KC Chiefs: 2019 is best chance at Super Bowl run in long time
By Gage Stagner
WHAT WE NEED TO SEE FROM THE OFFENSE
The run game is a problem, simple as that. LeSean McCoy has shown flashes, but he’s well past his prime and is a middle-of-the-pack running back at best. Injured Damien Williams will need to get to 100% for this running game to hit it’s stride.
Though this is a definite issue, we’ve seen this offensive line create holes before and they really won’t be relied upon heavily no matter how good the backs look. This is as pass-heavy an offense as we’ve seen.
The run game gets a boost with Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill sweeps, and an occasional Travis Kelce wildcat run, but the Chiefs will live and die bye Patrick Mahomes‘ arm, like the Golden State Warriors relied on Steph and Klay threes.
If you’ve watched the Kansas City Chiefs this year, the offense doesn’t look the same. There’s been frequent injuries to linemen and specialty players, but all teams deal with injuries. Mahomes has taken a statistically step backward and an injury of his own did the offense no favors, but the talent is still present.
We were starting to see less deep shots and more four-yard drags for a few weeks, but the last two games have been more promising with the deep ball. Andy Reid, as always is the case, can’t get too cute in his play calling.
The run game needs to be established and he can’t get away from it, as he’s done at times, but the offense is high-powered and he also can’t keep it locked up in the garage. Reid tends to dial back the pressure when the Chiefs are up, letting teams back in it, and forgets the run when teams have four guys in the box on every down.
For the Chiefs to get to the mountain top, they need Andy Reid’s best. From the eye test alone, the Broncos game was a real step in the right direction in getting back to last year’s juggernaut offense.
As Victor Cruz stated on ESPN, the Chiefs are hitting their stride at the right time. Damien Williams should be back in the fold at running back and the addition of old friend Spencer Ware is a headache for fantasy teams, but a welcome sight for Kansas City fans.
Ware gives the Chiefs that third or fourth and one guy that can pound his way for a first down in the playoffs, something that will most definitely be needed at some point. McCoy, Williams, and Darwin Thompson don’t offer that kind of power, though Thompson’s Darren Sproles-like ability should still get him a couple snaps a game.