Chiefs’ particular groups had been large in opposition to Texans — and now face a tricky Payments workforce

Particular workforce performs had been a major issue within the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ 23-14 Divisional spherical victory over the Houston Texans final Saturday.

One of many largest moments for coordinator Dave Toub’s unit was when linebacker Leo Chenal — simply as he had completed within the Week 10 sport in opposition to the Denver Broncos — blocked a late-game area purpose.

Towards Denver, Chenal’s block on the sport’s ultimate play prevented the Broncos from securing a 17-16 win; Kansas Metropolis received 16-14. On Saturday, Chenal’s large play all however eradicated any probability for Houston — then trailing 23-12 — to attain twice within the ultimate two minutes of the sport.

Photograph by David Eulitt/Getty Photos

In each performs, security Justin Reid performed a key position.

“I mean, he’s the main reason why we’re getting these blocks,” mentioned Toub of the veteran security when he spoke to reporters on Thursday. “He has such a great get-off on the edge, it makes everybody respond to that. It opens up gaps for Leo, who’s like a couple of spots down from him.”

Based on Toub, Reid’s extraordinary get-off is the results of movie examine.

“He watches the snappers’ movements,” defined the coach. “It could be a squeeze into the hand. It could be a dip of the hips — whatever it is — to indicate that the snap is imminent.”

Due to this movie examine, Toub mentioned Reid was basically “tied to the football” on two of Houston’s area purpose makes an attempt. However whereas Reid has been capable of create distractions which have helped the workforce make these blocks, Toub nonetheless wished to emphasise Chenal’s position.

“You just tell Leo, ‘Leo, this is the time,’” smiled Toub, “and he goes and gets it. He’s a beast — he really is.”

Nonetheless — simply as Toub famous after the Denver sport — these blocks are taking place as a result of the workforce has discovered particular weaknesses on movie that it could actually exploit.

“Snappers are different,” he defined, ”[so] we now have a sport plan; it’s not each week. If we now have any individual completely different that doesn’t give us [a tell], then we don’t do it. We simply dial in on the soccer — and go on the ball.”

On a really windy day on GEHA Subject at Arrowhead Stadium, the Texans’ placekicker Ka’imi Fairbairn additionally missed one other area purpose — and an additional level, too. However the Chiefs’ Harrison Butker made all 5 of his kicks.

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“He’s a great manager of the wind,” mentioned Toub of Butker. “He understands the wind and the way a lot [it affects his kicks]. In his pregame warmup, he’ll strive completely different stuff [to] determine [the wind] out. And he kicks so much pregame — and by the point he will get to the sport, he’s dialed in.

“Now, sometimes the wind changes during the game. That’s why you’ll see him periodically walk out on the field [to] check things; he’s always doing that. So [we have] total confidence in him — especially during the playoffs.”

Toub additionally believes that Buker is totally recovered from his midseason knee surgical procedure.

“I think he just needed more kicks,” he theorized. “I imply, he had that operation on his left leg — his plant leg. That’s the one he will get his energy from. He vegetation that leg — and that energy comes out of that leg that’s being pushed into the bottom.

“I think over these weeks since the surgery, I think he’s back. The last couple of weeks in practice, he’s been good — and in the game, [he] was excellent.”

So was huge receiver Nikko Remigio, who was activated from the roster when huge receiver Mecole Hardman was positioned on the Reserve/Injured record in early December. Now that Hardman will miss the remainder of the season, Remigio will proceed to hold a lot of the kick-return duties. He began Sunday’s sport with an exciting 63-yard return that arrange the Chiefs’ opening area purpose.

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“He’s doing a really good job,” mentioned Toub, clearly happy with what he’s seen. “I mean, it’s been six weeks now [that] he’s been up. Every week, we’re getting more and more confident in him [in both] punt returns and kick returns. He’s just been a pleasant [surprise] to have him do so well. It’s good to see it.”

He isn’t prone to be the one good kick returner who will likely be enjoying when the Chiefs face the Buffalo Payments on this Sunday’s AFC Championship. When the groups met in Week 11, defensive again Brandon Codrington was returning kicks for the Payments. Whereas he isn’t on this week’s harm report, he missed the final two video games with a hamstring harm. Buffalo changed him with huge receiver Khalil Shakir, who has impressed the Chiefs’ coaches.

“You [saw] it against Denver,” famous Toub, “the place he made an entire bunch of individuals miss [on] a punt return. He’s a superb strong catcher. He doesn’t have loads of reps in video games, however [he’s] very harmful. We expect he is likely to be even higher than [Codrington] — however each of them are harmful.

[The Bills] are actually good within the within the return sport. They don’t make loads of errors — penalty-wise — on particular groups. They’re fairly strong there; they don’t beat themselves. [They’re] nicely coached. It’s going to be a tricky battle.”