Quote:
Originally Posted by TEX
True, but Cleveland can throw it also, and that's the key. IF they can combine their solid run game with an efficient passing one, and HIT their downfield shots (Like the Raiders did at Arrowhead) they will be a problem.
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Something else I should've said in my other post:
You're absolutely right about the bolded part. A lot of people harp on the whole "you can't beat the Chiefs by running the ball," but that's just half-correct.
The truth is, every time we've faced a really good running team, they simply didn't have the QB play to lean on when we stopped the run.
But if a team had top-10 QB play, and had a great running game, they could challenge KC. And like you said, as LVR did. In both games, Carr almost inexplicably played the best games of his career. He didn't make the same mental errors that we're used to seeing, he didn't throw his usual half-dozen poor balls, etc.
So you can challenge the Chiefs with a great running game. But only if you also have great QB play. Without great QB play, all the great running just isn't enough.
And while Baker has shown a big improvement over these last few weeks, he still is obviously not quite there as a complete QB. Stenfaski's system has hidden a lot of those warts. But as I said, Spags knows Stenfaski's system, and knows how to beat it.
And let's be honest: CLE's corps of Landry, Hooper, Higgins, and Chubb/Hunt, while very good, it's simply not on the same par as LVR's Ruggs, Waller, Jacobs, and Renfrow. Landry is pretty good, but we've faced far more dangerous WRs both last season and this. And Higgins is just a guy. Hooper is nice, but he isn't even Noah Fant. And Chubb and Jacobs are probably just about a wash.
My point being, yes, CLE has some nice tools on offense, but they aren't special, except for Chubb/Hunt. And Spags will slow those guys down.
On the other side of the ball, CLE literally can't cover the likes of Hill, Kelce, Watkins, Hardman. And I'd bet that we'll be able to run the ball with some effectiveness against that CLE DL. Enough to keep them honest. So KC will move the ball almost at will, and CLE will find themselves struggling several times throughout the game.
I really like our chances in that scenario.