These five little-known stats seem to be good signs for Chiefs in their playoff game
Saturday’s AFC divisional-playoff game pits the top-seeded Chiefs against the sixth-seeded Colts, but few see this as a Samson vs. Goliath matchup.
Most NFL observers are expecting a close game and quite a few are picking the Chiefs to win.
But for Chiefs fans looking for some good signs, here are five lesser-known stats about the Chiefs and Colts that seem to favor Kansas City:
1. The NFL’s Next Gen Stats show the Colts’ blitz has been good at getting pressure on the quarterback. Guess who’s had success against the blitz? Yep, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes:
2. Warren Sharp of Sharp Sports determined that the Chiefs had the seventh-most difficult schedule in the NFL this season. Which team had the easiest schedule, according to Sharp’s metics?
The Colts.
3. Evan Silva of RotoWorld.com noted that even thought the Colts like to run zone coverage, Mahomes has done well against those defenses. How good? Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus explains:
4. None of the eight remaining playoff teams has been as successful as the Chiefs at scoring touchdowns in the red zone this season:
5. Mahomes’ accuracy when throwing on the run was the best in the NFL this season. This is from ESPN:
Here is one bonus nugget: the Chiefs’ 2-4 record against playoff teams may have been a source of angst for some, but one fan made this historical comparison:
This story was originally published January 12, 2019 at 12:06 PM.
