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The latest
Kansas City Chiefs offence is ‘like a cheat code’, says Jay Ajayi | Sky Sports
Former Super Bowl-winning running back with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jay Ajayi, believes the Kansas City Chiefs could be set to win back-to-back titles, describing their offence as “ridiculous” and “like a cheat code”.
Kansas City are 9-1 on the season, with their quarterback Patrick Mahomes throwing for 462 yards and three touchdowns in their latest win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday - 359 of those yards coming in a staggering first-half display.
Chiefs offense takes ‘pick your poison’ adage to extreme | USA Today
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept rolling single coverage onto Tyreek Hill, and Patrick Mahomes kept zinging passes deep downfield to the fleet-footed Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, who proceeded to waltz into the end zone three times while piling up 269 yards in a record-setting afternoon.
It was just the latest example of the conundrum faced by Kansas City’s opposing defenses.
When the Buffalo Bills steadfastly refused to let Mahomes beat them through the air, Clyde Edwards-Helaire led a ground game that ran 46 times for 245 yards. When the Las Vegas Raiders attempted to slow down Hill, tight end Travis Kelce beat them for back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. When the New York Jets managed to hold all those guys in check, third-string wide receiver Mecole Hardman pulled in seven passes for 96 yards and a score.
Indeed, the Chiefs are an old cliché taken to an extreme: pick your poison.
Every NFL Team’s Shopping List for 2021 Offseason | Bleacher Report
Kansas City Chiefs
Projected Cap Space: Minus-$15.5 Million
Edge-Rusher
Linebacker
Wide Receiver
As long as head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are at the center of the offense, the Kansas City Chiefs should be set on that side of the ball. Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman and Clyde Edwards-Helaire give them plenty of firepower with which to work.
It wouldn’t hurt to add another receiver to the mix, though, as Sammy Watkins could be gone after playing this season on a one-year deal.
Addressing the offense would be more of a luxury for Kansas City, of course, and the real adding needs to be done on the defensive side of the ball. At the top of the list should be a premier pass-rusher to partner with Chris Jones and Frank Clark.
Success, trust and burnt ends: Why everyone loves Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid | ESPN
“When I went on that trip and I visited the Philadelphia Eagles, I felt at home,” said Bieniemy, who would play one season for Reid and then return to coach for him years later with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I felt a part of something. I felt a part of the building block that was necessary to help them to start it off. I was a part of a foundation that Coach wanted to lay.”
Reid has been making players feel that way for his entire career — from stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to those at the bottom of the roster, as Bieniemy was more than 20 years ago.
More than any other reason, that’s why players almost universally love working for the 62-year-old Reid.
“I can’t remember anyone who didn’t like playing for him, and I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t like playing for him,” said Geoff Schwartz, a Chiefs offensive lineman in 2013, Reid’s first season in Kansas City. “He’s everything you want in a coach.”
Amon-Ra St. Brown WR
Kansas City
Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson are free agents after this season, and St. Brown would fit Kansas City’s receiver mold — he’s fast and good after the catch.
Offensively, I like the Steelers depth at receiver so much that I don’t think the Chiefs would be able to cover everyone. The fourth and fifth receiver in the Steelers spread set are typically a combination of James Washington, Eric Ebron, or Ray Ray McCloud. Now do you think Rashad Fenton matches up well with Eric Ebron? What about 5’9” Tyrann Mathieu on 6’4” Chase Claypool? The Steelers giants matchup favorably against the Chiefs. To be honest, I even like the Steelers offensive line to hold their own against the Chiefs pass rush as well.
The same can be broken down about any other team in the NFL. Just say the team and the Steelers likely have a player or two that won’t be stopped in the matchup. Sure, the game might be close. But, the Steelers are going to win those games more often than not.
Around the NFL
Mike Tomlin: Undefeated Steelers looked ‘really junior varsity’ despite win | NFL.com
In the aftermath of a ridiculously long Week 12, Tomlin’s Steelers collected an important 19-14 win over AFC North-archrival Baltimore. Important, but hardly impressive. The Steelers emerged victorious and still undefeated, 11-0 for the first time in the decorated franchise’s chronicle. But they hardly looked like such a team.
“It was really junior varsity, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “It was in all three phases. We couldn’t run the ball effectively when we needed to. We dropped too many significant passes, very catchable, makeable passes. We didn’t make significant plays in the special teams game. Our kickoff coverage unit wasn’t good enough. We turned the ball over. We gave up big plays in critical moments on defense. Can’t have it.”
Four Denver Broncos QBs fined by team for not wearing masks | ESPN
Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio said Wednesday that the team fined all four of its quarterbacks for not wearing masks in a meeting last week, a situation that led to three of them being unavailable for Sunday’s loss to the Saints.
Quarterback Jeff Driskel tested positive for the virus, and fellow QBs Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts and sidelined. It was then revealed that they hadn’t been wearing masks in their position meetings.
The latter three were activated from the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday.
Fangio didn’t disclose the amount of the fines.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Will Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s role grow this season?
So far in 2020, Edwards-Helaire hasn’t been used all that much on routes out of the backfield. Many of his targets have come on swing routes out of the backfield after protection responsibilities. Speak of pass protection, part of the issue could be he hasn’t grown enough in this area to earn the trust of the coaching staff. The team has leaned on Darrel Williams heavily on third downs. A path to Edwards-Helaire seeing more opportunities could be to show more ability in pass protection.
The Chiefs very well could be holding some things back in the running back pass game. Both Edwards-Helaire and Le’Veon Bell are assets in space against linebackers. The full potential could be revealed during the home stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs — adding another dynamic for teams to worry about without much tape on what they can do before it’s too late to adjust. Hopefully, that is the case.
A tweet to make you think
Name the worst WR who could dominate with Mahomes at QB ⏬ pic.twitter.com/j5TywbUQ3w
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 2, 2020
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