Direckshun
09-25-2017, 06:53 AM
I hate Teicher as much as anyone, but it's preparation like this that explains why the Chiefs have absolutely shitstomped the AFCW for a couple years now.
Game in Oakland here in a couple weeks is going to be epic, though.
http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/249434/preparation-for-afc-west-games-started-a-long-time-ago-for-the-chiefs
Preparation for AFC West games started a long time ago for Chiefs
Adam Teicher
Sept 22, 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs, during one week of offseason practice in June, spent three days specifically preparing to play each of their AFC West rivals.
The early work has paid off for the Chiefs, who have won 11 straight games against divisional opponents going back two seasons. Even in the Chiefs’ last divisional loss, in September 2015, the Denver Broncos needed to score two touchdowns in the final 36 seconds to grab a victory that until that point seemed securely in Kansas City’s grasp.
"You play them twice," quarterback Alex Smith said. “I think it is really helpful, especially when there’s turnover, and this year we’ve had turnover, especially at the coordinator positions within the division. New schemes, getting familiar with potentially what the new scheme might be, where the coordinator came from. Getting some of that early and getting it in your brain, I think it’s only a good thing."
The Chiefs will play their first AFC West game of the season on Sunday, when they face the Chargers in Los Angeles. They’ve been particularly rough on the Chargers, having won six straight.
The Chiefs have five straight wins against Oakland. The Chiefs and Raiders each finished the regular season at 12-4 last season, but the Chiefs won the division title because of their sweep of the two-game season series with Oakland.
Kansas City has beaten the Broncos in three straight, including the past two in Denver.
The Chiefs will find out as soon as Sunday whether they’ve retained their edge in division games. They’re going to need it. The AFC West looks as if it’s among the best divisions in the NFL. The Chiefs, Broncos and Raiders are all 2-0. The Chargers are 0-2 but missed a late field goal in each game that either would have won it for them or sent it to overtime.
AFC West teams have wins against other division favorites in the Cowboys, Patriots and Titans.
"I just think this division, the parity from top to bottom is so crazy," Smith said. "Everyone is playing at such a high level. I don’t know if I have ever seen anything like this, what’s going on in this division right now. I know [the Chargers] are 0-2, but they are two kicks from being 2-0 against two really good football teams.
"The division is so tough and so competitive. All these games have such a unique rivalry to them. They all come down to the wire and all come down to a couple plays that end up making the difference."
For the Chiefs, the work begins in the spring. They spend a day in the video room and on the practice field preparing for each of their three AFC West opponents.
"I think it’s a good review," coach Andy Reid said. "You’ve got to play these guys twice. This is a new staff so it’s a little different, but when you play a team twice and they are in your division, then I think you need to spend a little time on them."
Those practice sessions were more than three months ago. The Chiefs won’t play the Raiders until Oct. 19 and the Broncos until Oct. 30. But the Chiefs believe the spring preparation will be useful when those games roll around.
"We walked into the building [to start the week] knowing what type of front they play and what their defense likes to do, the basic stuff," guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif said. "Then we get the game plan and the coaches tell you what we’re going to do against them and you already know why. It’s easier to put the pieces of the puzzles together."
The Chiefs last year needed a dramatic second-half comeback from a 21-point deficit to beat the Chargers in overtime in the season opener. They also needed a late field goal to beat the Chargers in 2014 in San Diego.
Otherwise, the margins during their 11-game winning streak have been at least seven points. They have similarly lopsided wins against the Raiders and Broncos in recent seasons.
"I wish I could tell you," Smith said when asked why the Chiefs have been so dominant when playing AFC West rivals. "I wish I had the secret. It’s probably a ton of things. It’s ultimately about the 53 guys, all of us scratching and fighting and clawing for the smallest of little victories that end up adding up to being the difference to winning these games because the margins are so small."
Game in Oakland here in a couple weeks is going to be epic, though.
http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/249434/preparation-for-afc-west-games-started-a-long-time-ago-for-the-chiefs
Preparation for AFC West games started a long time ago for Chiefs
Adam Teicher
Sept 22, 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs, during one week of offseason practice in June, spent three days specifically preparing to play each of their AFC West rivals.
The early work has paid off for the Chiefs, who have won 11 straight games against divisional opponents going back two seasons. Even in the Chiefs’ last divisional loss, in September 2015, the Denver Broncos needed to score two touchdowns in the final 36 seconds to grab a victory that until that point seemed securely in Kansas City’s grasp.
"You play them twice," quarterback Alex Smith said. “I think it is really helpful, especially when there’s turnover, and this year we’ve had turnover, especially at the coordinator positions within the division. New schemes, getting familiar with potentially what the new scheme might be, where the coordinator came from. Getting some of that early and getting it in your brain, I think it’s only a good thing."
The Chiefs will play their first AFC West game of the season on Sunday, when they face the Chargers in Los Angeles. They’ve been particularly rough on the Chargers, having won six straight.
The Chiefs have five straight wins against Oakland. The Chiefs and Raiders each finished the regular season at 12-4 last season, but the Chiefs won the division title because of their sweep of the two-game season series with Oakland.
Kansas City has beaten the Broncos in three straight, including the past two in Denver.
The Chiefs will find out as soon as Sunday whether they’ve retained their edge in division games. They’re going to need it. The AFC West looks as if it’s among the best divisions in the NFL. The Chiefs, Broncos and Raiders are all 2-0. The Chargers are 0-2 but missed a late field goal in each game that either would have won it for them or sent it to overtime.
AFC West teams have wins against other division favorites in the Cowboys, Patriots and Titans.
"I just think this division, the parity from top to bottom is so crazy," Smith said. "Everyone is playing at such a high level. I don’t know if I have ever seen anything like this, what’s going on in this division right now. I know [the Chargers] are 0-2, but they are two kicks from being 2-0 against two really good football teams.
"The division is so tough and so competitive. All these games have such a unique rivalry to them. They all come down to the wire and all come down to a couple plays that end up making the difference."
For the Chiefs, the work begins in the spring. They spend a day in the video room and on the practice field preparing for each of their three AFC West opponents.
"I think it’s a good review," coach Andy Reid said. "You’ve got to play these guys twice. This is a new staff so it’s a little different, but when you play a team twice and they are in your division, then I think you need to spend a little time on them."
Those practice sessions were more than three months ago. The Chiefs won’t play the Raiders until Oct. 19 and the Broncos until Oct. 30. But the Chiefs believe the spring preparation will be useful when those games roll around.
"We walked into the building [to start the week] knowing what type of front they play and what their defense likes to do, the basic stuff," guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif said. "Then we get the game plan and the coaches tell you what we’re going to do against them and you already know why. It’s easier to put the pieces of the puzzles together."
The Chiefs last year needed a dramatic second-half comeback from a 21-point deficit to beat the Chargers in overtime in the season opener. They also needed a late field goal to beat the Chargers in 2014 in San Diego.
Otherwise, the margins during their 11-game winning streak have been at least seven points. They have similarly lopsided wins against the Raiders and Broncos in recent seasons.
"I wish I could tell you," Smith said when asked why the Chiefs have been so dominant when playing AFC West rivals. "I wish I had the secret. It’s probably a ton of things. It’s ultimately about the 53 guys, all of us scratching and fighting and clawing for the smallest of little victories that end up adding up to being the difference to winning these games because the margins are so small."