5 issues we realized from the Chiefs’ Week 16 win over the Texans

Positive… Saturday’s sport wasn’t excellent.

Through the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans, the AFC West champions suffered some accidents. Go safety continued to be a piece in progress — and the Kansas Metropolis offense continues to be struggling to hit on large performs.

However the Chiefs have been going through playoff workforce — one other division champion, in reality — with a stable protection and one of many league’s greatest younger quarterbacks: C.J. Stroud. Nonetheless, the Chiefs trailed for less than 5:31 of the second quarter. They despatched the Texans again to the Lone Star State with a extra decisive victory than the scoreboard indicated.

Listed below are 5 issues we realized.

1. That is the receiving corps we have been promised

Photograph by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures

I don’t suppose there was ever a priority about how extensive receiver Hollywood Brown would match into the combo when he returned from damage. And that’s what we noticed on Saturday. Regardless of taking part in in a restricted position whereas working his method again into the combo, Brown seemed to be each little bit of the electrical playmaker we anticipated him to be.

His athleticism is a superb distinction to a big-bodied technician like DeAndre Hopkins, giving the Chiefs one other authentic deep risk who can take a few of the defensive consideration away from first-year speedster Xavier Worthy, whose improvement continues to profit from taking part in alongside this group of veterans.

It’s taken some time, however the variety of holding penalties dedicated by Houston’s secondary on Saturday exhibits that Kansas Metropolis’s receiving corps has developed into a really harmful (and well-rounded) unit.

2. Joe Thuney is “The Dark Knight”

From this season’s countless turmoil at left sort out, a hero has risen. He’s conserving bloodthirsty move rushers from murdering quarterback Patrick Mahomes within the backfield.

No… Thuney isn’t a prototypical left sort out. It’s not even his greatest place. However the ninth-year professional is there battling (and holding his personal) in opposition to a few of the NFL’s greatest sack artists — like Batman saving Gotham Metropolis from a military of supervillains.

Whereas it’s not surprising that Thuney can maintain his personal on the skin, it demonstrates what a particular participant he’s. If the Chiefs safe the postseason’s No. 1 seed, his heroics could have performed an enormous half in making that occur.

3. The West Coast offense seems good on the Chiefs

Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures

No… that wasn’t Questlove, Black Thought and the remainder of the enduring Philadelphia hip-hop group “The Roots” calling the Chiefs’ offensive performs on Saturday. It was simply plain ol’ Andy Reid calling a sport plan that performed to the strengths of his offense — whereas mitigating its weaknesses.

It wasn’t something revolutionary. The offensive plan merely offered pass-protection assist for the left aspect of the road, rolled Mahomes away from stress and targeted on brief, high-percentage passes.

On this method, it was a wonderful instance of Invoice Walsh’s traditional West Coast offense (which Reid realized with the Inexperienced Bay Packers underneath Walsh disciple Mike Holmgren), up to date for the twenty first century by placing Mahomes within the shotgun formation and sprinkling some extensive receiver screens (and some bootlegs) into the combo.

And boy howdy! It was enjoyable to look at.

Photograph by Jason Hanna/Getty Pictures

The NFL has an rising interception artist on its fingers. It’s all the time appeared prefer it was solely a matter of time earlier than cornerback Trent McDuffie began choosing off passes — particularly since this lack of manufacturing was by no means as a consequence of him being out of place or dropping potential picks.

That has now modified. On Saturday, McDuffie recorded his second interception in as many video games — and appears primed for extra of them down the stretch.

Maybe it’s only a coincidence. Or possibly the universe actually is a simulation that has lastly realized McDuffie is a proficient participant whose numbers didn’t match his attributes, so it’s now adjusting by giving him turnovers in bunches — very similar to Madden’s catch-up characteristic that kicks in if you’re beating the pc by too many factors: it makes your gamers fumble the ball at random.

5. The Chiefs are prepared for the playoffs

Photograph by Jason Hanna/Getty Pictures

For all of the hand-wringing Kansas Metropolis followers do yearly — and for the larger-than-usual pattern of shut victories on this explicit season — it seems like we’re headed for the standard postseason custom: Kansas Metropolis is primed to place the items collectively at simply the appropriate time and go on a deep playoff run. This can be a workforce that may win within the playoffs.

On Saturday, the move rush prompted Stroud sufficient issues that he was uncomfortable within the pocket. The secondary held its personal, going toe-to-toe with an excellent receiving unit. And for probably the most half, the protection restricted Houston’s working sport.

Regardless of being injured, Mahomes orchestrated the offense properly. Function gamers like working again Samaje Perine did their half. Veterans like Travis Kelce used their expertise to help their teammates — and when it was time to bear down late within the fourth quarter, the Chiefs have been capable of slam the door by working the ball down Houston’s throat.

And one different factor…

Houston defensive sort out Tim Settle Jr. makes threats — not guarantees.

Play silly video games. Win silly prizes.