The Brett Veach Defense Rebuild Paying Off. I know we could start right out of the gate with remarks about Patrick Mahomes' health status right now, but frankly no one knows yet. Everyone's talking about it, but since we have to wait I won't be saying anything about that now.
What I do want to start with is what you're seeing on the defensive side of the ball, and how as much as we revere Brett Veach for wanting Mahomes so much and urging the team to move on drafting him, he has been just as phenomenal putting our defense together so we can get to an NFL record third straight AFC Championship game at home.
And it isn't just Tyrann Mathieu, although he is certainly the subject of a storyline all by himself. It is how Veach went out and got all the pieces to get this defense to, while it does bend at times, get the stops it needs when it needs them. That stand they made in the 4th quarter when the Browns had the ball last was huge. They had a marvelous chance to score the go-ahead touchdown with just enough time to methodically go about scoring it and leaving little time for the Chiefs to attempt a comeback.
As it is we took care of business. Steve Spagnuolo there having all the pieces moving as they should each and every down. Chris Jones collapsing the middle of the line putting tremendous stress on the passing pocket. Frank Clark coming off the edge keeping quarterbacks running for their lives. Anthony Hitchens solidifying the run D -- and did they need it against an excellent Browns running attack. Our other D-backs smothering their receivers -- I don't know about you but what I saw was that most of the Browns completions were the result of amazing throws by Mayfield or the toughest catches any receiver could make. Some of these new players there like L'Jarius Sneed, a cornerback sacking quarterbacks, and Tershawn Wharton, an undrafted player who has just played lights out blowing up the middle of the field.
And that touchdown saving play by Daniel Sorensen, he came through again with a gargantuan play to help save the day, crashing into their wide receiver as he was about to put the ball on the pylon. Fumble, end zone, touchback. Many will claim he led with his helmet and that should've been called but wasn't, but you know? While I very much want any play that may result in an injury to be called, I simply can't see how you can refrain from doing what Sorensen did. He actually dove underneath the runner but the runner himself was coming down to where Sorensen was trying to tackle him. What is Sorensen supposed to do? "Here, wait here for a sec, before I tackle you let me take my head off and put it on my back first."
Brett Veach has so brilliantly seen what kinds of coaches and players he needs to put out there, and to their credit they've done their work so exceptionally well even when we scream at the television when they get far too soft. They're still so critical to those dubyas.
About the Browns celebrated running game? I'm thinking their coach really should've played Kareem Hunt much more. Hunt barely touched the ball until their last scoring drive when Hunt ran well against us. Nick Chubb was not as effective, and watching that I thought, huh, last year we were able to shut down Derrick Henry -- I wonder if playing Chubb so much allowed us to get that edge and do what we do better on defense, shut down that power back? What would it have been like if they gave the ball to Hunt more often, much earlier, because Hunt looked much more elusive and as such might have been more of a problem for our defense?
The Brown had stormed down the field with what I believe were two straight touchdown scoring possessions. It was 19-3, then 19-10, then 22-17. Scary.
They have the ball, again with that six or seven minute window to run the ball, chew clock, wear us down, and score the go-ahead touchdown leaving only 28 seconds for a Chad Henne-led drive to try to get down the field for any score. Again, our defense was stout and forced a 4th-&-9 decision for their coach, Kevin Stefanski, with the ball something like their own 30-something yard-line I believe it was.
Here's my thinking. If Mahomes was still in their, they go for it. Why are they going to punt and give the ball back to Mahomes to easily get those couple of game-ending first downs? This 4th-&-9 play is the game right here. I think if Mahomes is in there, the Browns go for it and as aggressive as they had been playing, with a really good quarterback in Mayfield and really good receivers in people like Jarvis Landry, people who had already been having a really pretty good game actually, I think they have a real good shot to get that first down --
And we're in serious trouble.
But Stefanski didn't go for it. He punted. And I'm sure he did so because he felt his defense could stop a Chad Henne-led offensive effort.
What do you think?
Of course, the rest is history. Henne went from the goat with his ill-advised intercepted pass (apparently by Andy Reid per his own confession) to hero with his other excellent passes, most notably to Kelce and Hill, who caught that 4th-&-inches pass that sealed the game. Henne also had that tough 13-yard run just before that play that almost got the game clinching 1st down right then and there.
There're other storylines for sure, again the main one having to do with the ongoing Patrick Mahomes availability for next week's showdown with the Bills. Oh, and real quick, what was the deal with his foot? Before the concussion it looked as though he really messed up his foot in some way, and I haven't heard a thing about that.
Still waiting eagerly to find out, and above all find out about his health for his sake whether or not he plays another down for the Chiefs, we can't forget that.
Finally, we simply can't neglect to mention...
The Growth of Andy Reid Into a "Play-to-Win" Leader. How about that call on 4th down in our own territory to win the game. Remember the days when Reid wouldn't do any such thing and played not-to-lose? In that situation he'd punt? Here instead he made a move that shocked everyone -- even the announcers were mumbling "Ahh he's trying to get them to move offside, because why would Henne be in shotgun formation with no running back?"
Then he stung them. Henne completes the pass to Hill on the rug route and it is party over.
Wow, are we proud of this guy, and you can see in how he responded in his postgame presser he really likes making these kinds of decisions now.
Let's face it though. Too many of us don't take those chances because we are way too emotional: "What if it doesn't work?" We worry too much about what people will say. We have all watched Reid grow into that courageous play-caller and it is a joy to see, and an inspiration really for all of us who wish we were so bold.
That is living life, really, it is. Life in the Kingdom is great right now, for sure.
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Photos are from Steve Sanders and Andrew Mather at the official Chiefs site. Thank you.
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