Winning Ugly
By author
Source: Yardbarker.com
Hooray! Our Chiefs are undefeated. Yes, this is certainly better than our recent poor starts and is a reflection of the maturity of our coaching staff. They have learned to manage the game and win ugly.
But what does that mean?
It means limiting turnovers and bad plays. It means forcing your style of play on an opponent while winning the field position battle. Let’s be more specific.
1. Limiting the carries of Jamal Charles.
While Charles has the potential for the home run, he is a mediocre blocker in passing situations and has the potential for a fumble on every carry. That is not the case with the sure-handed Jones. For those of you clamoring for more carries for Jamaal, that will happen later in the year.
2. Learning to take away the opponent’s best threat.
In the case of the Browns it was Jerome Harrison. With the Chargers it was Antonio Gates. Yes, Eric Berry bit on the run allowing the big play for Joshua Cribs. He also was over-concerned with Gates, and allowing Legedu Naanee to run free. Berry is a young player and has been great on run support. He will learn to read his keys better and offer more support to the corners. Other than those two big rookie mistakes the Chiefs haven’t surrendered any huge plays.
3. Play to your strengths.
Special teams and an offense that features a heavy dose of the running game and an ultra-conservative passing attack. This goes hand in hand with everything else the Chiefs are doing and ensures that they will win the field position war. A vastly improved return game is what has really been making the difference here, but the offense has done just enough to allow the Chiefs to win.
As Haley mentioned several times this season, the Chiefs only hope for winning with a young team with average talent is to Win UGLY.