We are currently underway for Week 3 of the 2013-2014 NFL season. So far, there have been some intense matchups. There also are a lot of teams that are making you scratch your head. One of these teams, is the Kansas City Chiefs.
After their Thursday Night Football victory of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chiefs are now 3-0. Andy Reid and Alex Smith are proving to be a great fit together. Now, other teams in the NFL have to pay attention to what is going on in Kansas City and here is why.
ALEX SMITH IS BETTER THAN YOU THINK
Ever since the San Francisco 49ers had Colin Kaepernick replace Alex Smith, his talents have been looked over. A good quarterback is hard to find in the NFL. Smith is a smart quarterback with a high football IQ. For instance, after three weeks of football, he has a 61.0% completion rate and has yet to throw an interception. For quarterbacks with at least over 50 passing attempt, other than Peyton Manning, Smith is the only quarterback not to throw an interception so far this season.
Smith provides the Chiefs with consistency, something Matt Cassel was unable to do. He performs very well in systems that have a solid run game. With San Francisco, he had Frank Gore and now with the Chiefs, he has Jamaal Charles. He is operating in a system that surrounds Smith with comfort and the tools to succeed.
Smith does not throw a lot of “bombs” but he is consistent enough to help push the ball down the field. He averages around 6.6 yards per pass attempt. Alex Smith is a consistent passer, who does not turn the ball over. He plays with his head and throws with confidence. Remember this game-winning pass?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jloashD3Flg
Smith has also been good at “game management”. They proved that when barley getting by the Cowboys in their season opener. With about 11 minutes left to play in the Eagles vs. Chiefs game, he drained 8 minutes off the clock and gave Ryan Succopa chance to make a field goal, to secure a 10 point lead and the game.
Playing smart wins games and that is exactly why Alex Smith finds himself 3-0.
ANDY REID IS THE “GUY FOR THE JOB”
Andy Reid is a good head coach and is potentially the perfect coach for Smith. Reid is known for being a quarterback’s coach and his west coast offense approach. Smith explains to SB Nation just why Reid is a good coach, “Coach Reid’s so great at why. Why did you throw that too high. And talking to you about that: ‘Hey, you’re standing up too tall and your front shoulder went up.’ He does such a great job of doing that. Right there on the spot, he sees it”. Andy Reid’s offensive mindset is exactly what Smith needs from a head coach.
Reid also is great at keeping guy’s confidence and motivation up in his own style. It was rumored that he gave the Chiefs an inspirational speech about a Great Burrito Place, it went something like this, “ I can tell you right now, the burrito at Taqueria El Comal had all the ingredients of a world champion”. His techniques and ability to make his players confident in their skill level, has Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and the whole Chief’s organization backing him up. For a team to be successful, all of their players and especially their quarterback must be confident in their coach and right now in Kansas City, that seems to be the case.
As well, Reid’s offensive game plan has improved Chiefs spacing, improved pistol options and given Kansas City’s offense an identity. Smith told reporters, “This isn’t a cookie-cutter offense. It’s not what they ran in Philly. It’s not what he ran in Green Bay when he was there. He’s gonna try and tailor it to our strengths and what we do well”, which it looks like he has done a good job of doing. Right now, Reid has the Chiefs feeling good and looking good.
SOLID DEFENSE
The Chief’s defense has been “made over” recently and until was overlooked. They received a lot of attention during OTAs, as they are working with a new system. This new system is proving to be a good decision. The Chiefs have had at least one interception in each game. Against Chip Kelly’s elaborate offense, the Chiefs were able to hold them to only 16 points. They were also able to force five turns and sack Michael Vick five times.
In most of these games, defense has played a major contribution. The Chiefs have a tough defense, who are currently allowing only 11.3 points per game and through just three games, Kansas City has 14 sacks.
In all games, the Chiefs have been able to use pressman coverage and dare quarterbacks to throw the ball, which is why they have so many interceptions. Not to mention, the Chiefs defense can blitz and their secondary coverage is strong.
This year, the Chiefs defense has surprised me and it might be the key to making the playoffs. Overall, the Chiefs have a good year in front of them. Next week they play the New York Giants, so do not be surprised to see them at 4-0. Though they are still a work in progress, Andy Reid has the Chiefs going in the right direction. For a team that finished 2-14 last year, they have a very strong chance of seeing the post season this year.
All statistics credited to pro-footballreference.com
