The Kansas City Chiefs' lack of rushing attack has received plenty of attention over the past 48 hours after Patrick Mahomes threw the ball 45 times in Sunday's loss to Denver. There is also the issue that the Broncos were openly ignoring the run, daring Kansas City to commit to the ground game.
With this in mind, it isn't a surprise that Andy Reid commented on the situation, via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. The head coach made it clear that he understood the issue and made an interesting comment that could be interpreted as a shot at his quarterback's decision-making.
"“So, I know you know all this, but we’re calling quite a few of the RPOs. So, yesterday they were giving us opportunities to throw the football, so we utilized the opportunities there. And those things end up being as good as a run for either. We’re getting four-plus yards, and you go with it, but the runs are being called. It’s just, you know, sometimes they get turned into passes in today’s world. You know, that’s how it goes. But we’re getting them, we’re getting them in. Now we have some hard runs where you just get up, line up, and go. Probably could call more of those.”"Andy Reid
Reid spends most of this quote focusing on RPOs and the fact that there is balance within the offense. Unfortunately, only so much of that balance is in Reid's hands when Mahomes sees something defensively and is consistently opting to keep the ball rather than hand it off. While it is hard to fault the league's most accomplished quarterback for this, there is no denying that it is costing his team offensively, and it badly hurt the Chiefs this past Sunday.
Still, the head coach noted at the end of the quote that the Chiefs could call more "hard runs." This does seem an obvious step, considering how predictable the offense has become over the last few weeks of the season. Play action only works if the defense has some level of fear of the rushing attack. It is clear that opposing teams are daring Kansas City to run the ball, and Reid has taken notice.
Reid Addresses Kansas City's Lack of Offensive Balance Entering Week 12
Perhaps the most interesting portion of these comments is Reid noting that "sometimes they get turned into passes," when talking about whether or not the runs are being called. While it clearly isn't Reid's intent in the full context of the conversation, this is a shot at the decision-making of Mahomes. The head coach is pointing out that there is a balanced attack being called, and the quarterback is opting to keep the ball in his own hands. Obviously, this is out of Reid's control when the Chiefs' offense is in the moment.
This isn't unexpected when you consider the experience of Mahomes and the lack of a star in Kansas City's backfield. Still, moving forward, the offense will have to change, and this likely means fewer of the RPOs that the Chiefs have leaned so heavily on in recent seasons. Calling running plays that aren't built in with a decision for the quarterback is the only path forward for the Chiefs.
It is time for Reid to find a sense of urgency, understanding that Kansas City is on the edge of missing the playoffs and falling out of relevance. The offense is out of time to wake up on its own; a balanced attack needs to be installed starting in Week 12, and this means a mix of Mahomes handing the ball off more often and Reid calling more direct run plays. These are both clear changes that must be made if the Kansas City season is going to turn around as the Chiefs continue to fight to get back into the postseason picture.