Chiefs: Game 1, Gameplan.
 

We all know this team traditionally starts off slow to open the season.
Brian Daboll is key to this team succeeding this season.
If he can help the offense avoid a slow start we might actually contend for the division title.

If you were him...
What would be your gameplan against the Falcons in Game 1?

The Falcons are pretty stout against the run.
They're a Top 10 unit in that regard.

How would you attack that defense?

FYP

Razzle Dazzle.

Arenas takes the snap, hands it off to McCluster, McCluster runs right but tosses it back to Bowe before crossing the line off scrimmage. Bowe then throws the ball across the field to Cassel who was lined up as a WR. Cassel then throws the ball to a wide open Breaston who runs 40 yards and then pitches the ball back to a trailing Jamaal Charles. Charles runs it in for a TD.


Will work every time.

Air it out. Drop back and bomb it right out of the gate.

...oh wait...

McCluster fumbles the opening kickoff.

Stevie Johnson then takes out Berry's knee.

wait...

Atlanta has a strong run defense.

We SHOULD try to come out passing, but we won't.

We're gonna run right into the teeth of their defense, and Cassel will blow third downs. It'll probably be 13-6 or 17-7 at halftime, depending on the number of penalties Routt gets.

Defense will eventually wilt due to the strain of Cassel's suck, and at some point in the third quarter, Matt Ryan to Julio Jones or Roddy White for a back breaking TD.

If you don't think this won't happen, you haven't watched the Chiefs the last three seasons.

Lots of teams think they have a good run defense until Jamaal Charles disabuses them of that notion.

Only way they have a chance is to deny any scoring on Atlanta's first 3 possessions, and they must find a way to score at least two TDs / 1 TD, 2+ FGs

I doubt KC can win in a 2004 AFC Divisional Round shoot-out, and I don't think they'll be on the right side of a 10-3 defensive slugfest.

By the way, the worst game Eric Winston played last year was against Atlanta.

Get ready for a bunch of knee jerk idiots blaming him for the loss, even though it will be on Cassel for sure.

Need to do a lot of PA fake early and often

miMix up P/A pass on early downs until they soften a bit;
3 wide occasionally on early downs; w and w/out Moeaki in there.
Occasional Mis-direction runs in the intermediate distances on early downs.
Screens occasionally on 2nd and 2-5/yrds
Dex in the slot or motion on a pass play here or there.

1st down effeicienty will be a must Gotta make the Falcons 'think[ instead of react.
Good mis of run and pass; I'd say 40/60…assuming we're effective running on 1st down when we do it.

Avoid 3rd and 8+ like the plague.
Avoid turnovers like the plague.
Only time I wouldn't be worried is if we're at our own 40 or 50, and we're in 3rd and long and we take a shot. If it's intercepted, big deal. Would've had to punt anyway if our guy didn't catch it.
As much as it pains me to say it, the Chiefs have to take shots now and again downfield. And by shot, I don't mean Cassel's typical 'bomb' of 20 yds.

I don't think the Chiefs will try to pass right away because of Atlanta's run D (1 I haven't looked at it..just going off the OP). They have to be effective on the run. Move the ball, change FP; get the big fatties on the D-line sucking wind.
Otherwise, we're hosed if we run the ball for like 40 yds by 1/2 time etc.

1. score points
2. don't allow points to be scored

Unplug Matt Cassel's alarm clock on game day

The NFL announced they will be using "crowd noise".

So, I'd turn that way up.

Run, run, run, ru, run, continue to run until you successfully get a first down, thus showing off your physical dominance. The Falcons will be broken at that point.