The problem isn’t that Chiefs get cute in red zone. The problem is little else works
We’ve talked plenty about the Chiefs’ collection of trick plays this season, one assortment sparked by a Patrick Mahomes idea and furthered by the creativity of Andy Reid. Heck, even the name of the plays make for good material.
But the point of a trick play is more than flare. It’s to score touchdowns. “We’re not making a mockery of the thing,” as Reid put it.
The Chiefs’ tricks have been effective this season.
Problem is, little else has been as of late.
The Chiefs red-zone output is turning into a complication, if not an outright worry a month shy of the postseason. It’s done enough damage to leave opposing teams — the Buccaneers and Broncos — in games for longer than they’ve earned. They Chiefs have converted only 57.5% of their red-zone trips into touchdowns this season, which ranks 24th in the NFL. They have whiffed on their last seven trips, the longest streak any team has endured.
Think about that. A team that leads all of football in yardage — and by a good margin — has been completely inept at scoring touchdowns when the opportunities best arise over the last two weeks.
“I can do a better job of putting our guys in better positions in the red zone with some different play calls there,” Reid said.
To know the Chiefs’ head coach is to know he would prefer to raise his hand when you’re looking for responsibility.
Here, the reality is Reid does some of his best work at the goal line. The notion that Reid gets too cute at the goal line? It’s nonsense.
It’s those cute plays that have been far more successful. The Chiefs have tried the conventional route. They’ve handed the ball to their top running back, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, 13 times inside the 10-yard line, with eight of those inside the 5. Edwards-Helaire has one touchdown on those 13 carries. One. (More on that in a bit.)
The Chiefs have scored 22 touchdowns from plays originating inside the 10-yard line.
Here are nine of those 22:
• A play that started with the quarterback in motion and taking a snap while on the move (Ferrari Right)
• An underhand flip to the tight end
• An underhand flip to the fullback (Smoked Sausage)
• A completion to the left tackle (Catch and Release)
• A screen pass to Sammy Watkins with a fullback and a backup tight end lined up as wide receivers.
• Two touch passes that are essentially end-around calls to receivers
• A Tyreek Hill reverse
• A Chad Henne read-option
Too cute? Or most effective?
The Chiefs red zone dilemma is that their speed is less of a factor. No need for a safety to backtrack when he’s already pushed against the end zone. Reid has tried to use the speed in other avenues, like the touch passes or the reverse — plays that call for Hill or Mecole Hardman to run 26 yards across the field in the hopes they can find a crease to move vertically a few yards, too.
But the other dilemma is the lack of power football when things get crammed. The Chiefs are missing two of their best linemen in these spots. That’s a factor, sure. But as offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy often says, you have to find ways to successfully run the football — even when other teams know you’re going to run it.
“First, execution. Whenever we do have the right play, we gotta find the right guy and hit him and get in the end zone. And then when it comes down to it, you gotta be tougher and find ways to run the ball in there,” Mahomes said. “We’ve had opportunities where we have chances to get in the end zone as far as me throwing it with guys open in the end zone, or running the ball and trying to punch it in there.”
The Chiefs have run 10 plays from the 1-yard line this year. Only two have gone for touchdowns. Both can be found on the list of the unusual from above — Ferrari Right and the Henne read/option.
They’ve run Edwards-Helaire four times from the 1. Nothing.
And that’s perhaps the bigger-picture story of the red-zone issues. A lack of success in the most conventional of methods — a victory in the trenches.
The Chiefs have tried it. They tried a lot on opening night. They handed the ball to Edwards-Helaire seven times inside the 10 against the Texans. He totaled minus-2 yards, the only cloud in an otherwise smooth debut. On his first carry near the goal line, Edwards-Helaire attempted to stuff the ball up the middle quickly rather than wait on the slower-developing hole to his right, a crease that did emerge behind lead blocker Nick Keizer.
“The bottom line is if you follow all the keys that we’re coached up to do in that room, he scores,” running backs Deland McCullough said the following week, which amounted to his lone criticism of the rookie’s first outing.
Seven times on opening night they handed it to Edwards-Helaire with 30 feet or less separating him and the end zone.
Only six since.
The Chiefs have shied away from using their top back in goal-to-go situations, and the statistics suggest why. He’s received eight carries inside the 5 and totaled zero yards. He’s scored once.
There are 22 NFL players to get eight or more carries inside the 5 this year. All but one has produced multiple touchdowns out of it. There are 31 players to get at least six carries in that situation. All but one has average positive yardage.
The Chiefs seem to have no interest in attempting another quarterback sneak after Mahomes’ injury last year in Denver on the play — “You hate to admit it, but it didn’t work out so well,” Reid said, acknowledging he’s unlikely to call it.
So they’ve instead turned to Bell four times inside the 10, and he scored once on a toss left against the Raiders.
They’ve put Mahomes on the move with rollouts, and two of those have prompted 3-yard touchdown runs on scrambles.
They’ve let Mahomes drop back and throw it, and he has 16 touchdowns inside the 10, without an interception, third most in the NFL.
And then, well, they’ve gotten cute. They’ve run Ferrari Right. They’ve run Catch and Release. And Smoked Sausage. And Black Pearl. And Slot Machine Right.
And more to come.
Because for all of its entertainment value — even among the locker room, where players view them as a break from the grind — the gadgets have real value. For right now at least, they have the best value.
This story was originally published December 9, 2020 at 9:24 AM.