The Chiefs’ offense is soooooo freaking good, you
guys, and this is not new or particularly insightful but this space is
for my instant reaction to the game and in these first instants that’s
pretty much all of my reaction.
Look, the Browns have
problems, except for their uniforms, which are really strong and should
never change and deserve a better franchise to represent them.
But, they came into
the week 24th in points surrendered — though metrics and talent indicate
they’re much better than that — with a bunch of injuries and fired
coaches this week.
All of that is true,
but the Chiefs are simply overwhelming, this 37-21 win over the Browns
one more brick of evidence that this group combined with this coach
combined with the rules of the NFL in 2018 are too much.
Like, the first
possession of the third quarter. We saw the Chiefs called for three
holds on one run, which may or may not be a record, but we also saw
Patrick Mahomes throw sidearm around defenders and go horizontal like a
shortstop finishing a 6-4-3 to convert a third down and then Travis
Kelce post up a defensive back and catch a touchdown pass through a
window that was basically 5 percent larger than an actual football.
There are other
examples, like the screen pass that Kareem Hunt turned into a 50-yard
touchdown by running through one tackle, stiff-arming his way through
another, and following blocks that held even 40 yards down the field.
Offense is
complicated, even in 2018, and it certainly isn’t as breezy as coach
Andy Reid, Mahomes, and the rest of these freaks make it look.
There are a thousand ways to view it, many of which we’ve
done here and in other parts of the website, but one that I keep coming
back to is the offensive line.
Remember when that was a problem?
Well it’s the same
guys now, save for some backups because of injuries, and when is the
last time anyone blamed the line for anything?
From what I can see
and learn, they’re doing some subtle things differently, mostly a
simplification of what is asked of the linemen but for the most part
it’s the same guys doing the same things.
Now, they just don’t
have to block that long, because the ball is usually out, and they don’t
have to block all that thoroughly, because Mahomes erases so many
mistakes and turns them into big gains.
The biggest difference
with how the line is viewed from before is the quarterback, and more
playmakers on the outside, the combination of pressure turning the idea
of defending this group into something like a choice between a punch to
the face or one to the stomach.
Either way, you’re getting punched.
The Chiefs had eight
possessions., at least before the very end They scored five touchdowns,
with one field goal, one punt, and an interception that came on a sort
of Hail Mary at the end of the first half. You can’t keep up.
More thoughts:
There was a small group of
birds who spent most of the game on the field. You might have seen them
on TV a few times, but I want you to know they were ALWAYS around. Once,
they lined up between the Chiefs and Browns on a kickoff. There is no
point to this. I just wanted to mention it, because I don’t think I’ve
ever seen that before.
Anthony Hitchens got an
unsportsmanlike penalty for what appeared to be getting kicked, and/or
helping a Browns defender up. The refs had a day, missing calls on both
sides, including a phantom offsides on Dee Ford that negated a
strip-sack-and-fumble-recovery. That’s Ford’s first penalty of the
season.
I would like to pause
here to acknowledge Browns fans. They have been given every reason to do
otherwise, but they continually support this franchise, to the point
that the jerseys they wear to games are a virtual horror show — Quinn,
Pryor, Gordon, Manziel, McCown, McGahee, on and on.
Tailgating starts before the sun comes up. They root hard,
too, and just as an example the guy in front of the press box was
earnestly yelling CHUBB IS MY HERO with his team down 19 in the third
quarter.
They deserve better.
Maybe they’ll get that soon. There’s a lot of talent on this roster. They need a competent coach.
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article221115260.html#storylink=
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article221115260.html#storylink=c
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