Kansas City Chiefs: Five things to watch in AFC Championship Game
By John McCarty
WHAT TO WATCH IN AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Chiefs Interior Pass Rush
The Patriots, because they have very limited speed and play makers on the outside, get the ball out quickly and try to do so in space to players such as Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Chris Hogan and others.
To slow down the patient Patriots offense, the interior of the Chiefs defense, namely Chris Jones, Xavier Williams, Derrick Nnadi and Allen Bailey will need to generate push and pressure. The key is forcing Brady to either decide before he wants to or back up in the pocket. That allows speed rushers Justin Houston and Dee Ford to move in for sacks and strips, or both.
If the Patriots are able to hold the interior of the line, in the passing game but also the running game, it really opens the rest of the Patriots playbook and the play action pass becomes a weapon Brady and company would love to unleash through the air, especially with Gronkowski over the middle of the field.
Nothing else is as big as this match-up.
If the Chiefs are able to generate pressure and push with their base 4-5 defenders, the game may not be close. The Chiefs defense will be able to sit on short routes and slow down the passing game while looking for running backs in the passing game.
The Chiefs should be able to get enough stops on defense if they are able to generate defensive pressures.