush Problems?
Chiefs paid Frank Clark a lot of money to not record a sack against a 3rd string Offensive Tackle Right? Wrong. Frank drew a ton of attention that game , including double teams, and even triple teams. Despite that, he was able to draw multiple holding penalties. Jags had a plan for Chiefs pass rush, that opened things up for Tanoh Kpassagnon and Emmanuel Ogbah. Okafor, though, got his hands on some passes, and the group, as a whole, did an excellent job containing Fournette. Most pass rushers don’t get 16 sacks in a season, there will be weeks where this group doesn’t come away with a lot of pressure. That’s ok. It’s week one. Chiefs have plenty of pressure plans to play with, going forward.
Vanilla Defense
If you thought Chiefs’ regular season defense looked like it did in preseason, you’re not alone. Many fans complained about the lack of blitzes, or complex plays. To understand why Chiefs trotted out such basic stuff, it’s crucial to remember one thing: Steve Spagnuolo shares Andy Reid’s mindset. When Chiefs have a huge lead, and are facing a backup QB, he’s not going to open the playbook. Blitzes and stunts are most effective before they’re on tape. Holding back can cost you, in close games, but Sunday wasn’t a close game. Spagnuolo is going to have to make a Super Bowl run with a defense in flux. He needs to reserve his best stuff for when it’s absolutely necessary. It might not be as much fun to watch, right now, but rest assured, he has a plan.
Conclusion
As easy as it would be to be critical of the Chiefs, after their first game, I hesitate to do so because they won, and decisively. For all the problems that have been presented, Chiefs have plans. Fans shouldn’t get overly concerned with details, until those plans have had time to play out. The only thing Chiefs need to do, right now, is win. We can worry about style points closer to the playoffs. Whether they obliterate the Raiders, or string them along, ultimately, the result will be a victory. Just keep Mahomes upright and keep improving the defense. That’s all we can ask for right now. Go Chiefs.
Ransom Hawthorne — ArrowheadOne
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