Kansas City Chiefs Scoring By Field Position - Week 5

There are many factors that go into why teams score points in the NFL. One of those factors is the staring field position on each drive. The further away a team is from the end zone the less likely they are to keep a drive going long enough to score.

Against the Indianapolis Colts the Kansas City Chiefs failed to score a touchdown from any zone. Furthermore, they started in zones 4 or 5 nine out of their ten possessions and only recorded one play of 15yds or more: that drive ending in a field goal from zone 4.

Let's check out the numbers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kansas City Chiefs - Field Position Scoring ------------------------------------------------------------------------

• The NFL averages are only approximates since I have grouped the starting field position into zones.

Chiefs Scoring By Field Position Chart

Scoring by Field Position: Zone 5 Comments:

• The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to score a touchdown or a field goal after starting from zone 5.
• A fan asked me if I would have kicked the field goal or went for it on fourth down like the Chiefs did on Sunday. I told that fan that I thought I knew what was on Haley's mind and why he went for it. However, when taking into consideration where the Chiefs started from on that first drive (Zone 5)...I would have kicked the field goal. If I start from such a low percentage zone and get a chance to come away with any points...I kick the field goal.
  
• I will point out that the first drive from zone 5 was the first time all year that the Chiefs moved the ball into scoring position from zone 5 without a play of 15 yards or more being in the drive. They beat the odds on the drive and still came up short by opting for the 4th down conversion.
  
• The Chiefs were much more conservative when starting from zone 5 this week. Possibly a window of knowledge into what the Chiefs thought they needed to do to win the game.
• Two out of four times the Chiefs went 3-and-out when starting from zone 5.
• The Chiefs lost the time of possession battle with Indy by holding on to the ball 25:35 opposed to the Colts 34:25.
  

Scoring by Field Position: Zone 4 Comments:

• The Chiefs are scoring touchdowns from zone 4 only 7% of the time.
• Two drives had plays (or a penalty) of 15 yards or more when starting from zone 4. Each of those drives ended in field goals. The other 3 drives did not have a single play over 15 yards and all of them end without a score.
  
• The Chiefs continue to stall out in drives that start from zone 4 because they continue to fail at picking up bigger plays. They cannot continue to rely on the return game, field position, great defense, and timely scoring the entire season. The Chiefs will eventually need a few more plays in each drive that pick up more than 3 or 4 yards.
• How many times has the defense been stretched vertically this year? Taking that into consideration...it is a complement to the Chiefs running game that they are doing as well as they are.
• After looking at the numbers and taking into consideration the tactical philosophy I have continued to assert in these field position posts it makes sense why Jamaal Charles received more carries this week against the Colts. The Chiefs game plan was to attempt to keep the ball out of Peyton's hands, reduce turnovers by calling more conservatively, only pic certain situations to be more risky (like the onside kick and the 4th down conversion, and run the ball. The Chiefs are also fully aware that they need dynamic plays on drives from deep in their territory to score more frequently so they went with Charles more in the hopes of getting some big plays through him. Hoping they could stay conservative and still get big plays.

Scoring by Field Position: Zone 3 Comments:

• The Chiefs scoring percentage from zone 3 really isn't that bad. The problem is that the Chiefs have only gotten the ball in zone 3 a total of 5 times.
  
• Guess how many big plays those scoring drives had when starting in zone 3? Ok, I will give it a rest...you get the point.

Other interesting stats based on field position:

• The Chiefs are on their own side of the 50 yard line they have run the ball 63% of the time and passed it 36% of the time on first down. They run the ball 47% of the time and pass 52% when on the opponents side of the 50 yard line.
  
• On 2nd and 10, the Chiefs run the ball 70% of the time and pass 30% of the time when on their side of the 50 yard line. They are 50% and 50% when in 2nd and 7 or 4 yards to go. However, when they get on the opponents side of the 50 yard line they pass it 60% of the time in 2 and 10.
  
• An interesting stat is that when the Chiefs are in 3rd and 5, 3, or 2 they are passing the ball over 75% of the time when on their own side of the 50 yard line.
  

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