Even within the wintery situations on GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, there was no simple sledding for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ offense of their 23-14 Divisional spherical victory — as a result of Houston Texans’ protection got here to play, holding the Chiefs to the fewest complete yards (212) in any recreation performed by their starters this season.
One of many Texans’ massive elements was profitable the time of possession. The Chiefs have been restricted to 50 offensive performs — tied for the fewest run by the starters in any recreation this season. The low-scoring battle appeared to come back right down to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight finish Travis Kelce making performs in key moments.
Exterior of Kelce’s 117 yards (and a giant landing), Kansas Metropolis’s skill-position gamers mixed for 60 receiving yards on 16 targets — and in Sunday’s AFC Championship towards the second-seeded Buffalo Payments, such an absence of manufacturing shall be a lot more durable to beat.
It began with the Texans’ aggressive protection towards brief, fast passes:
Ineffective fast passes
Because the common season neared its finish, the Kansas Metropolis offense discovered a rhythm with fast passes. The Week 16 matchup with the Texans was one of many strongest examples: on passes thrown lower than 2.5 seconds after the snap, Mahomes accomplished 17 of 19 passes for 155 yards and a landing.
However in Saturday’s recreation, Mahomes mustered on 31 yards on seven such completions, averaging 2.8 yards per try on these throws.
The Texans have been clearly keyed into among the Chiefs’ foundational passing schemes.
On this primary down, the play-call is one among Kansas Metropolis’s typical drive starters: Y-stick. Kelce runs an choice route primarily based on protection; Mahomes has a easy learn that normally beneficial properties about 5 yards. Defenses hardly ever succeed towards this play — however right here, the Texans’ nickel defender anticipates the short route and breaks it up.
On this third down, the Chiefs run Kelce and tight finish Noah Grey on a high-low idea over the center, making an attempt to place stress on the center linebacker in protection.
On the snap, Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair beneficial properties depth to choose up Kelce on the deeper sample, triggering Mahomes to throw brief to Grey. That’s more likely to be simply what Al-Shaair needed; he instantly reacts to the throw, stopping Grey in need of the first-down marker.
The Chiefs tried to counter the Texans’ downhill aggressiveness with a number of timing screens that put the offensive line out into area, however none have been profitable. The primary two got here on lengthy downs — a predictable time for these performs — demonstrating that typically, the timing of the decision may be simply as vital as its design.
Mahomes’ brief accuracy wasn’t as much as his regular customary, both. Towards a protection with urgency towards the ball, that may make a giant distinction on quick-hitting throws. Mahomes made a handful of throws behind his goal, reducing every play’s ceiling.
When a Protection is attacking the short recreation, there’s smaller margin for error on the accuracy of the throw
15 was leaving the ball behind his goal just a little an excessive amount of pic.twitter.com/45A6a3q4Um
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 21, 2025
On the third down earlier than the fourth-quarter discipline aim, Worthy created separation on an out route resulting in the first-down marker. Mahomes’ blitz-beating throw was inside, forcing Worthy to show and safe the go in need of the sticks. A extra correct throw might have prolonged the late-game possession.
Trying additional downfield
Houston’s deal with the beneath passes left them weak additional downfield — and when he wanted to take action, Mahomes was capable of take benefit: he accomplished all 5 of his passes 10-19 yards downfield, totaling 122 yards and a rating. It was the second-most intermediate passing yards Mahomes had gained in a single recreation this season.
4 of these connections have been with Kelce, who performed off the Texans’ deal with defending brief routes.
On these two performs, the second stage of the protection gravitates in the direction of the flat, leaving massive home windows for Kelce to work into.
Neat design to get Worthy 1v1 with a Security in man protection
Worthy threatens the two-way go, would not create separation down the sideline — however assaults the back-shoulder ball with late arms pic.twitter.com/ZHbFQgSFJG
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 19, 2025
The fifth downfield completion went to Worthy, who displayed his development as a sideline receiver with robust positioning and good arms to safe the back-shoulder go. The play-call exposes the Texans’ recreation plan, lining up Worthy within the backfield to power a Houston defender to come back up and stick to him after an prolonged free launch.
Missed deep pictures
With clear consideration on the Chiefs’ brief recreation, the Texans have been certain to permit alternatives for deep passes. Mahomes solely discovered two possibilities to let it rip down the sphere. Whereas neither was accomplished, each got here open.
Broad receiver Hollywood Brown was the goal on each performs. He was inches away from an opening-drive landing and a 45-yard completion.
Hollywood Brown did not get within the field rating, however he was near 2 huge performs
Each actually well-paced routes, one throw was too lengthy, one throw was good — however could not be completed pic.twitter.com/CXP5pcIMQ4
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 19, 2025
On the primary goal, the Chiefs use huge receiver DeAndre Hopkins to launch vertically and occupy the play-side security. That leaves the deep portion of the sideline open for Brown, who sells an out route earlier than slicing up the sideline previous the flat defender. The go is just too far.
On the second play, the security on Brown’s aspect performs up, anticipating an in-breaking route. Brown paces his preliminary launch to carry the security in a shallow place earlier than accelerating previous him on the skin. Mahomes makes an ideal go over Brown’s exterior shoulder. The wideout corrals the ball, however is unable to safe it via contact with the bottom.
The underside line
Houston’s off-ball defenders aggressively coated Kansas Metropolis’s fast throws. This was paired with an impactful go rush to disrupt the Chiefs’ passing recreation. Whereas Mahomes was capable of assault the defensive scheme’s flaws on the proper occasions, comparable manufacturing most likely gained’t be sufficient towards the Payments within the AFC Championship.
The Chiefs want to seek out extra space for fast passes via robust play design. If Buffalo takes these away, Mahomes has to make them pay for it with deep completions. For the quarterback and his speedy receivers, it’s now or by no means.
