Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes can push the ball downfield and make any throw on the football field. While that certainly can’t be taken for granted, the Green Bay Packers defense has to be prepared to limit the yards after catch (YAC) potential from the Chiefs skill position players on short area throws.
Only 10.2 percent of Mahomes pass attempts this season have been throws of 20 or more yards, which ranks 27th in the NFL. However, Mahomes ranks first in passes behind the line of scrimmage, according to PFF, and seventh in pass attempts from 0-to-9 yards.
On those short area throws, where the Chiefs have excelled is picking up YAC. The Kansas City offense currently leads the NFL in that category. Individually, wide receiver Rashee Rice ranks second in average YAC per reception, while Skyy Moore ranks 13th. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kadarius Toney both rank in the top-third of the NFL in that category as well. Isaiah Pacheco also ranks 13th in YAC among running backs.
“I think adding Pacheco, No. 10,” said Joe Barry on Thursday, “to their offense, that has brought a completely different element, not only in the run game but also in the intermediate to short passing games, the screen game. That’s why the Chiefs are so good. They’re so difficult to defend. It’s not just one thing that you have to take away.
“Obviously, their quarterback is a massive part. They have good young wideouts, obviously a Hall of Fame tight end, and as I mentioned, this back that they’ve incorporated in the last two years. Brings another element that you have to worry about.”
Tackling is always important – we know that – but in an effort to limit these YAC opportunities that the Chiefs have been so good at exploiting, tackling is going to be at a premium this week. Missed tackles have been an issue at times for the Packers this season, with the most recent example of that happening a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, which contributed to the Steelers’ 200-plus-yard rushing performance. Green Bay entered Week 13 ranked 10th in total missed tackles.
All 11 defenders are going to have to be on the same page and swarming to the ball carrier. For the linebackers and defensive backs specifically, reading their keys to help identify where the ball is going, trusting what they see, and reacting immediately are going to be elements to put them in position to make the tackles and limit the YAC.
“Everyone just has to know where your help is,” said safety Jonathan Owens when asked about defending this Chiefs offense. “When you can take your shot so that you know what your leverage is supposed to be. That’s the biggest thing. All 11 doing their job. The DBs we are a big part on the back end but we rely on the linebackers, we rely on the defensive ends, it’s everyone. It’s all bout pursuit. It’s going to take all 11.”
The added stressor for the Green Bay defense is not only having to defend this YAC-heavy Chiefs’ offense on scripted plays, but Mahomes is one of the best to ever do it off-script when the play breaks down. This then creates a whole new set of problems for an opponent to contend with.
Even if the Packers have the initial play design bottled up and defended well, the job isn’t done at that point. In fact, things are often just beginning. With Mahomes’ and the skill-position players’ abilities to adlib while still being on the same page, it still allows them the opportunity to generate big plays, which includes YAC by getting the pass catchers the ball in space.
“What makes Patrick so good is the things he can do when everything breaks down,” added Barry. “It’s hard to create that on the practice field. We’ve tried to create scramble opportunities when guys don’t know it’s happening. It’s hard because a lot of that stuff, from a passing game standpoint, you might have the initial route covered, but then they do such a great job. It looks like all five eligibles are coordinated and synchronized, and knowing what he’s doing when things break down and he creates.
“It is hard. You’ve got to talk about it. You’ve got to preach it. You got to attempt to work on it in practice but it’s hard to create those specific looks. He’s one of the all-time greats at creating and doing that.”
Against a quarterback of Mahomes’ caliber and a Chiefs offense that has been the best at producing YAC, there likely is no stopping Kansas City in that regard. But what the Packers have to do is limit those opportunities and not let the Chiefs completely dominate the open field. If that happens, then things could get out of hand quickly.
