The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs superior to 10-1 in Week 12 with a slim 30-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers. However, because the outdated saying goes, “You’d quite win ugly than lose fairly.”
A win is a win, and the Chiefs’ veteran teaching employees will nonetheless spotlight the ugly victory. The protection allowed the Panthers’ offense to work up and down the sector however didn’t make it straightforward. The run protection was nonetheless strong, however the unit nonetheless pressured lengthy downs.
Linebacker Nick Bolton identified the first difficulty when talking to reporters on Monday.
“Explosive passes. We are able to work on that,” Bolton stated by way of Zoom name. “That’s everyone working collectively. Rush, linebackers, deep guys all working collectively… that’s one thing we will work on and construct on.”
The Chiefs allowed 4 completions of 20 or extra yards to the Panthers’ offense. The primary two fueled scores on the primary two possessions, then the two-minute protection allowed positive aspects of 28 and 21 yards on back-to-back snaps earlier than a subject purpose to shut the primary half.
In whole, Carolina accomplished 11 passes that gained 10 or extra yards. These are the elements that performed into that:
Psychological errors
A number of examples of psychological errors from the #Chiefs move protection
On third downs, KC’s protection has switching rules
B-Cook dinner does not change quick sufficient & permits his man to beat him again inside, then Conner commits to the vertical too laborious & cannot get well to the out breaker pic.twitter.com/Vww7zCuEhY
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) November 26, 2024
These two completions to maneuver the chains have been open as a consequence of delayed reactions from security Bryan Cook dinner on the primary play and security Chamarri Conner on the second. On many move downs, the Chiefs play protection that has man-switching rules. Because the routes develop, a defender’s duty for who he’s protecting might change.
Cook dinner pursues the preliminary receiver he aligns towards too lengthy, permitting the surface receiver to beat him again inside. Conner commits to protecting the vertical route too laborious and doesn’t give himself an opportunity to cowl the out-breaking route that he’s chargeable for in that state of affairs.
Mismatches in protection
For the reason that harm to cornerback Jaylen Watson, the protection has needed to sacrifice the playmaking of Trent McDuffie within the slot. Towards the Panthers, McDuffie performed solely on the perimeter.
The #Chiefs actually miss with the ability to have Trent McDuffie within the slot
Not having belief within the crew’s CBs behind him forces him to remain on the surface for all downs
Conner was by no means imagined to be this 1on1 slot protection man pic.twitter.com/XqcdJ7YkYf
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) November 26, 2024
That creates mismatches like Conner’s one-on-one within the slot. The second-year security has been an impactful participant within the slot alignment all through his profession, however primarily on run downs. His strengths as a participant usually are not straight-away man protection, resulting in straightforward completions like this one on fourth down.
Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson was not the sufferer of many performs in Carolina, however this one exemplifies the problems with the Chiefs’ present group of defensive backs. He will get shaken and performs catch-up towards a decent finish, a matchup that must be favorable for a cornerback.
There are too many defenders getting beat one-on-one.
Simply getting beat
#Chiefs’ recreation plan as to blitz Bryce Younger & danger mismatches 1v1 in protection — like safeties on WRs
Watching these again, laborious to do something however give Bryce Younger credit score for 2 superior throws pic.twitter.com/JDkWbEFjtn
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) November 26, 2024
The Chiefs deliberate for a lot of mismatches that led to the Panthers’ benefits. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wished to make use of the blitz to warmth up quarterback Bryce Younger, and credit score is as a result of younger quarterback for beating the rushes. Every of those completions was made with nice throws; the second move got here with nice anticipation.
This massive completion on a leak path to Thielen was only a nice play design
The movement vs. man forces #Chiefs’ DBs to move off that receiver. Cook dinner requires Reid to select one thing up coming again throughout, however Thielen blocking initially fools him & leaves him in no man’s land pic.twitter.com/pcVQ7uGfvd
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) November 26, 2024
Panthers head coach Dave Canales deserves credit score for a robust recreation plan, and this play might have been the most effective. The Chiefs use man protection on third-and-short, so the Panthers’ pre-snap movement forces the defenders to modify off obligations.
Cook dinner picks up the motioned receiver and factors to Reid, telling him to select up a receiver coming again throughout. The condensed formation hides large receiver Adam Thielen, who blocks initially to disguise his route leaking again to the left. Reid doesn’t see it and is misplaced in house due to it.
The underside line
The Chiefs’ protection and move rush want to search out extra methods to restrict these passes from being simply accomplished. Bolton nonetheless sees robust performs in pursuit and tackling, talking to the 65 yards the Panthers’ working backs gained over 18 makes an attempt.
“I believe we’re getting inhabitants on the ball, which is nice,” Bolton famous. “We missed a pair tackles however they’re not resulting in the explosive performs due to the rallying to the ball. I imagine if the primary man can get him on the bottom, it will possibly result in extra manageable downs for us.”
The defensive chief remains to be main a stout run protection, however he and his teammates can even be searching for methods to get extra stops on move performs.
