But they have a game next week.
Yep. Against Denver. At Denver.
I've been feeling a bit resigned about this state of affairs, feeling that we just don't have a chance against this team with its ferocious defense and its Hall-of-Fame quarterback -- really, I think Peyton Manning is already in the Hall of Fame.
He certainly would be if all the games that counted were those he'd played against the Kansas City Chiefs. In fact, I'm pretty sure Manning is an average, mere mortal quarterback when he plays against every other team, I do. I never see him play against any other team because I only watch Chiefs games. But I kind of have the idea that he has lost some games, some time in his career.
Not when he plays the Chiefs. When he plays against the Chiefs, that's the time he becomes a god. I am pretty sure he's only lost one game to the Chiefs, in something like 15 combined between the Colts and Broncos. And the game I'm thinking of -- that one we won 45-35 in 2004 -- he still threw five touchdown passes. In his tenure with the Broncos he's 7-0 against us. NFL parity practically requires teams to be pretty even-steven record-wise over the long run.
Not Manning vs. KC. It's downright ugly.
Yheee.
The baseball Royals have been the talk of the entire sports world by running the table, winning the World Series and taking the major league baseball championship. And if you were paying attention, they did it with a style of play that was exactly the opposite of the Chiefs.
They were big-time Clutch and did it with planet-loads of Got-It.
The words "Clutch" and "Got-It"? Do the Chiefs even know what those words mean?
Yes, the Chiefs have won their last two games. But remember, they faced a third-string quarterback against the Steelers, and it showed. They faced an absolute mess of a team in the Lions, and it showed. Yes, tell me I'm taking any deserved kudos away from the Chiefs, but for the umpteenth time, unless we beat a team of some stature, we're just treading water.
Here's the thing - here's the thing - here's the thing...
We can beat the Broncos.
But it will take some innovative strategic thinking by the coaching staff that fully utilizes the breadth of talent this team has -- yes, I do believe they can do that, I really do.
Here's some of what I think they should do. Forgive me for being so forward, I feel like I have to put a disclaimer here that "I'M NOT A REAL NFL COACH SO THIS IS JUST MINDLESS BLATHER" but I'm not, because I really think there's genuine merit to these recommendations.
One has to do with the offense, the other the defense. Yes, indeed, without further ado:
HERE'S HOW THE CHIEFS WILL BEAT THE BRONCOS.
Offense: The secret is in one simple plan:
Let Alex Smith run.
Yes, you're thinking what I'm thinking. "Run Forrest! Run!" The same thing should apply to Alex Smith.
I'm not saying let him run the football like a running back, that's dumb. What I'm saying is so patently obvious: Alex Smith is mobile like all get-out. Please, Andy Reid, listen to me here. Use that to our advantage. Here's what this means.
First, ditch those three-step drops. They're pathetic. Please, please, how much more do we have to tolerate Smith stepping back to pass, pretending to look off defenders, and then get sacked. Over and over and over and over and over again. I'm pretty sure we still lead the league in being sacked. Are we going to do something about it, especially against a terrific Denver pass rush?
Here's how. Get Smith to take deep drops, literally eight or nine steps back. This forces the pass rush to move further up field, making their paths to the QB a bit wider. Then, get Smith untracked, away from that rush. He's shown he's really good at it, he is! But most times he tries to do it in panic mode out of that three-step drop crap, and 9 of 10 times he gets dropped.
But do you notice what happens when he's deeper in the pocket and he does escape?
Magic happens.
Really, it does. Smith is in open field and he can look for the pass or if it isn't there because the pass coverage is deep he can run. Here's the key: Make it so it is designed to happen. (I even posted at length about this after the Broncos game last season.)
Some will say "Oh you just don't know the NFL! Oh you don't know pro defenses! Oh you don't know -- they'll adjust!"
Really? I'm not saying we have to do anything revolutionary. I'm not saying we have to instantly be geniuses. I'm just saying let's take advantage of our talent.
Look at our receiving core! It's actually not bad! De'Anthony Thomas can be easily employed to sprint into open areas as a short-pass release with this offense. Travis Kelce is brilliant at finding that open space. Jeremy Maclin is an exceptional route-runner and reliable pass-catcher. Chris Conley and Albert Wilson can outrun any defender.
Damn it let's just take advantage of what we have.
Defense: The secret is in one thing about Peyton Manning that we have yet to truly exploit.
He can't run.
For the life of me I can't figure out why teams don't take advantage of that as much as they should. Now yes, I understand, Manning still shreds defenses because he's so good. Okay, got that. Thing is, what are you going to do about that?
Really, in that first game we played against them, we did a decent job of containing him but he did get those key passes that only he can get. Fine. Let's just accept that and figure out what does work. Isn't there something we can do to -- again, take advantage of our talent on defense -- the talent we already have?
How about this?
How about rushing only three, on a semi-regular basis?
Three? ARE YOU KIDDING?
Why not? Manning can't go anywhere. What he can do is take the snap, do his three-step drop, and fire a perfect strike to his receiver. He does that amazingly all - the - time. Doesn't even matter how many pass rushers are about to smash every bone in his body. He's good and accurate and clutch.
Consider this with me. What happens if we rush as few as three, have a shadow rover, and drop seven into pass defense? Double team Demaryius Thomas? Yes I know they just picked up Vernon Davis (stupid pathetic 49ers, errgh), but that tells us that the Broncos are hurting a bit at receiver.
Rush three, smother the field with pass defenders, and fluster Manning -- as best you can. Yes he may still make plays, but if we try it, if we can effectively blanket his receiving core, then we're forcing him to run, which he can't do. Really, how many times have you seen the old crickity Peyton Manning legs do what the quick agile Alex Smith legs can do? I rest my case.
Thing is, we do need the guns on the D-line, but hey. We do have the talent for the pass rush. Let's send in Tamba and Justin, along with someone more mobile than Jaye Howard or Dontari Poe as the third rusher (are you ready to show us you're in the NFL, Dee Ford?) Derrick Johnson serves as the rover, and he can even do a delayed rush sometimes. Then we flood the defensive backfield with seven of our best D-backs and just have them go crazy on the Broncos weak receiving core (with the exception of Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, of course).
And no blitzes! Ever! I'm telling you, if we blitz Manning one single time, you'll see a nuclear cloud over my house that'll rise to Mars. No, obviously we can't refuse to mix it up a bit, rush a few more than three in different formations, I agree. But still, keep the main game plan intact: flood the field with D-backs.
Some may cry, what about run defense? I say let's take our chances! Let's force them to make the running game beat us instead of Peyton Manning. What do you think?
What do you think?
Will we try this? I think we give it a shot. Come on Andy Reid. What have you got to lose? If it fails, so what? We've failed doing things the standard way the past seven times we've played these guys.
Of course, we need that other thing to beat them. You know, the Royals brought it with them to Arrowhead right after they won the American League pennant. Some Royals players and coaches showed up to the Steelers game, and they brought it with them.
Will we have that Clutch next Sunday? Will we have that Got-It?We'll need that too.
Indeed, see that banner Royals fans unfurled in Game 5 of the World Series? Did you see how they changed the "4" in 2014 to a "5" for 2015, the year the KANSAS CITY Royals won the World Series? Did you see that there? What they did with the "5"?
Woo-hoo! Go Chiefs!
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