The halfway point of the NFL season is upon us, and the AFC West and AFC South are both up for grabs in this crucial matchup. This week the Kansas City Chiefs go on the road to take on the Indianapolis Colts. The Chiefs are coming off back-to-back wins against teams with explosive offenses and poor defenses, and this Sunday should be no different as they face Andrew Luck. Here are the Chiefs keys to victory for week eight.
Kansas City Chiefs Week Eight Keys to Victory
Prevent Big Plays Downfield by Pressuring Andrew Luck
With otherworldly talent and deep threat T.Y. Hilton at his disposal, the expected return of Donte Moncrief makes Luck and the Colts passing attack more lethal. When Luck has time (emphasis on When Luck has time), he can make some big throws downfield. The former number-one overall pick, though, is being protected by one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Luck has been sacked and hurried more than any quarterback this season. The line’s inability to pick up stunt and delayed blitzes have made it easy for defenses to manufacture pressure. As the game progresses and Luck gets hit more, he becomes visibly uncomfortable in the pocket and starts checking down frequently, limiting his shots down the field to guys like Hilton. Expect Kansas City to send plenty of delayed blitzes from linebackers and safeties in the box.
Run Misdirection and Read Option Plays
Based off film study, one of Colts glaring weaknesses is the linebacker corps’ inability to defend the read-option; they tend to over-commit, leaving the second option wide open. Although we haven’t seen it much this season, look for Alex Smith to run the ball more. The Chiefs should also utilize Tyreek Hill on jet sweeps and ball fakes to keep the linebackers stationary. These factors will help the Chiefs control both the clock and tempo of the game. Indianapolis already struggles with corralling one featured ballcarrier. But when weapons like Alex Smith, Spencer Ware, Tyreek Hill and Charcandrick West need to be accounted for, they’ll be kept guessing all game long.
Attack the Middle of the Field
The way to attack the Colts defense passing defense is through the middle. The linebackers once again are the weakness because of their sub-par coverage skills. They consistently give up five to ten-yard passes over the middle to slot receivers, tight ends and running backs. With the emergence of Chris Conley in the last few weeks, plenty of spot routes should go his way over the middle. Pair that with slants to Jeremy Maclin and running back button hooks and this offense will have no problem moving the ball, especially considering how poorly the Colts are at making the first tackle. We could see many of these short plays break into something more due to poor tackling. Playing conservatively has been a knock against Andy Reid’s playcalling, but this week it’ll be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Conclusion
Kansas City is the better team of the two this week. They just need to execute their game plan and not turn the ball over. Between the Colts poor offensive line, poor defense and tendency to commit penalties (Third most in the league) the Colts will likely beat themselves.
