National Football League

Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs' offense show patience, discipline to get back on track

Published Nov. 18, 2021 2:35 p.m. ET

By Bucky Brooks
FOX Sports NFL Analyst

Don't look now, but the Kansas City Chiefs have climbed back to the top of the AFC West and are beginning to look like the team that has rightfully sat on the throne for the past five seasons.

Andy Reid’s crew have seemingly figured out the problems that led to a slow start, which should make opponents quiver at the prospect of facing a new and improved version of the Chiefs in the coming weeks.

While I am not ready to suggest that Kansas City is back to its dynastic ways on each side of the ball, the team is starting to round into form and has the potential to reemerge as the favorite in the AFC.

That is not a dismissal of the Titans, Bills, Ravens or any other team currently in the mix for a top playoff seed, but everyone around the league knows that the Chiefs’ offense is a nightmare to defend, with the ultimate QB1 slinging the rock to an Olympic-level sprint relay team on the perimeter.

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Patrick Mahomes and his trio of pass-catchers (Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman) have always threatened opponents with their individual and collective speed and explosiveness. The group has accounted for 177 receptions, 2,001 yards and 14 touchdowns this season while generating 20 big plays (passes of 20-plus yards) in an offense that has the capacity to put up points from anywhere on the field.

Considering the production of the Chiefs’ offense, particularly Hill and Kelce, with No. 15 at the helm, I am not surprised that opponents started the 2021 season following the blueprint established by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

In their upset, the Buccaneers blitzed on only five of the Chiefs’ 52 dropbacks (9.6% blitz rate) while opting to play coverage instead of ramping up the pressure. In addition to dialing back the pressures, the Bucs played an extensive amount of two-deep coverage, with the safeties parked at 15 yards prior to the snap. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles called some form of two-deep coverage (man or zone) on 59 of 68 defensive plays, with the intention of taking away the deep ball.

By eliminating the big play with the positioning of the safety, Bowles wanted to test the patience and discipline of Mahomes while frustrating a group of pass-catchers addicted to producing highlight plays. Eliminating the big plays not only stalled the Chiefs’ offense but also removed some of the juice and energy from the squad.

For Mahomes, the soft coverage employed by the Buccaneers and other opponents prevented him from tapping into his superhero powers. The five-star talent — with an elite combination of arm strength, athleticism and improvisational skills — was forced to play like a traditional pocket passer. Instead of wowing with no-look passes and high-arcing rainbows over the heads of defenders, Mahomes had to settle for check-downs and underneath routes that would move the chains but not excite the crowd.

Remember, the Chiefs have been the NFL version of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for the past few seasons. From the spectacular passes to the extraordinary runs by the team’s talented playmakers, the Chiefs’ three-ring circus entertained like nothing else.

That’s why the lack of sizzle this season led to the team’s top players acting out of character and attempting to do too much when they touched the rock. As a result, the Chiefs were turning the ball over at an alarming rate, and the giveaways kept the team from winning, despite the superior talent on the perimeter.

To his credit, Reid suggested that things would change once his team started to play the right way. During their recent three-game winning streak, the Chiefs committed only three turnovers after surrendering 17 in their first seven games. Mahomes has certainly played his part in the improvement, with seven touchdowns and one giveaway (a Week 8 interception) in that span.

This weekend is huge for the Chiefs due to a potential Super Bowl LVI preview against the Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX). The NFC East leaders are emerging as a force featuring a high-powered offense and an opportunistic defense that specializes in taking the ball away. Mike McCarthy has the team embracing a complementary approach that requires each phase to work together to scratch out wins.

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For the Cowboys, the ideal plan involves the offense playing a game of "keep-away" by slowing the game down with efficient passes and hard-hitting runs. The goal is to surpass 75-plus offensive plays and 30 minutes in time of possession. That keeps the opposing offense on the sideline and limits the defense’s exposure.

The "turtle" strategy can help the Cowboys keep the game close, but the defense will need to play an A-level game to keep the Chiefs from turning it into a track meet. Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn would be wise to feature three- and four-man rushes with max coverage behind it.

Although the Cowboys have played more single-high safety looks, Quinn could call more split safety coverage on Sunday. That would force Mahomes to show that he has an answer for one of the tactics that worked well against the Chiefs earlier this season.

If Mahomes & Co. can stay patient and disciplined against the umbrella coverages designed to take away the deep balls and big plays, the Chiefs will send a message to the football world that the most dangerous offense in football is back and ready to roll.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports and regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself." He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and is a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast.