Fragen und Antworten » It’s the end of the week at Arrowh

ead Pride Darwin Thompson Jersey nfl draft , so that means we’re moving on from last week’s good performance against the Cincinnati Bengals and looking forward to this Sunday’s second matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs!These teams faced off already in Week 4, and the Chiefs defense struggled to tackle and execute, allowing a pretty poor offense to control the game. The defense was bailed out by a stellar performance from the offense, but the Broncos game was a breaking point for many Chiefs fans.Luckily, for the Chiefs, the problems in the first matchup were by and large due to poor performances by the players on the field, with Reggie Ragland, Anthony Hitchens, Allen Bailey, and Ron Parker being targeted in the run game. In the last three weeks, each of these players has shown improvements and an ability to work with the rest of their teammates.Coming off the best performance of the year for the defense against a pretty good Bengals offense, the Broncos offense shouldn’t offer a stiff test. As I’ve covered the Broncos and their tendencies in a post recently, this week we’ll take a look at what’s changed in Denver’s personnel in the last three weeks and what the Chiefs can do to improve on their performance.The Broncos offenseIsaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY SportsCase Keenum has managed to throw at least one interception in every single game this year while throwing less touchdowns than picks.Quite simply, he’s been a game manager for the Broncos, but he hasn’t done a particularly great job of it.At running back, Royce Freeman has had a stellar year thus far, leading the second-ranked rushing offense in yards per carry. However, a high ankle sprain late in last week’s Arizona Cardinals game has him ruled out for this week’s matchup. In his stead, third-down back Phillip Lindsay will shoulder the load with Devontae Booker. Neither is nearly the runner between the tackles that Freeman is.Tight end Jeff Heuermann led the Broncos in receiving yards and tied for targets during the last matchup, and has been slowly integrated more into the passing game. As with last time these teams met, wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas lead them on the outside with Courtland Sutton developing as a deep threat.Two major changes on the offensive line come at left guard and right tackle, with Max Garcia getting the start at guard Replica Darwin Thompson Jersey , and Billy Turner replacing an injured Jared Veldheer at right tackle. The unit has allowed a lot of pressure this year, ranking 26th in pressure rate according to Football Outsiders. They’ve also allowed over two sacks a game to go with those pressures. The last time these teams faced, the Chiefs racked up four sacks, even with their poor defensive performance.How the Chiefs can improve on their performanceTackling between the tacklesIt seems quite simple to just target “tackling” as a point of improvement from the last meeting, but it was easily the worst performance of the year in that regard. The Broncos had four runs that should have been tackled for loss or no gain that ended up going for 10 or more yards. Over the past three weeks, the Chiefs defense has improved vastly in that regard, even if the overall performances haven’t always been positive. Against a team like the Broncos, who find most of their success on early downs — ninth in the league at attaining a new set of downs on first or second downs, according to SBNation’s NFL analytics — tackling well puts them into third down situations, where the Chiefs rank third and the Broncos rank 21st.Improved tackling coupled with some lighter backs who are a little easier to bring down, the Chiefs front seven could find themselves with some success this week in lighter boxes.Matchups in coverageThe last time these two teams played, the Denver Broncos not only ran the ball well, they also got the ball out quickly against a defense playing 40 percent off-man coverage. The Chiefs defense was largely beat underneath, with Keenum getting the ball out in an obscene 2.08 seconds per throw on average.If I’m Bob Sutton this week, I’m switching it up.I’d lean on another man-heavy game, but I’d bring the press in Arrowhead. Keenum was able to get into a rhythm early due to the short passing game, especially targeting Parker and Eric Murray against Heuermann, Orlando Scandrick against Sanders and Sutton, and Justin Houston against Booker and Lindsay. The emergence of Jordan Lucas in the past three weeks has allowed the Chiefs a little more coverage flexibility up front. As we saw last week against the Bengals, Sutton isn’t afraid to bracket a team’s No. 1 option and leave Lucas in man coverage against a tight end. If Sutton chooses to roll help over the top of Scandrick’s man this week, it can allow him to play more aggressive at the line of scrimmage and take away shorter routes, knowing that the Broncos’ speed won’t hurt the defense.Finally Stitched Darwin Thompson Jersey , last week’s dime packages for Dorian O’Daniel should pay some major dividends this week. Since the Broncos are without Freeman, healthy doses of Lindsay and Booker should be expected in the passing game. As neither have the same ability to break tackles and read blockers on interior runs that Freeman does, screens and rolling running backs into the flats to create space can be expected from the Broncos offense.The last time these teams faced was the first real look we got at O’Daniel with the first-team defense, as the lone off-ball linebacker in the Chiefs NASCAR pass rush package opposite Booker. Sutton trusted O’Daniel to match up with Joe Mixon this past week, so asking him to cover Booker and Lindsay out of the backfield shouldn’t be a stretch. Expect to see more of the dime and more O’Daniel this week as he grows into the game.The bottom lineThe last time these two teams faced, the Broncos were able to move the ball and put the Chiefs in an early hole — something only the New England Patriots have been able to do to this point. That’s good company to be in, if you’re a Denver fan.Unfortunately, the things the Broncos were able to do well (run between the tackles, across the middle with tight ends) will be limited due to some changes for both teams in the past three weeks.It cannot be overstated how huge of a loss Freeman is for the Denver offense this week. His ability to read the correct gap, make players miss and punish second and third level defenders is demoralizing for a defensive front. Denver is then able to utilize the smaller, quicker back in Lindsay to run at some tired legs. Without the initial set-up of Freeman, Lindsay isn’t quite as effective — particularly, between the tackles.The Broncos were able to pick on Parker and Murray in man coverage with Heuermann to gain some chunk yardage on early downs, setting the team up for easy conversions. Since that game, Lucas has come on strong and seems to be the preferred man coverage defender against the opposition’s tight ends and pass catching backs. Utilizing his ability to press and speed to close on routes will be key to take away a security blanket for Keenum and allow the pass rush to get home.Speaking of the pass rush, a backup right tackle against the Chiefs best pass rusher in Dee Ford should result in some serious fireworks this week. Ford’s been on a hot streak, and a game at home against a backup — with a quarterback that takes a lot of sacks — should have him licking his chops. I predict a multiple sack game from five-five this week.Quite simply, the Broncos offense doesn’t scare me without Freeman and in the cozy confines of Arrowhead. The Broncos offense hasn’t had to face at tough road atmosphere, with their away games being against the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and the Arizona Cardinals. Make no mistake, this is the first real test of this offense’s ability to communicate and stay with the snap count in a raucous environment.On top of that Darwin Thompson Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , I think the Chiefs got one of Denver’s better games the last time these two teams played. It was on a big stage away from home, and the defensive errors compounded a good gameplan from the Broncos. At home, the Chiefs defense has executed better, tackled better and has managed to hold the opposition to under 17 points a game.With the Broncos missing some key starters and the Chiefs finding their identity with some young players, I expect another great performance on the defensive side of the ball this week. Veach’s final address to the KC media included a great Andy Reid nugget, a scenario for drafting offense and why free agency will allow the Chiefs to go with the best player available."“We know that we are close, and we have a pretty good team,” Veach said. “We know we were inches away to going to Atlanta for the Super Bowl. I think there’s no one more driven than coach (Reid) and our staff up there to get this thing. We aren’t trying to build for the future, we are trying to win now. We are going to stay aggressive. We are going to try to put the best roster we possibly can out there and there are some moves that you just can’t make, but I think whatever we can do throughout the course of this period and after this period, I don’t think we are ever going to stop to be aggressive and push the envelope here because we want to put Kansas City in the best position to win a Super Bowl.”To do that, many assume that just like last year, the Chiefs need go with an all-defensive draft. The case often made is that if the Chiefs can get out of the cellar (No. 31 in yards per game) defensively, Mahomes will take care of the rest.But the idea that the Chiefs will only end up with premium defensive players shouldn’t be etched in stone. Veach explained that through free agency, they have created a situation in which they feel they can comfortably take players they value the most in any given round. Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images“The things that you do in free agency protect yourself in the draft, so you don’t have to take a player you feel is a second or third-round value in the first round,” the Chiefs GM said. “Maybe some moves are big like the Honey Badger (Tyrann Mathieu) and some smaller moves. I think what you do is you protect yourself, and that’s really one of the key elements of free agency. You go in there and they all don’t have to be big-name splashes, but if you could get guys like a Bashaud Breeland or a Damien Wilson to protect yourself from over-drafting players. I feel like this year, with the exception of quarterback, I think anything’s on the table in that first round.”Last year, Veach traded up three times to select Breeland Speaks Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys Stitched , Derrick Nnadi and Kahlil McKenzie. Those trade-ups, his rumored deals at last year’s trade deadline and the splash free-agent signings of Sammy Watkins and Tyrann Mathieu have led the national analysts like NFL Network’s Peter Schrager to refer to him as a “riverboat gambler.”The riverboat gamblerBut Veach was reflective on Thursday, explaining how he has learned to be more balanced on the fly.“For me it’s just learning how to be passive more so than aggressive—I’m kind of wired to just go up and get a guy,” he said. “I think you learn something every year. That was tough (in 2018)—you don’t have a first-round pick and then you don’t pick until late in the second. It was almost like we entered last year with a third-round pick. These names go off the board and you get a little impatient, but it will be a little bit different this year when you have some more picks to work with... You could be more tactical in certain areas, but [I’ve] got a great staff around me. I don’t think any GM goes into the draft and just starts pulling off names all by themselves. They surround themselves with smart people and I have smart people around me, so I think it’s a good balance.”Veach said he would be meeting with the offensive staff on Thursday and the defensive staff Friday to talk about the draft board. It is probably time to accept that the come next Thursday night, the first player called to Kansas City may just be on offense.“We’re just looking to find another great player, period—offense or defense,” Veach said. “I think the cool thing about having the league MVP is he makes people around him that much better, so that’s a luxury we have. If we can get him another tool, we absolutely will, but I think in general, we’re just going to find playmakers on both sides of the football. I don’t think we’re going to be geared toward offense now because Pat is so good, but we’re also aware that Pat is so good, so if there is somebody out there who can make him even better, we’ll be all for it. But I think just in general, we just want to add playmakers, any way, and that includes special teams, too.”Veach’s reflection might have even included a hint of regret for trading up as much as he did last year. Breeland Speaks looks on before the AFC Championship Game against the New England PatriotsPhoto by Peter Aiken/Getty Images“You want to put yourself in a position where you don’t have to reach,” he said. “Because if you just didn’t have a capable starter Discount Darwin Thompson Jersey , like a Bashaud Breeland, say, and you don’t want to draft a third-round corner where you can draft a first-round talent at wideout. I think you just want to stick true to the talent and stick true to the board. There are some young guys we like. The kid from Kansas State, (Byron) Pringle, I think we’re really excited about. He had that great preseason game last year, hurt the hamstring. He’s busted his tail in the offseason. He looks really good, so I think he’s a guy that can step up and surprise. “I think we have some guys that are still here that maybe people don’t know about or realize that we know more about. But receiver, if there is a receiver that we like, early on we absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.”The Chiefs still need defensive starters—no one would argue against that. But by Veach’s tone and words Thursday, there truly seems to be only one position you can rule out. Reid has a thick stack of index cards to prove it.Other relevant notes from Veach’s pre-draft press conferenceVeach on the draft picks from last year being “scheme-versatile”: “I think the good thing about the guys we drafted last year is they were all scheme-versatile guys. Breeland (Speaks) was more of a 4-3 end and Dorian (O’Daniel) can certainly play Will. Schematically from a secondary standpoint, those guys are interchangeable. So, getting guys like Armani (Watts) and Charvarius Ward really apply across the board. But I think the guys we drafted last year they had scheme versatility last year when we drafted them. But I don’t think that was our intent last year. I feel like we are in a pretty good place.”Veach on some of the contributions from the rookies in 2018: “Breeland (Speaks) was in a unique position as our first pick even though he was a second-rounder, playing a little out of position at 3-4 outside linebacker. When Justin (Houston) and Dee (Ford) had some issues, I guess it was when Justin went down, Breeland came in and played some pretty good football and was a little out of position. He logged a lot of snaps. Derrick Nnadi was basically a starter for us, he’s a really good player. We were going through some of our young guys just last week and that guy is a lot better than people think. He’s a really good player and Armani (Watts) got hurt. Then if you count Charvarius Ward in that mix too, all these guys I think stepped in and played, I mean Charvarius was starting for us at the end of the season. Our mindset is the same. We expect these guys to come in and contribute and if they’re not starting to log a lot of snaps for us during the course of the season.”Veach discussed how he feels about the current state of the Chiefs’ cornerback position: “I think Kendall (Fuller) and what Charvarius Ward did last year are certainly positives for us and we have two guys that we know are good players. I think Bashaud, I mentioned in one of our in-house interviews that he went through that injury and toward the end of last year he started picking his game up. I think with a full offseason and OTAs—this guy has played in the league and started at a pretty high level. I think we feel pretty good there, but we certainly need to get better. We need to get younger.”