KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs head into Week 3 with a key opportunity to keep a winless team reeling for another week.
The Chiefs have showcased the ability to come away with a victory in multiple ways and a variety of styles in their attack. Here are the keys for Kansas City to come away with their third consecutive victory.
1. Force Jonathan Taylor to hop
Taylor is at his best when he is allowed to get a clear lane and run full speed away by the time he gets to the second level. The best performances against him have been gap sound defenses that set the edge, maintain their gaps and have a defender tracking backside on their hip.
The second a team forces Taylor to hop, they have won the play. He has lost his speed combined with the strength that makes him such a dynamic runner.
2. Blitz Matt Ryan on their terms
Colts quarterback Matt Ryan is attempting to get comfortable in the offense. He isn't there yet at this time and a big part of that is because of the seven sacks through two games. Opponents are blitzing to force Ryan to take the check downs.
Ryan will immediately look to the slants, crossing routes and flats passes once he sees the appearance of a blitz. He needs Taylor to get in rhythm running-wise to help give him time to go through his progressions off of play-action. Otherwise he is out of rhythm and throws off his back foot after a couple of hits.
3. Respect Hines in the passing game
The Colts have a talented receiver in Michael Pittman, but they have really forced the football to Nyheim Hines in an attempt to spark their passing offense and counter the blitzes they have seen. Hines is a mismatch for linebackers and will need to be covered by a safety. The Colts like to get the ball to him in the flats, on slants and occasional screens.
4. Attack the zones with trips and down the seams
The Chiefs will see a familiar scheme this week. Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has faced the Chiefs 11 times in the past six seasons. The key to attacking his zone concepts is utilizing the trips formations to space out their zone responsibilities at different levels and also isolate the voids down the seams with the route combinations.
The seam routes work best out of play-action with their linebackers leaving voids. The scheme is designed to keep routes in front of them and force offenses to have patience. The zones struggle against well-designed screens, lasso and option routes.
5. Let them struggle on special team
The Colts have been sloppy on special teams the past two weeks. They have had fumbled returns, illegal procedure on multiple plays and have ran into the punter. Their lack of attention to detail on special teams have led to reduce possessions.
If the Chiefs are able to hit these key points on Sunday, they should come away with their third victory of the season and get ready for a big matchup against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. A game you can catch on your home of the Chiefs — KSHB 41— next Sunday.
