Kansas City Chiefs: Top matchups from 2016

Tyreek Hill vs. Denver Broncos

Speaking of Hill and the Chiefs special teams, neither were more important than in the Week 12 SNF showdown between the Chiefs and Broncos. By the end of the game Hill had managed 169 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.

Hill’s first score came after a Justin Houston strip sack for a safety. Broncos punter Riley Dixon punted the ball for a safety kick that landed in Hill’s hands at the 14 yard line. The closest Broncos player was 26 yards away. Hill dodged a couple defenders and sped down the right sideline for a touchdown. You can find the whole play here.

Tyreek Hill’s second touchdown was a handoff from Spencer Ware in the wildcat formation. Hill used his speed to run all the way around the right side of the field to squeeze in past defenders. You can catch the play here.

Hill’s last touchdown of the game came in the most crucial situation of the game. With just 15 seconds left on the clock the Chiefs were looking at a first and goal from the 3-yard line. The Chiefs were down by 8 and needed a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie. Hill ran an inside route along the sideline against Bradley Roby. Hill caught the ball on the line and fell backwards into the endzone for the score. You can catch the play here.

Tyreek Hill was the x-factor in a game the Chiefs have been known to lose frequently in the past.

DeMarco Murray & Derrick Henry vs. Chiefs Defense

The Kansas City Chiefs last loss of the regular season came against the smashmouth Tennessee Titans. Behind the muscle of Murray and Henry the Titans managed 147 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Henry averaged 6.44 yards per attempt and managed both touchdowns and Murray averaged 4.94 yards per rush to go along with five receptions for 52 yards through the air.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the Titans kept calling for the run and were rewarded. The Titans out scored the Chiefs from the 2nd quarter on 19 to 3. The Titans  would end up winning on Ryan Succop’s second attempt field goal after Andy Reid called time out to ice the kicker. Succop had missed the first attempt, but put it through on the second.

By the end of the season the Chiefs ended up with the 26th-ranked rush defense. The loss of Derrick Johnson, Jaye Howard, and Allen Bailey hurt a team who finished  8th in run defense in 2015. Their return will be something to look forward to going into 2017.