Positive… Saturday’s sport wasn’t good.
Through the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans, the AFC West champions suffered some accidents. Cross safety continued to be a piece in progress — and the Kansas Metropolis offense continues to be struggling to hit on huge performs.
However the Chiefs had been dealing with playoff staff — one other division champion, in truth — with a stable protection and one of many league’s greatest younger quarterbacks: C.J. Stroud. Nonetheless, the Chiefs trailed for under 5:31 of the second quarter. They despatched the Texans again to the Lone Star State with a extra decisive victory than the scoreboard indicated.
Listed below are 5 issues we realized.
1. That is the receiving corps we had been promised
Photograph by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures
I don’t assume there was ever a priority about how vast receiver Hollywood Brown would match into the combination when he returned from harm. And that’s what we noticed on Saturday. Regardless of taking part in in a restricted position whereas working his approach again into the combination, Brown seemed to be each little bit of the electrical playmaker we anticipated him to be.
His athleticism is a wonderful distinction to a big-bodied technician like DeAndre Hopkins, giving the Chiefs one other official deep menace who can take a number of the defensive consideration away from first-year speedster Xavier Worthy, whose improvement continues to learn from taking part in alongside this group of veterans.
It’s taken some time, however the variety of holding penalties dedicated by Houston’s secondary on Saturday reveals that Kansas Metropolis’s receiving corps has developed into a really harmful (and well-rounded) unit.
2. Joe Thuney is “The Darkish Knight”
From this season’s infinite turmoil at left deal with, a hero has risen. He’s conserving bloodthirsty cross rushers from murdering quarterback Patrick Mahomes within the backfield.
No… Thuney isn’t a prototypical left deal with. It’s not even his greatest place. However the ninth-year professional is there battling (and holding his personal) in opposition to a number of the NFL’s greatest sack artists — like Batman saving Gotham Metropolis from a military of supervillains.
Whereas it’s not stunning that Thuney can maintain his personal on the skin, it demonstrates what a particular participant he’s. If the Chiefs safe the postseason’s No. 1 seed, his heroics could have performed an enormous half in making that occur.
3. The West Coast offense seems good on the Chiefs
Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures
No… that wasn’t Questlove, Black Thought and the remainder of the enduring Philadelphia hip-hop group “The Roots” calling the Chiefs’ offensive performs on Saturday. It was simply plain ol’ Andy Reid calling a sport plan that performed to the strengths of his offense — whereas mitigating its weaknesses.
It wasn’t something revolutionary. The offensive plan merely offered pass-protection assist for the left aspect of the road, rolled Mahomes away from strain and centered on brief, high-percentage passes.
On this approach, it was a superb instance of Invoice Walsh’s traditional West Coast offense (which Reid realized with the Inexperienced Bay Packers underneath Walsh disciple Mike Holmgren), up to date for the twenty first century by placing Mahomes within the shotgun formation and sprinkling some vast receiver screens (and some bootlegs) into the combination.
And boy howdy! It was enjoyable to observe.
Photograph by Jason Hanna/Getty Pictures
The NFL has an rising interception artist on its fingers. It’s at all times appeared prefer it was solely a matter of time earlier than cornerback Trent McDuffie began choosing off passes — particularly since this lack of manufacturing was by no means as a result of him being out of place or dropping potential picks.
That has now modified. On Saturday, McDuffie recorded his second interception in as many video games — and appears primed for extra of them down the stretch.
Maybe it’s only a coincidence. Or possibly the universe actually is a simulation that has lastly realized McDuffie is a proficient participant whose numbers didn’t match his attributes, so it’s now adjusting by giving him turnovers in bunches — very similar to Madden’s catch-up characteristic that kicks in once you’re beating the pc by too many factors: it makes your gamers fumble the ball at random.
5. The Chiefs are prepared for the playoffs
Photograph by Jason Hanna/Getty Pictures
For all of the hand-wringing Kansas Metropolis followers do yearly — and for the larger-than-usual pattern of shut victories on this specific season — it seems like we’re headed for the same old postseason custom: Kansas Metropolis is primed to place the items collectively at simply the precise time and go on a deep playoff run. This can be a staff that may win within the playoffs.
On Saturday, the cross rush brought on Stroud sufficient issues that he was uncomfortable within the pocket. The secondary held its personal, going toe-to-toe with an excellent receiving unit. And for essentially the most half, the protection restricted Houston’s working sport.
Regardless of being injured, Mahomes orchestrated the offense properly. Position gamers like working again Samaje Perine did their half. Veterans like Travis Kelce used their expertise to help their teammates — and when it was time to bear down late within the fourth quarter, the Chiefs had been in a position to slam the door by working the ball down Houston’s throat.
And one different factor…
Houston defensive deal with Tim Settle Jr. makes threats — not guarantees.
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