KC Chiefs: Five Keys To Reaching Super Bowl 51

Learn How To Manage The Clock

The Chiefs final drive in the Divisional round of the playoffs was absolutely maddening. Their lack of urgency and poorly used timeouts were confusing and frustrating.

Young players Albert Wilson and Chris Conley, maybe trying to do too much, also made questionable decisions. Each of them caught passes near the sideline and fought for extra yards instead of trying to stop the clock.

If the Chiefs are going to contend, they have to practice scoring in a hurry. They may not be behind, but there are two different two minute warnings in each game. How the team performs in each of them can have an impact in the final score.

His timeouts often leave the offense in an awkward position of having to hurry when they shouldn’t need to or wind up lacking a timeout when they need one most.

Andy Reid is a good coach but has drawn a lot of criticism throughout his career for his poor clock management. His timeouts often leave the offense in an awkward position of having to hurry when they shouldn’t need to or wind up lacking a timeout when they need one most.

Part of the poor clock management also seems to have to do with unclear communication. Too often it seems that Alex Smith is not on the same page as the offensive coordinator. Maybe that will change with Doug Pederson no longer in town.

The communication issues don’t just hurt the Chiefs in the ‘hurry-up’, but makes them burn timeouts too early in the game. When the Chiefs struggle to get the play in, the Chiefs find themselves calling timeouts to avoid delay of game penalties. It’s something that great teams don’t do.

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