What it Will Take to Get
Chiefs to the Super Bowl
Laddie Morse
The Kansas City Chiefs were three points short of advancing to the AFC Championship game but appeared miles away from actually dominating other teams enough to win it all and take the LombariTrophy home. So, what will it take to get the Chiefs to the Super Bowl?
On defense, the Chiefs couldn’t stop other teams from running the football but many fans want to talk about keeping, soon to be a free agent, DT Dontari Poe. Isn’t he responsible, in a major way, for allowing teams to gash the Chiefs defense up the middle on the ground? That is true to a large degree but stopping the run is a team activity. In any event, if Poe goes, then the Chiefs need a run-stuffing defensive tackle who can rotate in with Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard. I’m not sure Rakeem Nunez-Roches is the answer. Perhaps he has a growth spurt between hiS 2nd and 3rd seasons but I don’t think the Chiefs can count on that. With Dontari Poe, it’s simply that he has been a great penetrator who can’t be handled by one offensive lineman so other teams have been forced to use two men on him, opening up the lanes to other DL or LBs to penetrate. However, I think Poe has been limited in his ability to slide sideways, especially since his back surgery 18 months ago. So, the Chiefs need another DT who can help shut down the run and provide the ability to moves.
While that may sound like a player personnel fix, there is definitely a coaching component here that needs to be addressed. There were too many times that the Chiefs DL lost its gap control. When the OL snaps the ball, the defensive linemen must move sideways together and not allow a huge gap to be created between them which gives running backs a hole to slide though. With all the injuries the Chiefs suffered along the DL, that was a tough sell for the defense up front. However, that must be addressed this offseason or the Chiefs are going nowhere.
In the defensive backfield, there was a lot of change as well. By November, they settled on Terance Mitchell to play opposite of Marcus Peters and that worked well for the last six weeks. However, no one knows if that is a long term fix so it appears the Chief still need a front line CB to eventually play opposite Peters. If Safety Eric Berry is not signed, the Super Bowl puzzle gets much more difficult to piece together.
On offense, the line needs to be changed on the interior. While the two Tackles were less than impressive, the Guard play was poor. Whether it is through the draft — the most likely route — or through free agency, the Guard position must be addressed if the Chiefs hope to advance further than the did this year. Parker Ehinger and LaurentDuvernay-Tardif (LDT) would both have to take quantum leaps forward this offseason for their returns to be helpful. Those kinds of leaps usually don’t happen for a Guard like Ehinger between his freshman and sophomore years in the NFL and since Ehinger went down after six full games of experience that kind of progress can’t be counted on. LDT is much more capable of making a big step up in his game. He had a big step forward this year going from… totally not ready for the NFL game… to a totally average NFL Guard. ProFootballFocus (PFT) ranked LDT the 28th best Guard in the league in 2016 and since there are always 64 Guards starting each week… he’s right about in the middle. Which… was a big step forward for him. Consequently, he’ll likely be given the starters job next year with the hopes that he takes another jump forward. So, the Chiefs need a starting quality, top notch, Guard to get the offensive line to progress.
In the offensive backfield, the Chiefs need a breakout running back. RB Spencer Ware had an average season being ranked 16th overall by PFT and gaining only 921 yards. While fans had been elated last offseason with both Charcandrcik West — the 2015 starter — and Spencer Ware plus, Jamaal Charles scheduled to return, now no one knows who will be the running mate for Spencer Ware. Many are projecting a return for RB Jamaal Charles but he can’t be counted on to be the future at running back. So, the Chiefs need a playmaking running back this offseason to take the next step forward and for the offense to be able to enforce their will on defenses when necessary.
Also in the offensive backfield, is the quarterback situation. Ian Rappoport has reported that the Chiefs might be a good trading partner for the Dallas Cowboys so that Tony Romo could come to K.C. However, this appears to be a case of the national media drumming up something to talk about when they really know little about the actual facts in Kansas City. Rapoport said Andy Reid was non-committal towards QB Alex Smith after the season ended when those who keep a close eye on the Chiefs know that Andy Reid has said, “Alex is my quarterback.” As recently as January 16, when questioned, coach Reid had this to say about Alex,
“Do I still think we can win with Alex? Yeah, we were right there,” Reid said.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) January 16, 2017
While the Chiefs may be aiming towards seeing what Smith can do for them in one more season — I believe those are the John Dorsey and Andy Reid offseason plans — the Chiefs still need to think about drafting a quarterback who can be the future face of the team and lead them to a championship down the line.
In the receiving corp, the Chiefs either need another tight end who can not only block but catch the ball when it hits him in the numbers or they need a speed receiver who can help stretch the field and has good hands. Yes, the Chiefs have Tyreek Hill to help bring speed in some situations but Hill needs to be kept fresh to be the top level kick returner that he is. So, the Chiefs need either another TE or WR to help out in the passing game.
The Chiefs will take the necessary steps towards winning a Super Bowl:
- If the Chiefs can get a run stopping defensive tackle (and a group that will maintain their gap integrity… and coaches who will teach it),
- If they can get a top CB to play opposite Marcus Peters,
- If they can get an outstanding Offensive Guard,
- If they can get a speedy playmaking running back,
- If they can get another receiving option…
Then the Kansas City Chiefs could take the necessary steps towards playing in this game next year.
What do you say? What do you think the team needs to reach the Super Bowl in 2018?