Kansas City Chiefs have a problem ‘sweeping the leg’ of opponents
By Rylan Stiles
The Kansas City Chiefs have a problem sweeping the leg of their opponents, and it’s the biggest concern entering the postseason.
As we all rejoice in another “Miami Miracle” that was Ryan Fitzpatrick taking his awesome beard and a resurgent DeVante Parker up to Foxborough. and beating Tom Brady and the evil New England Patriots, we should realize that life is still not perfect for the Kansas City Chiefs.
First, there is a lot of good to celebrate. The much-improved defense headlined by the elite play of Tyrann Mathieu, Chris Jones, and Frank Clark is notable, as is the emergence of Mecole Hardman, the flashes we saw of Damien Williams and the fact that Patrick Mahomes is still our quarterback.
Beyond this, however, there has consistently been one issue with the Kansas City Chiefs this season. No, it’s not the injuries that have pilled up left and right, most recently with Juan Thornhill. It is not the defense that drew ire of the fans early in the season. It’s also not the special teams that have righted their midseason woes in a big way in the last few weeks.
Instead, it is the offense—more specifically, the offensive mentality. The Chiefs refuse to “sweep the leg.”
What does that mean? It means when you are up 10, go get that touchdown. It means crushing and demoralizing your opponent. Leave no question that the game is over. Put the kids to bed. There are many sayings that mean the same thing—the Chiefs fail to close it out offensively on a consistent basis.
The Chiefs did not just fail to do that against the Chargers in Week 17. It also happened in their Week 11 matchup with the Bolts as well. They did not put the Patriots away in Foxborough this season, despite their win. Most notably they did not sweep the leg against the Tennessee Titans in a game that the defense got the game-winning stop twice.
While we could go back and use those other games to make these points, it is easiest to use the game that is most fresh in everyone’s mind. Let’s just take the week 17 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, a game in which the Kansas City Chiefs went 0-2 in sweeping the leg, to discuss this.
Before the halftime break, safety Tyrann Mathieu climbed the ladder and made a huge end zonea interception to take points off the board for the Chargers and hold onto a three-point lead entering the break. Mahomes got the ball to start the second half and… promptly turned it over setting up a short field Chargers touchdown.
The Chiefs lost all the momentum and the lead, but eventually they got it back. When Damien Williams ran the ball 84 yards for a shocking touchdown after Mecole Hardman’s return, the Chiefs were up 10 points and the defense came up with a huge stop. How does the best offense in the sport respond? How does the best quarterback in the sport respond? How does the best offensive-minded coach in the sport respond? A punt.
The Chargers came back and scored a touchdown to pull within 3 with 5:23 to go in the contest. In a game that twice could’ve been put on ice. Luckily, the Chargers are a 5-11 football team, and could not take advantage.
As the Chiefs move into the playoffs and play better teams, if they let those teams hang around, they will blow games they shouldn’t. Recent playoff games against the Titans and Colts should trigger your memory.
This mindset has to change for the Chiefs. Sweep the leg, Andy.
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