For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make the playoffs and watched Wild Card weekend from home just like the rest of us. Hopefully, there are lessons to learn from this year’s postseason that the Chiefs can apply to their in-house philosophies.
Here are three takeaways I had from the first round of the NFL postseason.
1. The importance of heavier personnel on offense
Over the last few years, heavier personnel for NFL offenses has been a trend. The best units have found more personnel packages to utilize multiple tight ends or physical running backs to counter defenses built on pass coverage.
The Chicago Bears drafted tight ends Colston Loveland 10th overall in last year’s draft. The offense also features tight ends Durham Smythe and Cole Kmet. Loveland is talented enough to split wide and play receiver, while Smythe and Kmet can play in-line and block. They are key players to Chicago’s elite run game.
The Los Angeles Rams have four viable tight ends: Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Colby Parkenson and Terrance Ferguson. To help the running game, head coach Sean McVay has introduced more multi-tight end sets. With wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, the Rams always have a viable No. 1 receiver on the field while the tight ends block or get open downfield from play action.
The San Francisco 49ers lost tight end George Kittle this weekend, but the team has mastered the blend of run and pass out of 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end) with Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
The Buffalo Bills finally unlocked the tight ends this year, with Dalton Kincaid breaking out and rookie Jackson Hawes being an impactful blocker immediately. Buffalo deserves credit for adjusting to using the tight ends with a lack of wide receiver talent.
Kansas City needs to get bigger on offense — and starting at tight end makes the most sense. To force teams into base defense and exploit them through the passing game, the team needs a stronger tight end room.
2. The advantage of size and strength at receiver
Size at the wide receiver position is important in playoff games. Unless you have a unicorn like former Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill — who can excel at the catch point despite his height — you need receivers that can win in traffic.
That ability gives the quarterback a margin for error when throwing; a bigger body can be trusted more to secure an inaccurate throw.
Los Angeles has the best example of this with Nacua and Adams; both are physical receivers who are coordinated when going up for a pass. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings — an option for the Chiefs in free agency this spring — was huge in the 49ers’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Carolina Panthers almost pulled off the upset over the Rams; their two receivers Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan were a part of that. The duo was able to muscle Los Angeles’ small cornerbacks and come back to the ball for most of the offense’s explosive plays.
This doesn’t mean the Chiefs need 6-foot-5, 230-pound pass-catchers, but the team’s receivers do need to be able to catch through contact.
On the flip side, the Chargers were an example of lacking physical receivers. Los Angeles’ offensive line, play-calling and the play of quarterback Justin Herbert were shaky — but the offense was also missing that ball-winning receiver.
The New England Patriots played tight, aggressive man coverage and basically shut down the Chargers’ downfield passing. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston was unable to win in traffic despite his bigger build, and veteran Keenan Allen is past his prime in creating separation. Ladd McConkey is an awesome receiver, but his lack of size showed in the 16-3 loss.
3. Depth is just as important as an ace pass rusher
Playoff teams have found a counter to the lack of an ace pass rusher. Traditionally, Super Bowl teams had the star pass rusher, then decent options around him. Here’s the problem: it’s hard to acquire that player because it typically requires premium capital.
To overcome that, teams are employing three or four No. 2 pass rushers. The Rams are an example: the defense does not have a superstar pass rusher, but defensive linemen Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner are all impactful on passing downs. Each can make a disruptive play on their own.
The Chargers are similar: outside linebackers Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipolotu, and Odafe Oweh were key to a low-scoring effort in New England. Mack crushes the pocket, Oweh is the speed rusher and Tuipolotu fills in the gaps.
The Patriots make up for not having a No. 1 pass rusher with defensive tackles Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, then edge rusher Harold Landry on the outside.
The Houston Texans are not an example of this theme with two superstars on the edge — Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson — but the NFL’s top defense gets contributions from its depth. Defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai can penetrate the line of scrimmage themselves.
One reason teams succeed without a No. 1 pass rusher is the rise of scheming pressures and disguising intentions. Now, more slants and stunts mitigate having top-tier rushers. The coordinators who dial that up effectively give defenses a schematic advantage even if the group is outmanned by talent.
Of course, the superstar makes a world of difference, exemplified by the Green Bay Packers without the injured All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons. If that’s impossible, then building the defensive line with as many capable bodies as possible is the way to go.
