The Kansas City Chiefs will face their toughest test yet in Week 5 against Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts.
There are two basic ways to go attack the guy Chiefs coach Todd Haley calls one of the best in the NFL: Blitz him or sit back in coverage. Yeah, there's a lot more to it than that but ultimately teams have to make a decision like that.
Vic Carucci of NFL.com has an excellent story on the Chiefs rise and the influence of the New England Patriots with Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison explained to Carucci that in the past the Patriots generally wouldn't blitz Manning and they accepted that Manning was going to move the ball.
"It adjusts each and every week to who you're playing," Harrison said of Crennel's scheme. "When we played against the Colts, we knew we weren't blitzing. And he told us: 'Guys, don't get upset, don't get impatient. The Colts are going to move the ball up and down the field, but that's what you want with the Colts. You want them to move the ball up and down the field, and when they get in the red zone, try to be patient and force Peyton (Manning) to make that mistake or hold them to a field goal.'"
As Colts executive Bill Polian pointed out on Monday, Crennel has had success this way.
Assuming Crennel's philosophy against Manning, we shouldn't expect many blitzes on Sunday (and knowing Manning that's probably for the best).
Check out Carucci's full story. There's some good stuff in there on the different philosophies the Chiefs coaching staff and front office bring.