unoriginal
In the Starting Line-Up
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The Kansas City Chiefs are basically a bigger, stronger and slower version of the Indianapolis Colts defense; they share the same Tampa 2 pedigree, but are built for grass, not turf. Consequently they are better run-stoppers than pass-rushers. They don't penetrate to the extent the Colts do, instead they try to manhandle the interior line with their tackles, fill the frontside with the linebackers, and have the backside end crash down the line and grab the back before he can pick through the trash.
As you can see from the play chart, I graded running plays for this game, not just pass protection:
Note how many bubble screens the Pats ran to slot receivers and running backs, to try to punish the DEs for crashing inside.
The Patriots had all kinds of trouble solving the Chiefs run defense, primarily because the guards got no movement, and the tight ends had a hard time blocking anybody.
Here is an illustrative example:
This simple off-tackle play involves the 6-man line (Spach at tight end) blocking right, excluding Kaczur who seals the Sam inside to create something of a lane. Light is moving to reach the Will linebacker, leaving the backside end unblocked, which is fairly common for an off-tackle play.
As you can see, the running back starts too deep, and the play develops too slowly to leave the backside DE unblocked. The problem is compounded by Spach being beat by the frontside DE. Both converge on Lamont Jordan for the tackle.
Here is an excellent example of a half-time adjustment:
Add a fullback and have him trap block the backside DE, so he can't crash down the LOS. But again, the block is missed (by Evans) and the play is too slow to evade backside pursuit.
So if a fullback can't block the KC DEs, why not try a guard...
Here they pull Mankins and use him to lead on the frontside DE, while the rest of the line blocks down. But three things go wrong: (1) Mankins lead block still isn't good enough to get Maroney out the backfield without cutting, (2) removing Mankins from the backside lets KC crunch the line and fill the cutback lanes, and (3) Yates misses his block on the frontside linebacker. Because of (1), Maroney takes too long to get to the LOS. Because of (2), Maroney has to run parallel to the LOS, and because of (3), Derrick Johnson simply runs Maroney down at the LOS.
Clearly we need more people frontside to open running lanes. So lets try leaving the backside DE unblocked again, maybe he's tired...
Wrong.
Incidentally, that's Yates eating turf.
As you can see from the play chart, I graded running plays for this game, not just pass protection:
Code:
14:54 1 & 10
14:27 2 & 4
13:53 1 & 10 Yates (pressure)
13:50 2 & 10
13:09 3 & 3 Light (pressure)
12:58 1 & 10 screen
12:23 1 & 10
12:18 2 & 10 screen
10:52 1 & 10 Mankins (late to Johnson in zone)
10:16 2 & 6
09:40 1 & 10 Spach (just bad)
09:03 1 & 10
08:22 2 & 1 Kaczur, Brady (knockdown)
08:17 3 & 1
07:38 1 & 10 Morris (knockdown) Yates (pressure)
01:36 1 & 10 Yates (knocked aside by Tyler), Thomas (beaten inside by Hall)
00:58 2 & 11 Entire line (went backwards a yard [guards], or blocked nobody [tackles])
00:21 3 & 11 Koppen (pressure) Yates (pressure)
15:00 1 & 10
14:35 2 & 1 bubble screen
13:59 1 & 10 screen
13:17 2 & 8 Spach (doesn't get to Johnson)
12:43 1 & 10 Mankins (pressure)
12:17 2 & 3 Thomas (offsides)
11:53 2 & 8
11:49 3 & 8
09:51 1 & 10 Yates (no movement)
09:16 2 & 5 Spach (can't seal D. Williams)
08:35 3 & 4
07:28 1 & 10 Mankins (sack)
06:56 2 & 18 Light (knockdown) Maroney (uncalled block in the back)
06:14 3 & 7 Light (pressure)
09:15 1 & 10 Evans (missed block)
08:40 2 & 13 Yates (pressure)
08:02 3 & 8
07:28 1 & 10 Yates, Thomas (****ty 2nd level blocks)
06:53 2 & 9 bubble screen
06:29 1 & 10
05:50 2 & 4 bubble screen
05:14 3 & 1 Spach (beaten inside)
04:36 1 & 10 Thomas (poor reach block)
03:46 1 & 10 Thomas (poor angle block)
03:05 1 & 5
12:58 1 & 10 Light (batted ball)
12:54 2 & 10 Mankins (never controlled block)
12:09 3 & 8 Morris (sack)
09:29 1 & 10
08:48 2 & 2 Yates (can't hold block)
08:13 3 & 1
07:21 1 & 10
06:42 2 & 9
06:06 3 & 3
05:24 1 & 10 Koppen (went backwards)
04:45 2 & 5 Kaczur (beaten inside)
04:06 3 & 9
03:25 1 & 10
02:46 2 & 6 Spach (backwards, holding) Mankins (no movement) Yates (nothing productive)
02:42 2 & 16
02:35 3 & 5
The Patriots had all kinds of trouble solving the Chiefs run defense, primarily because the guards got no movement, and the tight ends had a hard time blocking anybody.
Here is an illustrative example:
This simple off-tackle play involves the 6-man line (Spach at tight end) blocking right, excluding Kaczur who seals the Sam inside to create something of a lane. Light is moving to reach the Will linebacker, leaving the backside end unblocked, which is fairly common for an off-tackle play.
As you can see, the running back starts too deep, and the play develops too slowly to leave the backside DE unblocked. The problem is compounded by Spach being beat by the frontside DE. Both converge on Lamont Jordan for the tackle.
Here is an excellent example of a half-time adjustment:
Add a fullback and have him trap block the backside DE, so he can't crash down the LOS. But again, the block is missed (by Evans) and the play is too slow to evade backside pursuit.
So if a fullback can't block the KC DEs, why not try a guard...
Here they pull Mankins and use him to lead on the frontside DE, while the rest of the line blocks down. But three things go wrong: (1) Mankins lead block still isn't good enough to get Maroney out the backfield without cutting, (2) removing Mankins from the backside lets KC crunch the line and fill the cutback lanes, and (3) Yates misses his block on the frontside linebacker. Because of (1), Maroney takes too long to get to the LOS. Because of (2), Maroney has to run parallel to the LOS, and because of (3), Derrick Johnson simply runs Maroney down at the LOS.
Clearly we need more people frontside to open running lanes. So lets try leaving the backside DE unblocked again, maybe he's tired...
Wrong.
Incidentally, that's Yates eating turf.