KC CHIEFS vs. CINCY BENGALS: AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Who wins? Your predictions?

[The Franchise]

We're about to find out about the rest of this team if Mahomes can't drag them to a victory.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

We're about to find out about the rest of this team if Mahomes can't drag them to a victory.

What really concerns me about Mahomes ankle is the coverages we'll see in response.

If he isn't a threat to move the pocket and/or run, we're going to see a LOT of man coverage. And this team just doesn't have a ton of guys who excel against Man. Moreover, they can run man without having to commit a spy to Mahomes as a potential running threat.

So you're gonna see not just man coverages, but man with an extra rusher with some fair frequency. And when that guys not rushing, you could see 2-high robber coverages where he looks to create turnovers.

Honestly, the guy I think we truly need back this week, is Mecole Hardman. You put Hardman out there with Toney and both of them can do enough lateral motion and drag routes to mess with some of those man coverages and open up plenty of field.

They can win quickly and find space and when they find space, they're a threat to house one.

We need Hardman back in a big way, IMO.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

What really concerns me about Mahomes ankle is the coverages we'll see in response.

If he isn't a threat to move the pocket and/or run, we're going to see a LOT of man coverage. And this team just doesn't have a ton of guys who excel against Man. Moreover, they can run man without having to commit a spy to Mahomes as a potential running threat.

So you're gonna see not just man coverages, but man with an extra rusher with some fair frequency. And when that guys not rushing, you could see 2-high robber coverages where he looks to create turnovers.

Honestly, the guy I think we truly need back this week, is Mecole Hardman. You put Hardman out there with Toney and both of them can do enough lateral motion and drag routes to mess with some of those man coverages and open up plenty of field.

They can win quickly and find space and when they find space, they're a threat to house one.

We need Hardman back in a big way, IMO.

I'm expecting the same thing as the 2nd half in the AFC Championship game last year. 7 or 8 in coverage while rushing 3-4. We'll see if the offensive line can hold up.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

I'm expecting the same thing as the 2nd half in the AFC Championship game last year. 7 or 8 in coverage while rushing 3-4. We'll see if the offensive line can hold up.

We'll pick that apart, IMO.

We've seen it all season. We've rebuilt our entire offense to deal with it and Mahomes has been immersed in it.

I think we'll see aggressive man coverage and some varied pressure packages designed to take advantage of our limitations at WR. Why would you run an offense designed specifically to neutralize Tyreek Hill if Tyreek Hill is no longer on the roster?

This isn't the same team and if Cincy's DC wants to pretend like it is, that will only work to our benefit.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

What really concerns me about Mahomes ankle is the coverages we'll see in response.

If he isn't a threat to move the pocket and/or run, we're going to see a LOT of man coverage. And this team just doesn't have a ton of guys who excel against Man. Moreover, they can run man without having to commit a spy to Mahomes as a potential running threat.

So you're gonna see not just man coverages, but man with an extra rusher with some fair frequency. And when that guys not rushing, you could see 2-high robber coverages where he looks to create turnovers.

Honestly, the guy I think we truly need back this week, is Mecole Hardman. You put Hardman out there with Toney and both of them can do enough lateral motion and drag routes to mess with some of those man coverages and open up plenty of field.

They can win quickly and find space and when they find space, they're a threat to house one.

We need Hardman back in a big way, IMO.

I'm not counting on Hardman being back. He had complications with his groin yet this past week. Not a good sign of him returning.

I think KC needs to have a few packages sending MVS and Toney intermediate/deep and using the Kelce, JuJu, and McKinnon group underneath.

Watson just hasn't made enough plays so I think Toney on some of those routes to present something different will help. Toney is actually a pretty damned good intermediate sideline receiver.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I'm not counting on Hardman being back. He had complications with his groin yet this past week. Not a good sign of him returning.

I think KC needs to have a few packages sending MVS and Toney intermediate/deep and using the Kelce, JuJu, and McKinnon group underneath.

Watson just hasn't made enough plays so I think Toney on some of those routes to present something different will help. Toney is actually a pretty damned good intermediate sideline receiver.

Yeah, I'd like to have him back but I think you're probably right. Things have just been so quiet on that front and that's never good news on an Andy team.

McKinnon may need to be that plan B guy in his stead. Just a bummer that we'll have to telegraph things a bit by having to play a pretty strict RB rotation based on play design.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yeah, I'd like to have him back but I think you're probably right. Things have just been so quiet on that front and that's never good news on an Andy team.

McKinnon may need to be that plan B guy in his stead. Just a bummer that we'll have to telegraph things a bit by having to play a pretty strict RB rotation based on play design.

I wouldn't mind seeing both Pacheco and McKinnon in the backfield at the same time, or even McKinnon in the slot. He's been a really damned good receiver.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I wouldn't mind seeing both Pacheco and McKinnon in the backfield at the same time, or even McKinnon in the slot. He's been a really damned good receiver.

This.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

What really concerns me about Mahomes ankle is the coverages we'll see in response.

If he isn't a threat to move the pocket and/or run, we're going to see a LOT of man coverage. And this team just doesn't have a ton of guys who excel against Man. Moreover, they can run man without having to commit a spy to Mahomes as a potential running threat.

So you're gonna see not just man coverages, but man with an extra rusher with some fair frequency. And when that guys not rushing, you could see 2-high robber coverages where he looks to create turnovers.

Honestly, the guy I think we truly need back this week, is Mecole Hardman. You put Hardman out there with Toney and both of them can do enough lateral motion and drag routes to mess with some of those man coverages and open up plenty of field.

They can win quickly and find space and when they find space, they're a threat to house one.

We need Hardman back in a big way, IMO.

Against the Jags, Kelce had 17 targets. Toney had 7. Everybody else had 2 max.

That’s the one major advantage we have this week. If Hardman is back then we can use a lot of things in the playbook.

Get your best YAC guys the ball. Kelce, McKinnon, Hardman, Toney. Everyone else should have similar 2 targets max.