Defensive Adjustments for KC

[northernbengal]

(01-26-2022, 11:23 AM)Au165 Wrote: I have spent the week looking back at the week 17 game and also the KC vs Bills game. A couple things stand out and we are going to have to make some adjustments for KC if we want to win this game.

In our first meeting we started out playing MOFO (Middle of Field Open) coverage and had a lot of success but as soon as we went to MOFC (Middle of Field Closed) we got smoked. From that point on almost every time we plays MOFC we got smoked by a KC offense who essentially was waiting for us to do that. The Double Posts TD people lost their mind over that had Apple without inside support was a play specifically drawn up for that (Cover 3 beater). We are going to have to fight our normal tendencies, we usually play almost exclusively MOFC coverages like cover 3 and cover 1.

That said, the Chiefs love to go to a trips set when they need a big play that uses Hill in the slot with Kelce alone opposite in a "nasty split". That nasty split just means instead of being out wide he is a couple yards off the tackle. When KC went here the Bills were playing them in cover 4 and they were "locking" the backside. What that means is they were playing standard quarters to the strength side but used man on the backside against Kelce and the back if he came out. Early in the game they had success with this check but on the play that set up the FG to end regulation they didn't lock the backside which created space for Kelce by forcing the defender wide instead of keeping tight man coverage. If we are going to be forced to play more MOFO coverages like cover 4 I hope we learn from that and make it a set call that we are always going to lock the backside and let the safeties carry 3 (Hill in the slot) vertical into a bracket.

When the Chiefs go into bunch formation and we have a man call we have to know that they are going to pick, and in fact illegally block downfield. The play before the score in OT was an illegal pick play that even on mic'd up you can hear Kelce tell Mahomes he will just go and collide with the defender. When you roll the tape Kelce and Pringle run straight into the two defenders who could get to Hardman coming under, the two down defenders forcing the high defender to come across the block. Not sure if they had a banjo call on but they need to check if 2 and 3 come vertical our inside defender needs to jump inside and take 1 and let the outside guy to run vertical with 2 and the safety to take 3.

All this may sound like gibberish but the bottom line is they are scheming guys open and we need to learn from our game and the Bills games. They are doing some specific things now when they are getting these MOFO coverages that everyone has attacked them with the last half the year and we need to adjust and take it away.

Great Analysis. If I remember correctly the Bucs beat KC by doubling Tyreke and Kelce in a sort of MOFO/ Cover 5 look. This seems to be the key to stopping them but we need to be able to stop the run with a lighter box.