Quote:
Originally Posted by Megatron96
I would use a multifaceted metric, or I would compile multiple stats/metrics to better describe the offense. Because those metrics above just don't. I mean, I get it; they sound cool. But they lack any precision.
If they did, they'd explain what happened in the IND, BUF, CIN, TEN, LAR, DEN and HOU games. In one of the JAX games. In the first half of the SB.
You know, when they kind of sucked in those games.
The ones that are particularly concerning are obviously both the BUF and the CIN games. But let's skip that for now. In fact, we'll just put this right here:
[INSERT STANDARD EXCUSE VS. BUF/CIN HERE]
But where was this number one offense vs. TEN?
8/19 3rd downs
2-13 scoring drives. 15% efficiency.
Against a team that didn't even make the playoffs. They didn't earn a W over their last 7 games.
The Rams. Sorry, the practice squad of the Rams
5-11 on 3rd downs
2-8 scoring drives
1-6 in the RZ
Maybe that score/performance would've been acceptable if the Rams had actually been the Rams. But they were a practice squad wearing Rams colors.
And somehow "the number one scoring offense in the world" managed just two TDs against a defense that only could play 5 players of their SB defense vs. KC.
Went 1 TD in SIX TRIPS inside the RZ.
Good thing Stafford wasn't healthy. And our kicking unit was on point.
Had to go to OT vs. DEN and HOU. [Insert standard "they're a Division rival" excuse here for DEN.]
Scored just 24 vs. SEA
3rd down efficiency was ass again, 3-11
Scored just 3 TDs in 10 drives
But the most concerning thing shouldn't be the individual games themselves, but should be that some of those games were late in the season, when the offense was supposed to be gelling into playoff form. But obviously, when you take a little deeper look into the stats, past "MOST EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE EVAH," or whatever non-contextualized metric of the day is, there were problems. Chronic ones. There were even games where one could make the argument that KC won in spite of the offense, not because of it.
But whatever. I've posted this argument in much more complete detail a couple three times already. Obviously it's way more fun to throw "We're the number one offense ever" out there, than to be more analytical. I get it.
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If you want to talk about making the Chiefs offense better, that's all well and good. It can get better.
But let's be honest on both sides when analyzing the offensive performance. You're asking for context. Let's apply game context.
Let's talk Rams first.
The Chiefs scored on five of their first six drives in the game to take a 20-3 lead halfway through the third quarter. They averaged 3+ Points per possession to that point. That's an elite level of production per possession.
The next drive was another long drive that ended with an uncharacteristic Mahomes INT in the end zone. And they went into cruise control on the last two drives. All said and done for, they moved the ball consistently and well and went pretty vanilla against an overmatched opponent.
Especially late in the year, Reid tends to let the foot off the gas and save "the good stuff" for later. It happened during the 2019 Super Bowl run, too.
I'd chalk that Seattle game up in the same territory. They were vanilla as can be in that game. And again. 5 possessions in the first half, 17 points, north of 3 points/possession. That's stellar production.
I just don't think you can muster much "concern" about offensive output in games where the Chiefs clearly took the foot off the gas.
BUF, Von Miller's pressure shut down KC's offense single-handedly a few times in that game, late. KC hadn't started giving the T as much help at that point. I'd put the IND game in the same bucket. Watching them try to get outside on that surface vs. Indy's Es was painful. Pressure was the problem.
CIN, the offense was actually much more productive than you are acting like. Only 7 real possessions. 3 TDs, 1 FG, 1 missed FG, 1 punt, and one promising drive nullified by a fluky fumble.
Do the math. The points/possession... still elite there despite the missed FG.
JAX... the regular season game, is that what you're referencing? KC jumped to a 20-0 lead despite being on the wrong side of an onside kick and having Pacheco fumble in the red zone on the first drive and having Fortson fumble on a kickoff. They were up 27-10 by the end of the third. At no point did the offense "struggle" in that game. It was so good, they still blew Jacksonville out despite losing the TO margin 3-0 and also losing a possession to an onside kick, and they killed the last five minutes of the game.
That leaves DEN and TEN.
I don't have an explanation for TEN, other than a good gameplan and execution by Tennessee. KC's offense was really one dimensional in that one, and Tennesee did a really good job neutralizing the run game (other than Mahomes scrambles).
Finally, the two DEN tilts.
The first one, the Chiefs went up 27-0 and clearly let down in intensity. It almost bit them.
The second one looked and felt like a classic divisional game example.
All in all, there is some room for improvement. Probably always will be But the Chiefs offense certainly played and produced like the top offense in football. The main things that held it back - lack of playmaker depth at WR, weakness at OT in pass blocking - have both been addressed with significant investments and personnel adjustments.