KC defensive breakdown vs Indy

[mgcolby]

KC Defense vs Colts Breakdown



Some quick notes first and then some examples. (If someone has the time to add the all 22 video to the example plays later in the post please do)

• Colts were beyond vanilla almost exclusively 11 personnel 56 out of 61 plays. Once they got down by 14 they abandoned any other formation except spread
  
  
• The KC defense did not play “great” and the D Line was not all over Luck as the media will have you believe. They had a couple of key plays Tipped Balls and a strip sack. Outside of that Luck pretty much sat in a clean pocket
  
  
• Luck was terrible no other way to say it, multiple bad throws, bad/late reads leading to missed opportunities, missed open receivers
  
  
• WR’s didn’t help either with dropped balls at key moments
  
  
• Colts pretty much abandoned the run which was probably due to the horrendous run blocking. Absolutely terrible run blocking. Whiffed blocks, not sustaining blocks – literally just stopped blocking.
  
  
• Secondary coverage had some really good moments in coverage, but overall there were a lot of WR’s running wide open in the secondary and Luck either didn’t see them or threw an inaccurate ball and in at least two key moments the receivers dropped the ball.
  
  
• This game was more about the lack of execution by Indy more than it was about KC playing good defense. * Disclaimer: This surprised me after watching the game live. I knew they missed a few opportunities with drops.
  
  
• KC was in zone on 40 out of 61 plays or 65%
  
  
• KC LB’s have trouble covering the flat
  
  
• KC didn’t do much blitzing, I only noted 3 blitzes (probably didn’t write down 1 or 2) for the most part it was a 4 man rush
  
  
• LB’s can get lost in zone coverage at times
  
  
• RB’s were open in the flat Luck didn’t look at them
  

Examples (sorry but don’t have time to add video)

• Play 1 on KC defense
  
  • Indy 11 personnel, TE goes in motion R to L, Hand off to Mack they leave the back side defender unblocked by the OL and the TE whiffs on the comeback block, tackle for loss, open running lane if not caught in the backfield
    
• Play 2 on KC defense
  
  • Colts go 12 personnel, Z motion reverse toss, should be a huge gain but Mack makes a bad read cuts back inside, LB whiffs on the tackle allowing a 10 yard gain but if Mack actually runs into the proper lane its one on one with a safety in the open field.
    
• Play 3 on KC defense
  
  • Ebron wide open drops a first down
    
• Play 4 on KC defense
  
  • TE becomes wide open, Luck is late on the read, no pressure clean pocket, ball is tipped at the line. What stands out is the D-Lineman has his hand up for a second or two prior to Luck throwing the ball and Luck makes no adjustment to get the ball around the defender’s hand.
    
• Play 5 on KC defense
  
  • KC bites hard on the PA, OL gives great protection, TE has a delayed release, Houston does a great job of getting in the lane and batting down the ball.
    
• Play 9 on KC defense
  
  • Great coverage, WR’s are unable to get any separation
    
• Play 10 on KC defense
  
  • Great example of the NT beating the guard to the point and blowing up the play. Mack had a chance to cut back but did not. I point this one out because this is a situation where Sony’s vision and cutback ability could come into play. As well as play 2 above.
    
• Play 11 on KC Defense (not going to do all of them I promise)
  
  • Bubble screen and the OL doesn’t even attempt to drive block or hold his block which ends what could have been a big play.
    
• Play 22 on KC Defense (3rd play on 1st drive of the 2nd half)
  
  • Luck scrambles out of the pocket and misses #15 sitting wide open in the soft intermediate outside zone.
    

Those are just some examples of mostly Indy not executing.


Things I think the Pats will do offensively

• Use the heavy (22) personnel package early and often
  
  
• Establishing the pass out of the 22 personnel package via Play action and RB swing passes
  
  
• This is a great advantage the Pats have as they can motion from a tight 22 (double TE’s on the line) with Develin and Michel or White in the backfield into multiple spread formations creating mismatches
  
  
• I expect them to run a hurry up, but slow down (no huddle, but milking the play clock) offense out of 21 and 22 personnel early to take advantage of the mismatches, KC’s LBs are not good in coverage.
  
  
• Once/if they establish a lead they will settle in with the power run.
  
  
• This will give the Pats the ability to take a few well timed shots down field
  
  
• I expect Gronk to be more of a factor in the passing game this week, he blocked so much last week and will most likely do so again this week that I expect some sneaky chip and go seem routes once they establish the Play action and Run
  
  
• The Pats for the most part are going to do what they normally do. They will not have to get to tricky or cute against this defense.
  
  
• My biggest concern is ball security, especially with Sony in the run game and Patterson in the return game. The cold weather has a tendency to help put the ball on the ground.
  

As cliché as it sounds, if the Pats don’t turn the ball over, execute cleanly and somewhat control the clock they will have no problem putting up points against the Chiefs.


I will try to break down the KC offense but honestly probably won’t have time, have a family medical emergency that brought me to Maine yesterday and this helped take my mind off of it this morning. But if I get some more downtime I will jump on the O side.

 

[turkeyneck]

Nice write-up. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Your take on the game supports what I saw - that it was not so much what KC did to the Colts as what the Colts did to themselves.

Before the Pats/LAC game I feared that the Pats might go the same route. Seeing how much health, rest, and coaching worked wonders last Sunday, I don't think Pats will kill themselves at KC.

 

[BelichickFan]

 

[n6249c]

Thanks. Hope the family situation resolved as well as possible. Best wishes to you and your family.

 

[ALP]

watching game live, it was incredible in the sense that the opposing offense is supposed to try and make things difficult for the defense they're playing against...but the Colts seems to make it as easy as possible for KC to play D

i can't take anything from that game as far as KC D goes (in terms that its improving) the Colts offense gave in from get go without even any adversity, where areas we took it from SD in our game

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Found this on Reddit and thought it would be a good complement to the discussion. Some really nice GIFs from our last meeting.

 

[BobDigital]

One of the the best games to look at to examine the KC D is the most recent. Sadly I don't have the all 11 so I'll look at some things which stuck out to me in the NFL highlights.



The first play I wanna talk about is at 3:43.

A 3rd and 6. What jumps out to me here is how smart the defense is playing this. While I question their talent outside of the front 4, they know where they're suppose to be. 5 men are hovering around the first down line and waiting to jump off any underneath route while one man matches up on the vertical WR. The exact way it should be played if smart. While there would have been an open man if Luck pumped right and went back to hit Pascal I like the way KC played it. This is a D that looks like they know where to be and you need to manipulate them a little to open things up or run more creative plays than the Colts did. As expect by a well coach but overall untalented defense. You need to make them think and hesitate just a bit. But that has happened a lot to them this year and the Patriots did it a lot in week 6. We just can't get lazy, line up and run our routes is all like Indy did.

The next play I found interesting was 5:22.

Anthony Hitches (53) does this interesting stunt. He waits until the OL is committed to their blocks and then fakes playing a zone only to run around the edge towards the QB. I could see them trying to do something like this against Brady. The issue is that it takes a little extra time to get there, but if done right there will be no one to block him as the OL will (and should) be totally focused on closing off the edge against Houston and Ford. Just a stunt Brady and BB need to be aware it. The blitz should open up someone though.

6:03 Goal line with 0:08 left in the half.

Much like the 3rd down play I mentioned we see KC crowding the goal line and rushing 4. At first it looks like Luck has no where to go with the ball. On a 2nd viewing you notice just how flat footed the defenders are in their zones, and the holes that can be opened. Instead of a fade pass to a scrub TE in a bad jump ball attempt; imagine if you did a timing route to Rogers (80) just as he makes his cut. That is a good way to attack a tight zone D. Run directly at a defender so that you are in the middle of his zone, so no one gives him help, then break away at the last second to the side against the flat footed defender. If done right the defense has no chance. This is something Brady and Edelman should look to do in a similar situation. Easy money.

9:04

This is where Indy lost any chance to come back. The near instant give back turnover simply isn't acceptable here. It's a teachable moment. The LOS is at the 20 and the strip sack takes place with the ball held at the 29 yard line. While this DL tends to get a decent push up the middle you need to do a few things better. #1 Not let them push your interior back OVER 5 yards and #2 Not dropping back more than 8 yards if you can help it. The further you go back the more effectively these talented edge rushers can use their speed. If you drop back that far you are putting your OT in a bad spot. It increases the angle they have on the QB. That isn't to say you can never drop back that deep, but that needs to be in the back of your mind when you do.

 

[MassPats38]

My general read on that game was, as you set out in detail, Indy stunk on ice and never took the field. Any effort to turn that statistical performance into a claim KC finally found a defense is weak at best.

The Pats offense will be playing the same defense torched earlier, now in a hostile environment, and the defense will be contending with a lesser RB than Hunt. If the offense doesn't blow itself up with 5 false starts, then the outcome should be similar to the last game. If there are a ton of penalties on the offense, then there could definitely be problems as KC will score points.

 

[ViperGTS]

I watched that game live and wasn’t impressed. Luck was sh*t, and Indy could maybe even should have won the game had he played better and AV make some kicks.

 

[BelichickFan]

Film Room: New England's Offense | Football Outsiders

 

[mgcolby]

Film Room: New England's Offense | Football Outsiders

I almost mentioned that KC pressed a lot but never jammed. But I disagree with the defense and causing disruption caused the Colts to play bad.

Luck overlooked wide open receivers the whole game. But they never came out of 11 after the 1st quarter almost zero adjustments that I noticed.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Run baby run

 

[Dragda]

Did KC play with the middle of the field open or closed? Brady feasts on an open middle but often takes the check down when forced to throw outside.

 

[mgcolby]

Did KC play with the middle of the field open or closed? Brady feasts on an open middle but often takes the check down when forced to throw outside.

They attempted to blanket the middle like you would expect in cover 2 they played their boxes but sometimes would over lap each other as one defender would stay to far into the other defenders AOR as a receiver ran a crossing route. In Man 1 the LBs were very beatable one on one. I am not going to guess how they play us but it will be interesting to see what they go with more zone or more man.