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Sean McVay explains aggressive fourth-quarter play-calls that gave Chiefs one last chance for win
"I mean they were basically playing zero coverage," McVay told reporters, referring to the Chiefs' defensive coverage that didn't have a safety in the middle of the field (via Pro Football Talk). "They had 11 guys in the box and you're short in the run game, there's unblocked players. We felt like being able to run a couple of those bootlegs, you certainly don't want to have an incompletion like we did on the second down, but we are an aggressive team. We wanted to close the game out right there.
"You don't want to get too risky, but the confidence that we have in our players, we felt like changing the launch point and running kind of the boot[leg] passes where somebody's sliding across the formation was a good opportunity to be able to out-flank the edge, out-leverage a guy that's responsible for the tight end or for Robert [Woods] like we did on the first-down play in man coverage. That was what we felt like was going to be the best percentage there, just because they're playing with nobody in the middle of the field. They dropped the 11th guy down in to the box and you're short in the run game and basically it becomes tackling practice for a defense."
Complicating matters: MVP candidate Todd Gurley suffered an ankle injury early in the game and perhaps McVay didn't feel comfortable turning to him late. It tells you all you need to know that questions about McVay's play-calling center around him being too aggressive. But it worked out in this instance, in part because Johnny Hekkeruncorked a 68-yard punt after the Rams managed to use up just 14 seconds off the clock. Four plays later, Patrick Mahomes threw his last interception of the night and Los Angeles won.
Of course, we're not even having this conversation if, on the Rams' previous series, Chiefs cornerback Orlando Scandrick doesn't drop an easy interception.
That happened with 2:19 left in the game, the Chiefs leading 51-47, and the Rams already out of timeouts. Kansas City would've had the ball on Los Angeles' side of the field. Even with the two-minute warning -- and without a first down -- the Chiefs would punt the ball back to the Rams with less than 40 seconds remaining. And Los Angeles, likely starting on its own 25-yard line under the best circumstances, would have no timeouts to go the length of the field for the win.
"We had an opportunity to end the game right there with an interception," coach Andy Reid said after the game. "It slipped through our hands there a little bit. We were in a position though to end the thing. In these games, in comes down to that. ... It was back-and-forth. And then, I could have called some better plays down the stretch, bottom line. We all look at it that way, every guy on this team will do that. That's the way these guys are wired and that's what's going to make us a great football team down the stretch."
Reid's right. Yes, Mahomes had three interceptions and two fumbles, and yes, five different Rams players scored touchdowns, but if Scandrick holds onto that wayward Jared Goff pass, the Chiefs are 10-1. It didn't happen, but the good news is that Kansas City remains the AFC's best team, one that appears to be getting better each week.
Sean McVay explains aggressive fourth-quarter play-calls that gave Chiefs one last chance for win
- By Ryan Wilson
- 2m ago • 3 min read
"I mean they were basically playing zero coverage," McVay told reporters, referring to the Chiefs' defensive coverage that didn't have a safety in the middle of the field (via Pro Football Talk). "They had 11 guys in the box and you're short in the run game, there's unblocked players. We felt like being able to run a couple of those bootlegs, you certainly don't want to have an incompletion like we did on the second down, but we are an aggressive team. We wanted to close the game out right there.
"You don't want to get too risky, but the confidence that we have in our players, we felt like changing the launch point and running kind of the boot[leg] passes where somebody's sliding across the formation was a good opportunity to be able to out-flank the edge, out-leverage a guy that's responsible for the tight end or for Robert [Woods] like we did on the first-down play in man coverage. That was what we felt like was going to be the best percentage there, just because they're playing with nobody in the middle of the field. They dropped the 11th guy down in to the box and you're short in the run game and basically it becomes tackling practice for a defense."
Complicating matters: MVP candidate Todd Gurley suffered an ankle injury early in the game and perhaps McVay didn't feel comfortable turning to him late. It tells you all you need to know that questions about McVay's play-calling center around him being too aggressive. But it worked out in this instance, in part because Johnny Hekkeruncorked a 68-yard punt after the Rams managed to use up just 14 seconds off the clock. Four plays later, Patrick Mahomes threw his last interception of the night and Los Angeles won.
Of course, we're not even having this conversation if, on the Rams' previous series, Chiefs cornerback Orlando Scandrick doesn't drop an easy interception.
That happened with 2:19 left in the game, the Chiefs leading 51-47, and the Rams already out of timeouts. Kansas City would've had the ball on Los Angeles' side of the field. Even with the two-minute warning -- and without a first down -- the Chiefs would punt the ball back to the Rams with less than 40 seconds remaining. And Los Angeles, likely starting on its own 25-yard line under the best circumstances, would have no timeouts to go the length of the field for the win.
"We had an opportunity to end the game right there with an interception," coach Andy Reid said after the game. "It slipped through our hands there a little bit. We were in a position though to end the thing. In these games, in comes down to that. ... It was back-and-forth. And then, I could have called some better plays down the stretch, bottom line. We all look at it that way, every guy on this team will do that. That's the way these guys are wired and that's what's going to make us a great football team down the stretch."
Reid's right. Yes, Mahomes had three interceptions and two fumbles, and yes, five different Rams players scored touchdowns, but if Scandrick holds onto that wayward Jared Goff pass, the Chiefs are 10-1. It didn't happen, but the good news is that Kansas City remains the AFC's best team, one that appears to be getting better each week.
