I though the Chiefs would win prior. I think it was more the fact that I wanted the Bucs the win that clouded my thoughts on it. But the signs really were there all along.
Went and won all 3 playoff games away from home to each of the NFC division winners. Had a nice winning streak after their bye with their last game before it losing to the Chiefs by 3 and that game taught them a lot. It gave them a chance to reset and get the break needed with fuck all of a pre season. They scored 31 points in 3 of their playoff wins, and 30 in the other. Youâll do well scoring that amount. But their defence was superb. Going up against the Saints, MVP Rodgers and then the next great hope Mahomes and limiting them to a combined 55 points over the 3 games.
Its funny, a lot of the talk of Mahomes then was counting how many times heâd need to go back to the superbowl to equal or better Bradys record. I just dont think it happens. The Chiefs will start to dismantle in a year or two when contracts come around, when Kelce retires and the wont be winning AFCâs as handy as they have it now.
Yeah he was panicked and rushed. I think they knew this and used the run game with CEH and got a lot of joy early doors in the 2nd half but totally went away from that again. If they used it some more or early in the game Bucs may have brought one of the safeties down and opened up more pass lanes. Reid called a bad game. Mahomes was let down with 1 or 2 drops as well but he looked frazzled and the blueprint is there now on how to beat the chiefs. It will be interesting to see how he responds.
Whether youâd consider it a problem or not, but it always seems like Mahomes and the Chiefs want the big 20 yard plus plays. Hitting Hill or the others long, scrambling around to try get a huge play downfield. When it works, they destroy teams, just hit them so quick in a couple of plays and they are scoring. But when they just need to keep it ticking over, keep possession, move the ball, the plays start looking more and more desperate. The contrast with Brady in being happy with getting a first down if he sees a defender with his head turned to him and just hitting his man and moving it on. Some use that as a stick to beat him with. But its as much to do with patience and making the right calls at the right time which makes a difference.
Yeah tbh I saw the game panning out something similar to the Broncos demolition of the Panthers a few years ago . Cam Newton was the next big star and got MVP and Broncos got on top of him and never let up. The chiefs do a lot of free wheeling and you see a lot of underhanded throws in the Red zone and I dont know how many times they motioned Hill in the backfield last night but Bowles saw everything coming. I said all Bucs would have to do is double team Hill and Kelce and let the others beat you. They really missed a blocking TE like Gronk last night. He was sensational. You are right the Chiefs will dismantle and could become a version of Houston Texans with that big Mahomes contract and not being able to pay everyone. It was interesting to see the dynamic on the sidelines last night when Chiefs conceded before the half. Players on offense and defence having a go at each other, animated scenes, heads in hands. By contrast then earlier in the week I saw some of footage of Brady and Edelman MIcâd up when they were 28-3 down against the Falcons and it was a total contrast. Total belief that eventually if they worked hard and got the next score that the comeback was on. Triumph over adversity is what defines the greats in my eyes.
Chiefs werenât mentally right⌠The video posted the other day with Brady and Mahomes chatting via video link as part of the build-up⌠Mahomes looked wrecked. His foot obviously playing up⌠Brady looked 10 years younger. Then youâve Reidâs sonâŚand the OL worries. But thereâs no sympathy in the game for anybody⌠@Lazarus jumping on board was just the final nail in the coffin.
Yea QBâs have a timer in their head of how quick they need to release the ball. His would have been calibrated to a much stronger offensive line. But he didnât have any trust in the replacements and so came up wanting. Even when they did offer him good protection he was unsure and fluffed his lines. He had athleticism to extend plays but if it was most other QBs last night they were getting sacked 6 or 7 times.
I never like the post game type âyou could see it in themâ type scenarios (except @Lazarus being a Jonah obviously) but with regards to their mentality the one thing you could see was they were nearly too fired up. Yer man Jones getting flags and on the next play then he going mental again and should have had more flags thrown at him. Played in such a rage. They were probably pissed at getting flags and that created a viscous cycle of being pissed and then doing something stupid again to get another flag or getting chippy between plays. There was certainly one or two soft flags to the Bucs, but not 11 soft ones. The biggest ones that benefited them were clear and obvious. They just didnt play smart football as Tony Romo would say.