{"id":1594,"date":"2016-09-14T17:04:19","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T21:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=1594"},"modified":"2021-03-20T13:19:21","modified_gmt":"2021-03-20T17:19:21","slug":"kansas-city-chiefs-week-two-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2016\/09\/14\/kansas-city-chiefs-week-two-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"Kansas City Chiefs Week Two Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Against the San Diego Chargers<\/strong>, the Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong> only had one offensive line starter from the last time the team saw the field against the New England Patriots in the 2015 NFL Playoffs, left tackle, New England Patriots<\/strong> in the 2015 NFL Playoffs, left tackle, Eric Fisher<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 The rest of the offensive line for week one of the 2016 season was rookie left guard Parker Ehringer<\/strong>, second-year center Mitch Morse<\/a><\/strong>, second-year right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif<\/a><\/strong> and former Cleveland Brown Mitchell Schwartz<\/a><\/strong> at right tackle.\u00a0 Still, this line up is considered to be an improvement over last years offensive line, particularly at the right tackle position.\u00a0 The unit seemed to struggle against the Chargers in the first half, but not everything was necessarily the fault of the hogs up front.\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a look at the\u00a0game against the Chargers and look ahead to week two against the Houston Texans <\/strong>to see where the Kansas City Chiefs week two focus should be.<\/p>\n

Kansas City Chiefs Week Two Focus<\/h2>\n

First Quarter \u2013 Spencer Ware<\/a>\u00a0Runs For No Gain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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As you can see, the Chargers line up in a three-man front with two outside linebackers.\u00a0 They are in the nickel defense, with an extra defensive back on the field.\u00a0 At the snap, the nose tackle, who was lined up to the right of center Mitch Morse<\/a>, engages both Morse and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif<\/a>.\u00a0 The left defensive end performs a stunt move, coming behind the nose tackle, running free into the backfield.<\/p>\n

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In this image, you can see the left defensive end with a clear path to running back Spencer Ware<\/a>.\u00a0 Morse dropped his head and missed the end coming around on the stunt.\u00a0 The result of this play was a gain of zero, putting the Chiefs in a 2nd<\/sup> and 10.<\/p>\n

First Quarter \u2013 Alex Smith<\/a>\u00a0Fumble, Eric Fisher<\/a>\u00a0Holding Penalty (Both Negated)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On this play, the Chargers again showed two down defensive linemen and an outside linebacker with his hand in the dirt.\u00a0 At the snap, the two linemen performed a stunt, crossing paths, trying to create a free run to the quarterback.<\/p>\n

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As you can see, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Mitch Morse do a great job trading off their rushers and stopping the stunt in its tracks.\u00a0 Unfortunately, on this play, Eric Fisher was beaten by the outside linebacker on his play (due in part to a poor attempt at\u00a0a chip block by Albert Wilson<\/a><\/strong>), which forced Smith to move up in the pocket, where he was hit and fumbled the ball.\u00a0 The Chargers recovered, but the play was negated thanks to a defensive holding penalty by the Chargers.<\/p>\n

Second Quarter \u2013 Charcandick West, Loss of Five Yards<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This play is highlighted for a couple of reasons, both of them negatives.\u00a0 Before Alex Smith<\/a> can even hand the ball off, this play is over.\u00a0 Ehringer gets beat off the snap by the nose tackle, who crosses his face from his right.\u00a0 To make things worse for West, Duvernay-Tardif fails to pick up the blitzing linebacker, who has a clear path to the back field.\u00a0 Plays like this are what got the Chiefs in third and longs throughout most of the first half.<\/p>\n

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Second Quarter \u2013 Alex Smith Incomplete Pass<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It didn\u2019t take long to see that the young guys were understanding what they were missing.\u00a0 Here, the two down linemen cross, trying to confuse Duvernay-Tardif.\u00a0 However, the right defensive end is correctly passed to Morse and Ehringer while Duvernay-Tardif takes on the stunting lineman from the other side.<\/p>\n

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Third quarter \u2013 Alex Smith to Spencer Ware 45-yard Pass<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Eric Fisher and the rookie Parker Ehringer correctly handle this stunt and give Smith enough time to find Ware on an angle route across the middle.\u00a0 This was a 45 yard gain, which really started to turn the momentum in Kansas City\u2019s favor.\u00a0 You will notice in the second picture that Fisher may<\/em> have gotten away with hands to the face.<\/p>\n

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As the game progressed, it was clear that the line was getting better at recognizing the stunts and reacting to them as they needed to.\u00a0 Blitz pickups were handled well, allowing Smith to move around in the pocket and throw to his targets down the field.\u00a0 If not for the quick improvement by the offensive line, the comeback in Sunday\u2019s game may not have happened.<\/p>\n

The Houston Texans<\/h3>\n

In week two, the Chiefs face a much more daunting task. The Houston Texans are much more talented in their front seven than the San Diego Chargers.\u00a0 Their defensive line is composed of All-Pro<\/strong> end J.J. Watt<\/a><\/strong>, former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney<\/a><\/strong> and perennial pro bowler Vince Wilfork<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 The Texans don\u2019t necessarily use a lot of stunts to provide pressure, as it\u2019s not needed with the speed of their front seven. Let\u2019s now take a look at some of the looks and blitzes the Texans ran in the season-opening win against the Chicago Bears<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Exotic Looks<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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What you see here is one of the many exotic looks that Texans\u2019 defensive coordinator (and former Chiefs head coach) Romeo Crennel<\/strong> will throw at you.\u00a0 From left to right, you have a defensive end, a nickel cornerback, an inside linebacker, an outside linebacker, another outside linebacker, and a defensive end.\u00a0 Certainly, the offensive line has sort of an idea who they are going to block at the snap. Presumably, they take the man lined up across from them, and work their way through stunts as they happen.\u00a0 But here is what happens when the ball is snapped:<\/p>\n

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The inside linebacker and nickel corner drop into coverage, the right defensive end, and outside linebacker perform a stunt, which is only done to try to occupy blockers and free up the blitzing cornerback, who was previously not in the picture.\u00a0 The Bears do a very good job of picking up everything that was thrown at them on this play.\u00a0 The result was a 13-yard gain.<\/p>\n

Blitzing Linebackers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Romeo Crennel knows how to use his players.\u00a0 At the snap, Vince Wilfork<\/a> crashes down the line, completely taking all of the center’s attention.\u00a0 Because of this, the two inside linebackers are free to rush the A-gap, completely killing any chance for play development. The full-back has no time to get to the block. Here, the center should have let the right guard handle Wilfork and focused on the first linebacker through the gap.<\/p>\n

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This was a play action pass that was over as quickly as it began.\u00a0 Jay Cutler<\/a> was able to throw it away to avoid a sack, preserving nine yards in the process.<\/p>\n

Romeo, Oh Romeo\u2026.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Romeo Crennel sure likes to mix things up.\u00a0 This is a front very similar to the one we\u2019ve already seen.\u00a0 But you can never expect the same two things from a Crennel run defense.<\/p>\n

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Here, we see the middle and left linebackers perform a stunt to create a path to the quarterback.\u00a0 Similarly, the right outside linebacker engages, then tries to circle around the already engaged defensive end, trying to come around the edge to the quarterback as well.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, the Chiefs can expect much of the same from the Texans\u2019 defense.\u00a0 It\u2019s worth noting that the plays shown above all came within the first nine minutes of the football game.<\/p>\n

Throughout, Crennel brought pressure with linebackers, corners, and safeties.\u00a0 With the speed coming off of the edge and the more talented players in the middle, it will be a much larger test for the young Kansas City offensive line.\u00a0 Expect to see the Texans focus their attacks on the less experienced interior, particularly the two young guards in Duvernay-Tardif and Ehringer.\u00a0 The Chiefs may consider keeping an extra tight end in to block to help with the speed of the Texans\u2019 front seven.<\/p>\n

BONUS PLAY: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Block on Jahleel Addae<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jahleel Addae<\/a> has earned a bit of a reputation among Chiefs fans as a dirty headhunter.\u00a0 You might recall games last year where he hit Alex Smith late on a couple of different quarter back slides or the fact that Addae was responsible for De\u2019Anthony Thomas<\/a><\/strong>\u2019 concussion that cost him almost half of a season.\u00a0 This past Sunday, Addae was flagged for a helmet to helmet hit on wide receiver Jeremy Maclin<\/a><\/strong>, which will surely draw a fine from the league office.\u00a0 During the game, however, Addae was absolutely destroyed by Chiefs right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. Check out the sequence below:<\/p>\n

Duvernay-Tardif lines Addae up<\/p>\n

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Contact initiated<\/p>\n

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Addae is pancaked while Tyreek Hill<\/a><\/strong> walks into the end zone<\/p>\n

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Main Photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n