New England Patriots vs Kansas City Chiefs: Scouting Report
By Hal Bent
When the Chiefs run the ball
The sneaky and telling statistic from 2018 was that Kansas City was 9-1 when they topped 100 yards rushing (including playoffs) and 4-4 when they rushed for less than 100 yards. It is more of the same in 2019, as the Chiefs are 5-0 when they top 100 yards rushing, and just 3-4 when they rush for less than 100 yards in a game.
Andy Reid’s offense is one of the most dynamic in the NFL, but like with Sean McVay and the Rams, it all starts with the running game picking up consistent yards. As great as the passing offense has been, without consistency on the ground, it is hard to move the ball… especially against the Patriots.
New England has struggled at times against the run in 2019, but tightened up since the bye week. Buffalo moved the ball on the ground in Week 4 and Nick Chubb had some big runs in Week 8, but the Patriots still won those games. The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson churned through them, but since then the Patriots have shut down the Eagles’, Cowboys’, and Texans’ rushing attacks.
Up front, the Patriots need their big bodies Danny Shelton, Lawrence Guy, and Adam Butler winning their individual matchups. When that happens, opponents struggle. When interior offensive lines have had their way with the New England defensive tackles, the Patriots have been gashed on the ground.
Kansas City is already without Damien Williams due to a rib injury, and backup running back Darrel Williams was placed on injured reserve recently with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs are clearly limiting veteran LeSean McCoy despite the injuries at the position. He has yet to play 50% of the offensive snaps and his season-high for carries is 12.
Rookie sixth-round draft pick Darwin Thompson got a lot of work in garbage time last week against Oakland, gaining 44 yards on 11 carries. However, whether or not he is ready for primetime is unknown. Prior to the second half of the 40-9 win, Thompson had five carries for eight yards and three receptions for 10 yards in 11 games.
If Kansas City decides to take the wraps off McCoy, he could see an increased workload. However, the Chiefs clearly miss center Mitch Morse, who signed in Buffalo this offseason. His leadership and stability have been a key part of Buffalo’s success, and his successor at center for the Chiefs, Austin Reiter, is a clear step backwards and a major reason for Kansas City’s struggles running the ball.
The Patriots catch a break with the Chiefs being banged-up at running back. The end-arounds from the wide receivers have evaporated in 2019, as the Kansas City wideouts have just a dozen carries in 12 games for 47 yards (less than four yards per attempt). Last year Hill had 22 rushes for 151 yards (6.9 yards per attempt). This year, no one is being fooled.