Deland McCullough explains Chiefs goal-line frustrations

Chiefs running backs coach Deland McCullough explained the team’s goal-line frustrations to reporters on Thursday.

The Kansas City Chiefs opened the 2020 regular season with a dominant performance in all phases of the game that left nearly everyone happy with the offense, defense, and special teams. The Houston Texans were behind early in the game, and if not for a couple garbage time touchdowns, the score wouldn’t have been nearly as close as the final 14-point deficit in the books.

However, that doesn’t mean the Chiefs are without issues to work on. In fact, as a team intent on “running it back” in defense of their recent Super Bowl victory, Andy Reid‘s coaching staff are driving home the details in practice.

One area receiving some attention is the team’s frustrations along the goal line. Specifically, the Chiefs were unable to punch it in when lined up for very short runs along the opponent’s goal line.

For example, late in Week 1, with just over two minutes to go, the Chiefs had 1st-and-goal at the 2-yard line of the Texans. From there, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who otherwise had a splendid debut, ran 3 time for 1 yard before the team brought in Harrison Butker to kick a chip shot of a field goal from 19 yards out.

On Thursday, running backs coach Deland McCullough was asked about the inability to score from so close and it was clear that he cared very much about those issues despite already having the game decided.

"“Speaking from the running back perspective, we take it very personally that we didn’t score. When you look at those, it was a situation where Clyde, with it being his first game in the NFL with no preseason, etc., live opportunities down there along the goal line, bottom line is if he follows all the keys that we’re coached up to do in that room, he scores.‘Some of the things we’re talking about now would be a moot point, but again, as he continues to grow and he took a big growth after that last game.”"

McCullough, to be clear, is as enamored with his new feature back as much as the rest of us. Edwards-Helaire had a day to remember in his first professional game and currently leads the entire NFL with 138 rushing yards. However, McCullough was also very clear that he believes Edwards-Helaire has a lot of growth ahead of him and that he’s already learned from those goal line errors.

"“What I learned is that he is as advertised as far as being able to make guy miss, run with a low center of gravity, contact balance, different things like that, vision. But also on the flip side is we find out he’s a rookie. It was the first game he’s played. No preseason. There’s a bunch of things going on all at once in that game.“At the end of the day, I was very encouraged, we as an offense, a team, an organization were very encouraged with what he did. We know that there will be some big steps coming forward.”"

Edwards-Helaire will get a chance to show what he’s learned when the Chiefs visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon.