Chiefs fans get flashbacks of 2016 in win over Chargers

Chiefs fans were filled with flashbacks from the 2016 Chiefs offense in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs traveled to take on their division rival the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Although this is the 2017 season, the Chiefs tended to look more like the 2016 version—at least offensively.

The game started off with the Chiefs intercepting Philip Rivers on back to back drives. The Chiefs took full advantage of both by scoring a touchdown each time. The third interception came in the second quarter in which the Chiefs managed to kick a field goal.

While the Chiefs scored on all three turnovers caused by the defense, they failed to do much else outside of those three offensive drives the rest of the night. The only other time the Chiefs scored was after the two-minute warning in the third quarter when rookie running back Kareem Hunt took it 69 yards for a touchdown.

The game gave instant flashbacks to the 2016 Kansas City Chiefs. The offense couldn’t get much of anything going and the defense has to hold onto a small lead to keep the team in the game. A lot of the blame could go on the offensive line for leaving quarterback Alex Smith under pressure for much of the day, but you can also share some blame with Andy Reid and his play calling.

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In fact, Andy Reid said so himself in the post-game press conference—that he could have helped Smith with some better play calling. This is a typical Reid comment after a game like the one against the Chargers and if you go back to 2016, you will hear Reid make this remark quite often in post-game press conferences.

The only problem is, last year Reid would take the blame for bad play calling but then turn around and make the same conservative mistakes the following week. The biggest thing people remember about the 2016 season is the comment after a game, “The Chiefs just found a way to win.”

The only thing that kept the Chiefs in this game was the defense and running back Kareem Hunt. Alex Smith threw for a small total of 16 for 21 and 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. While star wide receiver Tyreek Hill showed flashes and ended the game with 5 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, the dropoff was huge for the next receiver.

All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce was a non-factor in the game against the Chargers, getting one catch off of a screen for a grand total of 1 yard. Wide receiver Chris Conley didn’t have a single catch since his lone target was an off target pass from Smith.

Behind Hill, the next receiver in total yards was wide receiver Albert Wilson who had 3 catches for 18 yards. Reid failed to get the ball to his playmakers against a divisional opponent on the road. The one playmaker he did use in Kareem Hunt, only had 10 rushes until there were less than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Hunt, The only consistent part of the Chiefs offense who had 10 carries for 88 yards, was getting forgotten about in the Andy Reid playbook. When the passing game continues to not go anywhere, how does Reid not see that he needs to give the ball to maybe his biggest playmaker of the season so far in Kareem Hunt?

Instead, we saw constant screenplays and check downs from the offense. There was even a point where the Chiefs had a 2nd and 20 position and they threw a screen which ended up going two yards. The following play on 3rd and 18, another screen to the other side which failed to get to the first down marker.

If you go back and watch the third and long plays, you will find all of them were either screen plays, check downs, or pass just a yard past the line of scrimmage. One of the biggest frustrations of the 2016 offense that we all remember being the problem for the Chiefs. So why was Reid going back to his old ways?

Reid’s conservative play calling and ignoring his best runner forced the defense to step up and hold a one-possession lead for almost a whole half. Reid finally started handing the ball to Hunt when the Chiefs wanted to run time off of the clock in the fourth quarter. Giving the ball to the Chiefs biggest playmaker got Hunt a 69-yard touchdown run right after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.

Hunt finally ended the day with 17 carries for 172 yards and a touchdown. The 10.1 yards per rush was the only real good takeaway from the offense on Sunday.

The game left Chiefs fans wondering where the aggressive offense that we have seen in the past two games go? A game that should have been a high-scoring day for the Chiefs offense ended with 24 points on the board. Fans having a tight feeling in their stomach until the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter when the Chiefs finally gained a two-touchdown lead.

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I really hope that this is not like 2016 and Andy Reid learns from this game. The next game will be next Monday night when the Washington Redskins come to town. Are we going to see another conservative called game by Reid, or will he get back to using all his playmakers and draw up a good gameplan? Only time will tell.