Wild Card keys: Time is now for Chiefs

Sep 13, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) attempts to tackle Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer (7) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. The Chiefs defeated the Texans 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) attempts to tackle Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer (7) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. The Chiefs defeated the Texans 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Kansas City Chiefs going back to Texas is a chance to get their talent back on the field. At least, most of it.

Rookie center Mitch Morse has been ruled out for Saturday’s Wildcard game against the Texans. He is the only available player that is set not to play in Houston. Jeremy Maclin, Justin Houston, Jah Reid, Spencer Ware, and Dee Ford all practiced this week and are expected to play. So did Jeff Allen and Husain Abdullah.

Tamba Hali will play on Saturday despite resting out of practice.  The last three are part of a group of valuable players whose future in Kansas City isn’t clear beyond this post-season. The Chiefs need to strike while they have this group under contract.

“If he doesn’t get ‘Comeback player of the year’, there’s something wrong” – Corry on Eric Berry

Kansas City has 22 players on the roster whose contracts expire after this season. Of those players, 13 have started at least one game in 2015. Two will start on offense and five will start on defense tomorrow versus the Texans.  The Chiefs seventh-ranked defense is heavily represented with 15 players in this group, including noted veterans Eric Berry, Sean Smith , Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali

CBS salary cap analyst Joel Corry joined the Check With Me podcast this week to talk about possible changes in free agency for Kansas City. He had some interesting things to say on Eric Berry and Marcus Peters, as well as Sean Smith and John Dorsey. Here’s the podcast.

Keys to a Wildcard Victory

Ware the Texans down
Andy Reid needs to run the ball.  he needs to run it straight at the heart of the Texans defense and grind it down.  Spencer Ware is the perfect tool for that. He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry on the season. And he has done the dirty work of the rushing attack, grinding out 60 of his 72 carries through the interior of the line.

By attacking the Texans stout defensive line between the tackles, the offense will be set to maximize the effectiveness of their play-action passing game. the intermediate and deep passing routes will be available as a result.

Bring the pressure
He who hits the quarterback most, wins.  The Chiefs and Texans are No. 4 and No. 5 respectively, in sacks in the NFL, having totaled 47.0 and 45.0 during the regular season. Those are two impressive rankings for these teams that began the season at 1-5 and 2-5.

Looking deeper, the teams have taken different paths to the top-5 rankings. The Chiefs have amassed 333 total pressures (QB sacks, hits and hurries).  They are able to get pressure form every level of the defense, with 18 different players contributing at least one quarterback pressure. In fact, Safety Ron Parker is fourth on the team with five sacks.

Texans have accounted for 266 total pressures. Eight players have contributed at least one sack. However, 39 of the 45 team sacks have been contributed by four players. J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus clearly lead the way with 29.5 combined sacks.

In a game where points may be hard to come by, the defense that can apply more pressure will have the decided advantage.

Win the turnover battle
Alex Smith through two interceptions in week 17 during an out-of-character performance against the Raiders. Still, the team won the overall turnover margin. Rookie Marcus Peters leads the league in interceptions. Get got his first on the firs play of the season against Brian Hoyer and the Texans.

Kansas City is secong in the NFL in turnover margin at +14. Houston has done well to take care of the ball as well, finishing the regular season at a +5 turnover margin itself.

The Wild Card game may just boil down to how efficient each team can be with their possessions. Reid will likely let loose with a store of play calls he’s had stashed away. If so, Smith and the offense will need to be careful to protect the ball better than in Week 17. If the defense can maintain their penchant for takeaways, the team will give itself a leg up on Houston.

Other factors will play a role not he outcome of the contest, but if the Chiefs can win these three facets of the game, they will come away with the franchises first playoff win in 22 years.

The Wild Card action starts on Saturday, Addicts!
Enjoy the game.