Andy Reid will have Chiefs ready for Pittsburgh
By Andrew Jones
The Chiefs will get Ben Roethlisberger to move
Bob Sutton knows how to dial up pressure without sending the house on an all out blitz. He does this by bringing in defensive backs and dropping a linebacker into coverage. He also throws various front looks at opposing quarterbacks including two of his best pass rushers on the same side of the defense. If the Chiefs can limit the running game of the Steelers then the pass rush opens up and Roethlisberger is forced to move around in the pocket.
Big Ben has had some leg injuries this season which have caused some issues when he runs around. What used to be a strength for Ben has become a bit of a weakness. Playing behind his best offensive line with the fewest sacks in his career Roethlisberger has still managed to throw 15 interceptions in 15 games played. This is because he has been unable to get his legs right when evading pressure. If the Chiefs force Ben to move then the opportunistic secondary could have a great day.
The Chiefs will ride ‘Reek
Tyreek Hill in any other year would run away with the NFL’s rookie of the year award. Instead the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line allowed a perfect situation for two great athletes to flourish. That shouldn’t diminish what Hill has done for Kansas City this season. He scored touchdowns in just about every way this season. Since they increased in difficulty and number as the year progressed we can reasonably expect that Hill will continue to be a force.
Some will say that as teams get more tape on Hill they will be able to shut him down. Here’s where they are wrong. The Chiefs never use Hill in just one way. He doesn’t just return punts but he runs deep routes, screens, and end-arounds. But wait, there’s more! Hill can also line up in the backfield and run off tackle or on a read option sweep with Spencer Ware as wildcat quarterback. It would take an entire gameplan to shut down Tyreek Hill. Better defenses that the Steelers have tried and failed (see Denver Broncos).
Even if the Steelers find some way to lock down Hill all day, the Chiefs still have plenty of tricks up their sleeve. Travis Kelce is a monster over the middle and Jeremy Maclin is just begging for a big game. Don’t forget the most efficient red zone scorer of all-time, Dontari Poe.