Kansas City Chiefs: 5 keys to get back on track on Monday Night Football

Run Darrel Williams Between the Tackles

The Kansas City Chiefs have a strong rebuilt interior offensive line. They have more powerful tackles that aren’t elite athletes on the outside. Darrel Williams is a strong straight-ahead runner that doesn’t have elite speed to get outside and run away from defenders. This isn’t hard to figure out. Run Darrel between the tackles. Period.

The Chiefs’ RPO (run/pass option) attack just doesn’t make any sense as the primary focus of the run game. First of all, it’s not good for getting Mahomes in a rhythm as we talked about in the first point, but just as important, it doesn’t play to Williams or the line’s strengths either. This team definitely isn’t designed to run toss or sweep plays to the outside. They are built to run the ball in the trenches.

Again, this isn’t how the Chiefs have played in the past. They used lots of RPOs and a big play passing attack. Well, that isn’t working anymore. So come in and play to what you are built to do and opposing teams are choosing not to focus on. Attack them with quick short passes and run the ball right at them. Just like the quick passing game, a successful power running attack is going to make the defense bring a safety up in support eventually. Then you can try and hit them over the top, but you have to commit to it.

Patrick Mahomes is still one of the most talented quarterbacks in the history of football, he’s just seemed rattled lately. So get him in a rhythm with short passes and let him hand the ball off so Darrel can help shoulder the load. Both of those things should help this team move the ball and take some of the pressure/frustration off of Mahomes.

Doing that should help the Chiefs achieve the most important key of all.