Inside the key video games of Andy Reid and the offense of the Chiefs for the submit -station

Andy Reid, have you ever saved us?

Every yr, we count on the longtime offensive genius of the NFL to mix us with the playbook of the leaders of Kansas City. Reid, 66, is the chief of the chief coach of Chiefs since 2012 and was the pinnacle of the coach of Philadelphia Eagles earlier than, from 1999 to 2012. There is not any scarcity of movies on his completely different concepts and their completely different iterations.

And if Reid is the architect, Patrick Mahomes is the carpenter, the one who transforms ideas truly.

But this yr, the offense of Kansas City was not as elegant as we count on.

As the Chiefs dynasty turns into extra highly effective, there was a prevalent thought that Reid and Mahomes sit in such a robust place that they don’t have to enter the depths of their recreation ebook to the submit -station. When the powerful begins, Reid chooses probably the most tough calls in his playbook. Until then? It shouldn’t be vanilla, however it isn’t even unique.

“There are definitely particular exhibits that we apply in the course of the season on which we’re dedicated. They are practiced in the course of the yr and can merely emerge on the proper time, on the proper time”, former Quarterback Chiefs Chad Henne instructed Fox Sports.

Take the spherical of the pink bowl that the clothes used within the tremendous bowl liv. Reid noticed that recreation trying on the 1948 Rose Bowl tape .; Fourth and 1 in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers within the Super Bowl.

“We practiced it each week, ensuring we had it,” Henne mentioned. “And then on the proper time, it makes him come out, simply to provide one thing of a small nuance and one thing completely different that the protection has not seen.”

The recreation of the AFC championship this yr has proven that there’s some reality in the concept Reid saves ideas. An instance was the fourth and 1 name from Kansas City in opposition to payments.

The Chiefs rushed to the road and managed a recreation motion with Isiah Pacheco earlier than Mahomes climbed for a primary down. It appeared nothing extraordinary. But KC had clung to that performed by a 49er victory. Which victory, precisely?

Well … the Super Bowl wins in 2020.

“I do not know for those who bear in mind the sport that we ran for a landing for Travis (Kelce) within the first Super Bowl,” Mahomes mentioned on Sunday. “Just put me on the restrict, have a few choices for the boys to throw it after which if (the invoices) take it away within the cowl of the person, simply use the toes and take the primary.”

He says one thing concerning the significance of this comedy that the final time the Chiefs referred to as it was within the recreation of the AFC championship and within the Super Bowl.

(Prepare for the epic Matchup of eagles Fox Sports’ Super Bowl Lix Hub)

The factor that makes it work is the sport motion. When the clothes align on this recreation on this formation, the ball run. They don’t fake the switch, make the switch. Most of the groups can’t afford to interrupt this pattern as soon as each 5 years. Most groups will break the pattern as soon as each few weeks. But the clothes appear to deal with this recreation with the identical care that the hearth -fighting ax behind the glass could possibly be handled: interruption within the occasion of an emergency. Kansas City runs with the complete again or working again. And when-one time each half decades-heads want an important conversion, the sport motion is ready for.

“Always add a small wrinkle right here and there when you go,” Reid mentioned. “We have skilled these till the offseason and the sphere.”

Ironically, it was not even the idea that attracted extra consideration.

The Chiefs launched one thing extra clearly novel to the Bills: an arm inverted with a studying choice. The folks of the media and – above all – in protection of Buffalo mentioned he had by no means seen something like this.

“I have not seen it in any of the faults I noticed,” mentioned Bills Gregory Rousseau in Ty Dunne on the defensive finish on “Go Long”.

This is as a result of Chiefs haven’t managed the sport this season.

But, um … properly, Gregory, in actuality you will have seen it.

The Ravens ran it in opposition to the Bills this season.

Yes, this coaching got here out of the Baltimore playbook. Reid and his employees will need to have seen Lamar Jackson Rush for a landing from that coaching in that actual recreation in opposition to Bills in week 4, As Charles Goldman identified from “A A Z”. Kansas City will need to have seen Buffalo’s Ravens Beatdown and thought: Let’s strive it.

The consequence was a landing pair within the AFC championship. (And landing in week 4.)

My query is: when Reid determined that he needed to make use of that coaching? Because the Chiefs performed payments in week 11. It is totally potential that Reid noticed the formation of the Ravens and places it within the playbook, simply to reserve it for the submit -station.

There was one other comedy on which the clothes sat. Reid mentioned he would save him all the sport, and it isn’t clear how lengthy he retained earlier than. But Henne mentioned the comedy was within the playbook when he arrived there in 2018.

The third and 9 with 1:30 on the left, Kansas City wanted a primary down to finish the sport successfully. And the Chiefs obtained by checking within the house in Samaje Perine, who captured the ball behind the scrimmage line, however because of the design and professional recreation occasions, they managed to acquire the required building websites after the issue to win the victory .

How did that comedy be part of so completely?

Well, it was the comedy that the clothes had saved for that actual second. And not solely that, Reid launched some wrinkles – a double motion from two receivers – who clearly prevented the protection of understanding what would occur.

“We look – earlier than the sport – if it goes right down to a 3rd down or 1 / 4 down and the sport is on the road. The coaches discuss it. The quarterbacks discuss it. It was a sort of our choice n. As a favourite recreation for this recreation” , mentioned Reid. “It was only a matter of hoping that they had been in the precise protection for the sport … … Matt (OC Matt Nagy) spends an infinite time on this.”

It is fascinating to contemplate it – in such a slender recreation – Reid has nonetheless had his finest recreation ready for him on the finish of the sport. Not all recreation gamers would have that self-discipline. Ben Johnson, a former Lions OC coach and Current Bears, appeared to have a brand new trick each week. But at a sure level, it was proper to marvel if the Lions would go away the playoffs after they wanted them extra.

Reid might solely have a distinct philosophy.

“He will dig in his pocket,” mentioned Henne. “At the precise time, it’s then that he actually immerses himself and pulls him out.”

The widespread knowledge that the clothes retain us in the course of the common season is just a little true and in a sure sense. They handle what they should get the victories they want. It is exactly this – with their efficiency and consistency that have an effect on new heights – could not have many moments of despair of the opposite groups. In flip, they might not have to make use of that “n. 1” choice on Reid’s recreation sheet. They do not flip them away just because they’ve them.

“It clings to some issues, however on the identical time – coach Reid, Patrick – all these guys are opponents,” mentioned Henne. “So they may do every little thing they will do to win a recreation, whether or not it’s common season or playoff. But on the identical time, he all the time has one thing within the rear pocket.”

There remains to be numerous materials within the Reid pocket for the Super Bowl. Also with Kansas City on a collection of 17 consecutive victories within the video games to a possession, Reid may have an idea that has saved Nick Sirianni and Vic Fangio and Philly for Nick. It might come from the 1965 Sugar Bowl. It might come from the 2000s’ Liceo I Division Championship. It might come from the Johnson Lions.

Attention, eagles.

Before becoming a member of Fox Sports as a journalist and editorialist of the NFL, Henry McKenna spent seven years to cowl the Patriots for USA Today Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow it on Twitter a @HENRYCMKENNA.

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