So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

[ghz in pittsburgh]

On surface, they seemed less explosive but the stats indicating they are almost the same compared to last year. Some people will say they changed to dink and donk offense this year without Hill. But I will contend that they have always been a dink and donk offense. It's just that when Hill was there, it forces defenses to play deep, giving them more space to operate in between. But Mahomes has shown he can get rid of the ball quick to different receivers.

I don't see the Bills changing their defensive philosophy - no big plays, but they may not devoting so much resources to bracket a wide receiver like they did to Hill in the past. That means they probably can have the safeties up a bit more and make tackles to the underneath routes a little quicker. And hopefully that leads to more stops than in the past before it gets to the red zone.

The Bills did beef up their D-Line with new comers plus improving young guys. But the Chiefs improved their O-Line as well. So I won't count on more pressure on Mahomes with our front 4 yet. Yes the Raiders game showed the Chiefs can't handle Crosby, which prompted them to change to a quick rhythm passing game in the 2nd half, but I don't think we have anyone playing at Maxx Crosby level on this team right now, and that includes Von Miller.

The good thing is the Bills linebackers are playing at the highest level that I have seen under McDermott and Frazier. I'm wondering if the LB coach move from Bob Babich (came along with McDermott in 2017, retired after last season) to his son Bobby Babich made a difference. And that could be a deciding factor because of the issues the Bills had in the past of dealing with Kelce and containing Mahomes' scrambling.

[OpIv37]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Well, I just read an article about the A-22 film from the Athletic.

https://theathletic.com/3683801/2022/10/12/bills-all-22-film-review-steelers/

It's behind a paywall, but basically it said Elam was slow to react in zone coverage and the Steelers took advantage of it. Being that it was his first start, their O was basically one read for Pickett then check down, and the read was almost always on Elam. And they did get some yards against him, even though it didn't affect the outcome.

So, obviously Reid and Mahomes will pick up on that. Oliver is back and the whole point of the off-season was to revamp the DL to get after Mahomes. I think we do our best to help Elam and cover Kelce and get after Mahomes, and force someone else to step up on their side. And, put up a **** ton of points on O.

[kgun12]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

I don’t think just pressuring Mahomes will work, they need to get to him early and often! Oh and cover Kielce, something the Raiders didn’t do!

[imbondz]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Why is it at Arrowhead again this year?

[Ingtar33]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

the chiefs are generating the short looks with their running game. they've run into a series of terrible run defenses and have taken advantage of it; if we can stop their running game it takes away the play action, if we can pressure mahomes without a blitz it forces mahomes into bad throws, and he is one of the most awful QBs in the league if you can get him under steady pressure without blitzing. most QBs look poor under pressure, but mahomes is a special type of awful if you are getting that pressure without blitzing.

the last thing you got to go is keep Kelce in check somehow, the Bengals did it by doubling him everywhere he went. without the Kelce crutch mahomes went into panic mode under the Bengals pass rush.

[Novacane]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Cover Kelce.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Elam will give up catches. At this point, we are asking him not giving up big plays, which he is doing OK there. By the way, that's the same thing the Chiefs are asking their DBs to do.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

I get that we don't want to blitz him. If we can pressure him with front 4, I think the game will definitely tilt towards Bills big time. The main thing is that we don't want to give him wide open guys to throw ball too, something he always seems to be able to do with his off-platform throwing while scrambling/on-the-run. Blitzing increases the likelihood of wide open guys. If he has to fit the ball into tight places consistently, 50% of the time you will have a stop. That's why I believe our linebacker play can be the difference.

[OpIv37]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Why is it at Arrowhead again this year?

It's because the NFL has a predetermined schedule based on outcomes the previous season.

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/bills/why-do-bills-keep-playing-chiefs-in-kansas-city

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

We're going to need Poyer to play like he can and the pressure has to get there to rush throws.

We are also going to need to win the turn over battle in this one.

[Kenny]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

And we need to keep him in the pocket. Dont let him scramble too much and limit his rolls to his right

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Same way they've played D all year. Shell coverage, make them be patient, and don't give them any easy chunks.

[notacon]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Same way they've played D all year. Shell coverage, make them be patient, and don't give them any easy chunks.

The biggest difference with KC and the lack of Tyreek Hill is the threat of the long ball with Hill simply outrunning coverage is gone. Same with his alien like speed after he catches the ball.

Yes, there was no doubt that the combination of Andy Reid and Mahomes (with Kelsey) was not going to affect the Chiefs’ offensive prowess.

But, and this is a BIG but, the lack of Hill aginst a team like Buffalo is going to have an oversized disadvantage for KC.


The key to slowing down Mahomes (like almost any QB) is to pressure him. Yes, Mahomes has the uncanny ability to avoid pressure and make astounding plays (which is why he is correctly considered the best QB in the NFL along with Allen)


But, the Bills revamped D-line, with the addition of Von Miller and young players like Rousseau, Epenesa and Basham coming into their own and the addition of Phillips who is a wrecker.....and Ed Oliver who is an emerging superstar, and Daquan Jones make the secondary’s job that much more effective.

Additionally, the Bills superior two LB’s, Milano and Edmunds, make the underneath passing game that much more difficult....Kelsey on the field or not.

I predict that Mahomes is going to have one of his toughest games of the season. Sure he’ll make some astounding magical plays, but not enough to win.

On the flip side, the KC defense will not be up to the task of slowing down Josh and the offense.

[Goobylal]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

The Bills got better and the Chefs got worse since the last time these 2 teams met.

[sukie]

Re: So How Do We Defend Mahomes Led Hill-less Offense?

Nothing really different. Stop the run and pass rush. Everything else will take care of itself