Arrowhead Pride
Coming off Week 6’s big 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions, the Kansas City Chiefs host an AFC West rival on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium: the Las Vegas Raiders.
Here’s what I’ll be wondering as the game gets underway.
It’s easy to look at the rookie running back’s stats and think he’s been underwhelming. Through six games, he’s carried the ball 105 times for 424 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. Those are fine numbers — but not the kind of production you’d expect from the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
But they don’t tell the full story. Jeanty has only 134 yards before contact — 32nd in the league — averaging just 1.3 yards before contact per attempt. That ranks 43rd among 44 qualifying rushers.
But here’s the thing: Jeanty is elite at gaining yards after contact. He ranks third with 290 yards after he’s been hit, averaging 2.9 per attempt. That’s the league’s third-highest rate — and his 15 broken tackles lead the NFL.
This tells us that while Jeanty is often being hit behind the line of scrimmage, he has the strength and skill to turn those one-yard plays into four-yard gains. Coming into the league, his biggest strength was his contact balance — and that has fully translated to the next level. Jeanty is compact, powerful and difficult to bring down — and also possesses the vision and quickness to make defenders miss in space.
So even if the Raiders’ offensive line struggles, the Chiefs must swarm to the ball and tackle as a unit. Kansas City’s linebackers are strong against the run, making this a good matchup on paper. If the Chiefs want to make this game lopsided right off the bat, setting the tone up front will be a key.
Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith has already thrown 10 picks this season. That’s two more than any other NFL team. While Smith is an aggressive quarterback who will rifle throws into tight windows, defenses can bait him into throwing dangerous passes that they can pick off.
That’s the way Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo always likes to approach it: disguising coverages that will rattle a quarterback and make them speed through their process — making them more likely to make mistakes. Early in the game, expect the Chiefs to show Smith certain bait coverages. Then when they later show him a similar pre-snap look, they’ll change the coverage to something else.
This will also require Kansas City’s pass rush to get pressure — but fortunately, this is one place where the defense showed improvement against the Lions. Star defensive tackle Chris Jones was dialed-in, turning in his best game of the season. Meanwhile, the Raiders’ offensive line — especially without left tackle Kolton Miller — is not a good unit. There should be plenty of opportunities for the Chiefs to break through...
