The old saying is that the NFL is a game of adjustments. The Chiefs offense started fast this season. That helped create some fear. The Chiefs were the aggressor and the Chiefs were able to build off of that. The losses against Pittsburgh and Dallas haven’t followed that trend.

The Cowboys stopped the run, disguised coverage well, got home on some blitzes, won with four rushers. They had a lot of success eliminating middle field concepts and keyed in on it. The loss was a case of the poor execution by the Chiefs, and a great game plan from Dallas. That’s what came out when writing this week’s 45 seconds.

The bye week is here at a perfect time. They can find ways to get more chunk plays and start putting a little more feat back in teams. The adjustments that are made this week and through a much easier stretch of games will determine what the Chiefs do in January. That’s what this season has been about anyway.

Here’s the trends from the loss in Dallas.

The First 15

The first 15 plays are scripted plays to get an idea of how teams plan to defend you. The script is followed until there’s special situations like third and short, and goal plays, etc.

The Chiefs used five different personnel groups in the first 15:
02
11
12
13
22

They used 13 different formations to start off the game.

Travis Kelce was motioned 4 different times. Kareem Hunt and De’Anthony Thomas were the only two others in the first 15.

They incorporated six different run plays, including a reverse, toss and a sprint draw.

Dallas blitzed only twice. One was a run for no yards, the other was an incomplete pass.

Dallas ran Cover 1, 2, 3, 2 Man and a combo coverage all within the first 15.

Chiefs Offense vs. Dallas

Like it was against Pittsburgh, this was the most used formation for the game:

It’s due to the amount of hurry up the Chiefs were in.

The next most was this three tight end set:

It was the only formation they ran in 13 personnel. They also ran this formation with Cameron Erving as a 6th offensive lineman. He got two snaps in that role.

The Chiefs motioned 16 different times. Dallas was in zone coverage all but four of them.

I charted only one RPO. They handed it off.

De’Anthony Thomas surprisingly lined up in an X receiver four times. He was isolated in 3x1 formations all four times. The Chiefs ran it 3 of 4 plays.

The Chiefs generated three explosive plays (20+ yards). One was the Hill Mary. The other two were both off play action on first down. Both plays were also against Cover 2.

Kareem Hunt played one snap in the fourth quarter. It was the interception.

The Chiefs were in 11 personnel for 9/12 3rd downs. They were in 12 personnel for the other three.

Dallas Defense vs. Chiefs

Dallas was in Cover 3 for 46% of charted snaps.

Dallas sent more than four rushers only 8 times. Five of those rushers came in base personnel, even though all but one of those snaps came with 8 or more yards to go.

They sent six different blitz combinations in those 8 rushes.

The Chiefs gained 20 yards total when Dallas was in some kind of man coverage.

I have it charted as 7 different defensive coverages on third down.

They sent more than four rushers only 3 times on third down.

Dallas ran the same coverage only once in the redzone. The sent more than four rushers only once.