The Chiefs Have Real Problems (Deadspin)

[Quesadilla Joe]

http://deadspin.com/the-chiefs-have-...ium=socialflow

Spoiler!

Late last week I pitched an article about the Chiefs. Heading into Week 11, they had won five straight and were in line for the AFC’s No. 2 seed. But, I proposed to question, are the Chiefs actually any good? The response I got from an editor was to wait to see how the Chiefs did during Sunday’s home game against the Buccaneers.

“I figure they’ll win so it’ll still apply,” Barry wrote back. “And if they lose, the question will be even more relevant.”

So it is, after Sunday’s 19-17 loss to Tampa Bay. Now at 7-3, Kansas City would still qualify for the postseason if the playoffs were to begin today, which of course they don’t. But until Sunday, the Chiefs had been bending without quite breaking for a while by beating bad defenses, winning despite some meh performances (even for him) from Alex Smith, and struggling like hell on both sides of the ball in the red zone. And what’s left of their schedule is a gauntlet compared to what they’ve already faced.

The Chiefs’ most striking statistical advantage has been their plus-13 turnover differential, which is tied for the league lead with the Vikings. Kansas City’s defense has indeed bailed out its offense—two fourth-quarter takeaways led directly to 11 points in an astonishing comeback win at the Panthers in Week 10—but a closer look at the Chiefs’ takeaway ratio reveals it to be somewhat hollow. Kansas City was plus-7 against the Jets because Ryan Fitzpatrick spent the afternoon playing catch with its secondary, and it was plus-4 against the Jaguars, who are the Jaguars. In four games this season, the Chiefs have actually had a negative turnover differential. They lost three of them.

Then there are the defenses the Chiefs have beaten, and their DVOA rankings:

Chargers: 11th
Jets: 24th
Raiders: 28th
Saints: 29th
Colts: 31st
Jaguars: 17th
Panthers: 15th

Despite all that, the Chiefs’ offense has muddled along. Injuries have kept Jamaal Charles off the field for all but 12 carries this season. Spencer Ware (4.9 yards per carry) has done a good job in Charles’s place, but the team remains just 25th in rushing DVOA. And Alex Smith hasn’t been able to lift the offense to any real heights.

Per Pro Football Focus, Smith has completed just eight passes that have traveled 20 or more yards in the air; that’s to be expected, given his lack of arm strength and Andy Reid’s reliance on a quick-strike system. Smith’s top target is tight end Travis Kelce, who has 19 more catches than anyone else on the roster (though wideout Jeremy Maclin has missed time with a groin injury). And while Smith has been pressured on just 26.3 percent of his dropbacks, according to PFF, his passer rating is a rather dreary 66.4 when he does see pressure. The Chiefs find themselves heavily reliant on their pass protection, which makes them eminently vulnerable to any team with a decent pass rush.

The Chiefs are terrible on third down (a 35.6 percent conversion rate, which ranks 25th) and they can’t find the end zone once they get inside the 20. Their’ red-zone conversion rate is a sickly 41.2 percent, which ranks 31st in the league, ahead of only the woeful Jets.

Here are a couple of examples of that red-zone futility and uncreative playcalling. The first clip shows three straight plays against the Panthers. On the first, Smith just doesn’t see a wide-open Kelce; on the second, he badly overthrows Chris Conley; and on the third, TE Travis Ross drops a ball that wouldn’t have gone for a first down anyway.

This next and-goal sequence from Sunday shows a handoff to Kelce for a loss, a Kelce drop, and a third-down route combination that sent just two of five potential targets into the end zone:

Smith’s best asset has always been his lack of big mistakes; his career interception rate of 2.2 percent is seventh best among active quarterbacks. But with the Chiefs down by two early in the fourth quarter Sunday, he threw this awful interception on third down, a predetermined read that got blown up because Bucs safety Chris Conte never bit on the play-action fake:



Smith’s flaws as a passer have been exposed in large part because defenses aren’t allowing him to scramble or to run like he used to. Last year, Smith ran for 498 yards and 5.9 yards per rush. This year, he’s on pace for just 74 yards on 37 attempts. In short, Smith can’t stretch the field consistently with either his arm or his legs. It’s a problem.

Back to the defense: The Chiefs’ unit is ninth in DVOA, but just 19th in run DVOA, and it can’t get off the field on third down; teams have converted against them 46.7 percent of the time, the third-highest total in the NFL. (The Bucs were a devastatingly effective 11-for-16 on third down on Sunday.) Edge rusher Justin Houston finally played for the first time this season on Sunday, but Marcus Peters, a playmaking cornerback whose 13 interceptions since the start of last season leads the league, has been bothered by a hip pointer. And another edge rusher, Dee Ford, sustained a hamstring injury on Sunday. Ford’s 10 sacks are tied for the league lead, and his pass-rush productivity (per PFF) of 11.1 ranks 10th among 3-4 outside linebackers.

The Chiefs still have to face the Broncos twice, plus matchups against offenses like the Falcons (1st in DVOA), Raiders (4th), and Titans (7th). Their 7-3 currently record gives them a one-game cushion in the race for a wild card. But the real question might not be if this is the season the Chiefs are capable of a deep postseason push, but rather whether they’re a playoff team at all.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Leave it to the uneducated folk to complain about Dorsey/Reid/Smith turning around a losing franchise.

Let the season play out instead of making everyone else suffer thru your incessant *****ing.

does it really matter if we arent serious contenders to win a superbowl? We continue to fail in the post season because our QB just cant get it done. He cant constantly face guys like Big Ben and Tom Brady in the post season. He just cant hang with them in big games.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by RunKC

I wonder if Knowmo realizes the Broncos are nearly the exact same team as the Chiefs with the same problems this season?

He knows, but there is a huge difference, they are the defending champs, the Chiefs are the defending pretenders.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

"Per Pro Football Focus, Smith has completed just eight passes that have traveled 20 or more yards in the air..."

Out of 302 attempts!!

but we dont understand football, dorsey and Reid know more then we do. /blackbob

lol

[Simply Red]

not saying we'll lose on Sunday night - but; prep your anus.

[kcxiv]

This is how bad it is this year, the Cleveland Browns' offense has more touchdowns then the Chiefs offense and they are 0 for the season!

[notorious]

That stat can't be correct.


I don't believe it. 2.6% completion over 20 yards?

[notorious]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

This is how bad it is this year, the Cleveland Browns' offense has more touchdowns then the Chiefs offense and they are 0 for the season!

It's the defense's fault.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

does it really matter if we arent serious contenders to win a superbowl? We continue to fail in the post season because our QB just cant get it done. He cant constantly face guys like Big Ben and Tom Brady in the post season. He just cant hang with them in big games.

Show me proof. Most of this place recognizes Smith has played very well in the playoffs....

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Show me proof. Most of this place recognizes Smith has played very well in the playoffs....

Sucked shit in texas and was meh in New england.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Show me proof. Most of this place recognizes Smith has played very well in the playoffs....

when did he play well? against the Texans? WHere the defense gave the offense a wide open ****ing door into the endzone with 6 ****ing turnovers? Then we get smoked by NE and the Chiefs tried to make a comeback during a stretch where the other team plays prevent defense! lol come on now. My proof is watching the ****ing game.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Show me proof. Most of this place recognizes Smith has played very well in the playoffs....

I don't think that will happen this year if the Chiefs make it. In all those playoff appearances for KC, Smith at least showed "something" during the season. All he's shown this season is he's not the same player as last season. He never was going to beat anyone with his arm, but this year it's worse and he's not running near as well as he used to. Take that element away and you get this year's version of Alex Smith, which points to disaster when it matters most. Just my opinion based on what I've seen thus far this season.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

when did he play well? against the Texans? WHere the defense gave the offense a wide open ****ing door into the endzone with 6 ****ing turnovers? Then we get smoked by NE and the Chiefs tried to make a comeback during a stretch where the other team plays prevent defense! lol come on now. My proof is watching the ****ing game.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showt...1#post12013101

Bleacher report called that shit.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

when did he play well? against the Texans? WHere the defense gave the offense a wide open ****ing door into the endzone with 6 ****ing turnovers? Then we get smoked by NE and the Chiefs tried to make a comeback during a stretch where the other team plays prevent defense! lol come on now. My proof is watching the ****ing game.

Stick to the other threads kid

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Stick to the other threads kid

Why? because you dont like facts? Yeah, ok. Did you even watch them games? no team should ****ing lose a game like that.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Stick to the other threads kid

Nah totally not a troll.