Henry McKenna
NFL reporter
Travis Kelce is there after which he is not.
He’s one of the best tight finish within the NFL, however he solely produces related outcomes as soon as each few weeks. The Kansas City Chiefs star completed Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders with 10 receptions for 90 yards and a landing. It was his largest sport of the yr (and his first landing). But it is exhausting to say whether or not he’ll put up large numbers like these in Week 9 or return to the fray.
With a cold and hot begin, he’s on tempo for 92 receptions, 813 yards and two touchdowns.
It’s not that the 35-year-old Kelce is a participant in decline. But it is not even that his manufacturing is a faucet that he opens and closes at will. Because in that case, it might most likely produce when the video games are nearer. There is not any actual correlation between the margin of victory and Kelce’s manufacturing. He had only one catch within the Chiefs’ one-point win over the Bengals in Week 2, however had 9 catches for 70 yards within the staff’s 13-point win over the Saints in Week 5.
Certainly, he is seen a rise in manufacturing for the reason that harm to receiver Rashee Rice in Week 4. In his final 4 video games (together with the one wherein Rice damage his knee), Kelce has averaged 9 targets, 7.5 receptions and 66.5 yards per sport. He additionally averaged 3.5 first downs per sport.
That’s why I believe it is coach Andy Reid – not Kelce – who turns off the spigot on tight finish manufacturing.
Against the Raiders, Kelce was clearly the offensive point of interest. You might see it within the sport plan. They had been probably the most designed performs I’ve seen the Chiefs run to the top all yr, with the Saints matchup wanting like an in depth second.
Reid needed to get the ball to Kelce, together with on the tight finish’s first landing of the yr. Patrick Mahomes mentioned it.
“Without freely giving all our secrets and techniques, we knew the protection they had been going to broadcast, and we knew that that man was going to go down there to get to Travis, and if he went down there sufficient, we had been going to return within the again to (DeAndre Hopkins),” Mahomes mentioned . “It was a very good name, we executed and obtained a landing.”
Mahomes had each Kelce and Hopkins open. But the window was there on his first learn: Kelce.
It’s good to have choices, particularly for an offense that, at instances, seems like nobody might get open. And it is bizarre, as a result of it is a Kelce factor. It’s all the time open. That was definitely the case on this sport, when Kelce pulverized the Raiders’ zone.
Vegas’ sport plan for the Chiefs was not distinctive. The Raiders had been within the zone for 73.8% of their snaps; on the season, the Chiefs had been within the zone on 72.4% of their snaps. Perhaps Kelce’s significance has elevated as a result of Reid could be very acquainted with coach Antonio Pierce’s scheme and play calls. Reid clearly is aware of how one can exploit that and Kelce has been the important thing cog.
While the presence of Hopkins, who was making his Chiefs debut, might have elevated Kelce’s manufacturing on this sport, my feeling is that, long run, Hopkins is in Kansas City to lighten the burden on the staff.
“I missed (Hopkins) originally of the curve, however I nonetheless managed to get free,” Mahomes mentioned after the sport Sunday. “And as I used to be wanting on the pill, there have been a few moments the place in man protection he was actually working and profitable. Even the landing to Trav that I threw, if you happen to look again on his finish, he is open too, for a landing there.”
Maybe Hopkins is what the Chiefs wanted to get Kelce again in gear for the essential a part of the season. Mahomes, Reid and Kelce complained about double groups. And if that was the case, then Hopkins will divert a few of that focus.
That would imply Kelce is again. Forever.
Nick Wright: DeAndre Hopkins a ‘precious addition’ to Chiefs
But there’s additionally the likelihood that Kelce returns to see a diminished goal share to maintain him recent for the playoffs. Or, a minimum of, he might proceed to play with a sport plan, with an enormous week adopted by a minor one. This is what I think about is the almost definitely end result.
The matter of Kelce’s manufacturing got here up whereas I used to be chatting with former Patriots gamers the similarities between the New England and Kansas City dynastiestogether with how each groups have made a behavior of letting the preseason drag into the primary few weeks of the common season. If that is the Chiefs’ mentality, it is not like they will make heavy use of Kelce within the “preseason” section of the common season.
“I’ll simply reference 2018: Nobody actually anticipated a lot from us. And then impulsively the playoffs got here round and we had been a special staff,” former Patriots QB Brian Hoyer mentioned. “I bear in mind Gronk (tight finish Rob Gronkowksi) simply took it to a special degree. He hadn’t performed that effectively. And out of the blue the playoffs got here and Gronk was again in (his) second yr within the league.”
That 2018 Patriots staff had Julian Edelman as their main cross receiver with 850 yards. Gronk had two video games over 100 yards, however nonetheless completed the common season with simply 682 yards. But within the postseason, the Patriots ran to win Super Bowl LIII towards the Los Angeles Rams. This was the final title Gronk and Tom Brady introduced again to New England. It helped cap a run of three Super Bowl victories and 4 Super Bowl appearances over a five-year span.
And this could sound acquainted, as a result of, clearly, the Chiefs are attempting to tug off a three-peat.
So maybe Kelce and the Chiefs have one thing related deliberate of their pursuit of a three-peat. And for that matter, their plans might prolong past 2024, with Kelce saying retirement did not even cross his thoughts this previous offseason. He might attempt to save himself for the Super Bowl run, which might additionally assist save him for subsequent yr.
If that is the case, the Chiefs should proceed to alleviate Mahomes, who’s on tempo to have the worst statistical season of his profession, with out Kelce’s common involvement.
“This is what nice soccer groups want. It takes greatness from everybody. It cannot be only one man. This is what made us so nice for therefore lengthy throughout my profession. It’s not all about me, not it is all because of Trav,” Mahomes mentioned. “It’s about the entire staff, and that is what makes it so particular.”
Before becoming a member of FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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