The Chiefs Attacked the Middle of the Ravens Defense

The Chiefs took their first step towards a three-peat on Thursday night with a 27-20 win over the Ravens. They only had 50 offensive snaps, but they were efficient, gaining 7.1 yards per play.

The main focal point of their offensive game plan seemed to be the middle of the Ravens defense. Patrick Mahomes completed 14 of 17 passes for 201 yards (11.8 yards per attempt) on throws between the numbers, according to PFF.

Andy Reid featured several different ways to create favorable matchups inside throughout the night. On this first example, a 3rd-and-6 on the Chiefs’ opening drive, K.C. came out in a 1x3 formation with Travis Kelce as the boundary-X receiver and a trips bunch to the right:

The play design gave Mahomes plenty of options. To the backside, he could take Kelce’s 1-on-1 if he loved it. To the front side, the motion and route combination would provide answers regardless of the coverage Baltimore chose to play.

Just before the snap, Rashee Rice would motion from the #3 inside position to the outside of the bunch:

His route, a shallow crosser, would then take him back inside. The other two receivers in the bunch would use a switch release:

If this was true man coverage, cornerback Marlon Humphrey (#44) on the outside would have to fight through traffic to stay with Rice. If this was man coverage but the Ravens were “banjoing” the bunch (playing the releases of the receivers), the route combination and releases could create confusion. If this was zone, all three routes would end up breaking inside and flooding the middle of the field.