It didnt matter who the Texans lined up over Kelce– they got beat.
The Texans attempted to man-up Kelce with a variety of body types and capability and none were able to contain him. Theyre going to face the same issues this year if they mean on playing guy coverage versus the Chiefs vaunted offense. As huge of an issue as Kelce was for the Texans, I might see them playing more zone on Thursday.
Kelce kept beating Texans up and down in the field in the 2nd half– extending scoring drives with huge catches of 20-plus yards and continuing to reveal the connection the quarterback and tight end have in Kansas City.
It didnt matter who the Texans lined up over Travis Kelce: Justin Reid, Lonnie Johnson or Vernon Hargreaves (here) – they had no answer for him in the very best quarter of football of his life. pic.twitter.com/5jSewnxnHW— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) September 8, 2020
If not– the likes of Reid, Johnson or anybody they line up across him might be in for yet another long night.
Travis Kelce played the finest quarter and game of his life to spark a Chiefs comeback blowout. After psychological errors (including a drop from Kelce) in the very first quarter, Kansas City went from 24 points down to 4 up in less than a quarter– and Kelce was included from the start.
The next play, Kelce assisted spring running back Damien Williams open with a well-executed rub path versus more guy coverage. On the second play, the Chiefs were running a Y-Pump (out and up double relocation by Kelce) and again, Johnson was beat. As big of a problem as Kelce was for the Texans, I could see them playing more zone on Thursday.
The second half of the Chiefs Combeback Blowout of the Texans was much more of the same – Kelce being unguardable.
– Outstanding wrap of Justin Reid- Rocker step at the top of the route develops separation on drag pic.twitter.com/SRSsRkkbyw— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) September 8, 2020.
If it werent for an uncommon efficiency from a rare player, the story of the world champs would not have actually taken place. Travis Kelce played the best quarter and game of his life to trigger a Chiefs comeback blowout. After psychological mistakes (including a drop from Kelce) in the first quarter, Kansas City went from 24 points down to four up in less than a quarter– and Kelce was included from the start.
Reid– a safety– wasnt working out well for the Texans, so they put rookie Lonnie Johnson on Kelce with the hopes of including him with a 6-foot-2 cornerback. Johnson has unusual length and size for the position, so the Texans most likely figured he could provide Kelce problems. He didnt.
In the 2019 divisional round– en path to their very first Super Bowl in 50 years– the Chiefs turned a 24-point deficit into a comeback and after that a blowout. For the final 3 quarters of Bill OBrien and his teams season, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs treated a playoff group in a playoff game like an SEC group playing Indiana State.
In case you were not aware (through my tweets or the Arrowhead Pride Lab), the Kansas City Chiefs are currently on a 51-7 run versus the Houston Texans.
On the very first play, Kelce covered around Reid– out break and after that a sharp break back inside. Its possible the wrap was in fact improvised, however it was perfectly executed by both.
On the second play, the Chiefs were running a Y-Pump (out and up double move by Kelce) and once again, Johnson was beat. His only hope was to get grabby at the break– forcing yet another pass disturbance en route to one of 3 scores that Kelce would have in the quarter (more on that later). Kelce didnt let Johnson off easy.
( Quick sidebar: this was one of the cleanest, textbook tosses from Mahomes all season– lovely step up and clean release in rhythm).
On the first play, Kelce beat Johnson clean up off the line of skirmish with an impressive release. The ball was actually underthrown slightly by Patrick Mahomes, however Johnson was in healing mode off the line of scrimmage, so he wasnt able to come managed to the catch point and was required pass disturbance.
The stop-and-start switch at the top of the route was too much for Reid to manage. The next play, Kelce helped spring running back Damien Williams open with a well-executed rub route versus more guy coverage. He was important in developing the traffic that kept linebacker Jacob Martin from running with Williams on the shoot path out of the backfield.
Kelce was essential in getting the team down the field for these plays– however he also completed the drives on the final 3 series of the half– including the consent score. The connection between Mahomes and Kelce is uncommon– however on full display in these plays. None were tidy, but both players were on the same page.
The play worked, and the Chiefs would score on that ownership. The next play revealed is yet another example of how rare of a skill Kelce is for his position.
Houston put a smaller defensive back– Vernon Hargreaves III– on Kelce and actually doubled him with Johnson. Kelce provided a tricky push at the top of his route on his way throughout the field and Johnson was late to double him– leading to yet another big play en route to a path.
The Chiefs Comeback Blowout of the Texans was sparked by a huge kick return by Mecole Hardman and a fast, 2 play drive:- Nifty V7 by Kelce versus Justin Reid in man protection- Kelces exceptional rub to spring Damien Williams and exceptional ball placement by Mahomes pic.twitter.com/HjqedLPrDF— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) September 8, 2020
The Texans attempted to match up security Justin Reid against Kelce early in the video game– however that didnt work out for them. Early in the game, Kelce proved to be a difficult gamer for the Texans to line up across. He is among the rarest gamers in the league– a big-bodied tight end with the hip fluidity of a top-shelf pass receiver. Its not like Houston was the only team that ran into this problem– its that it wanted to play man coverage. Kelce ate it up, starting with an outstanding V7 (corner route with a tough stem to the middle of the field) versus Reid to get the Chiefs offense into the red zone.
As if Kelce wasnt affecting the game enough with all these plays made, he likewise scored 3 goals with high levels of problem– some on third down.
Justin Reid could not deal with Kelce, so the Texans attempted to match him up with rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson. It did not work out for Houston, as Johnson committed pass interference twice in the 2nd quarter of the Comeback Blowout. pic.twitter.com/O5nUcpUFqd— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) September 8, 2020
Kelce revealed fantastic body control and focus on all of these plays; Mahomes showed great ball placement, persistence and trust in the best tight end in football. A number of these plays were on third-and-goal circumstances– the Chiefs needed them to complete the return. The result was a four-point lead at the half after routing by 24.
The Chiefs removed a 24 point deficit in one quarter on the back of three Travis Kelce touchdowns.
Quarterback and tight end were operating on a different level than the other twenty gamers on the field. The creativity and trust to get these three plays into the endzone is unusual. pic.twitter.com/JoTOD7X5h7— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) September 8, 2020.
