KC OL vs. Philly DL

This matchup is getting talked about as a major advantage for Philly and I don't believe it to be so. I think it's a small advantage for Philly. It's strength on strength on the interior between Thuney, Creed, and Trey vs. Hargrave, Cox, Sue, Linval, Davis. Those interior guys will battle and will each get their wins and losses. The real interesting matchup is on the edge. I've said all year that Wylie is MUCH better than most Chiefs fans give him credit for. ESPN's win rates have him as the 6th best pass blocking OT.

Philly OL vs. KC DL

This matchup has been talked about a lot and I do think it benefits Philly. They've got the best OL in the game and have all year. Why? They can do everything, and they do it well. Each lineman is good (or better) on their own and they're even better together The run game is as diverse as it gets. Inside zone, outside zone, toss plays, gap schemes, and everyone pulls (both play side and on gap schemes). You combine that ability with what Jalen brings to a running game and it's no wonder they're so diverse and successful.

Ok let's break down this #Chiefs vs. #Eagles Super Bowl matchup. Eagles opened as slight favorites and have remained there. It's about what I figured. Would have been a lot higher I think if not for Mahomes. Might as well dive right into the QB matchup. For KC it's pretty simple: Mahomes is the best QB. He won't be 100% but I bet he's doing a lot better than last game (no inside info here, just guessing he feels better after two more weeks of rehab). Last game he still played really well, only affected materially a couple plays.

On last night's game: The first half was a huge validation of the team building idea the Raiders and the rest of the AFC West have deployed to try to keep up with, and beat, the Chiefs. Upgrade at QB, get pass rushers, find weapons on offense, and play smart, aggressive football. The Raiders in the first 20-25 minutes of the game showed why this is the model. Their pass rush took over the game early and shut down anything the Chiefs tried to do. Davante shredded the defense. Physical OL. Smart decision to go for it on 4th, an aggressive down field throw.

I don’t like that fake play by the Chargers trying to get them to jump, then taking the time out. I think they’re much better off lining up in a punt formation and barking out cadences and trying to draw them offsides there. Wow the Chargers went for it?? Staley is back to hating his defense I guess

The Watson trade and contract still doesn't feel right to me. Do we have any clarity on the 22 lawsuits against him? From what I've seen, by @bylindsayhjones + @JennyVrentas + @minakimes especially, the grand jury non-indictment doesn't mean much, and surely doesn't absolve him. The $1m base salary the first year feels slimy and wrong. And look, I follow contracts, I understand that most deals have a big signing bonus and relatively low base salary the first year. Mine did. But this feels purposeful. He got paid millions last year to not play as well.

Chiefs Thought Thread:

Given our expectations, this was a disappointing season. Every year we (fans, players, coaches, etc.) expect at the least a Super Bowl appearance. Is that fair? Of course not. Brady is the best to do it at 50% and Pat has equaled that in his first 4 years. What is fair is to evaluate based on past performance and what these guys have shown. This team was a tale of two seasons, and unfortunately so was this past game. First half of this game was the Chiefs we expect, the team we saw in November and December. Second half? Not so much

I’m as analytic minded as they come for OL but this is not the answer. Football distills down to simple tenants for coaches (and players): toughness, physicality, and discipline. Success in the run game is the ultimate indicator (feeling, if you’d like) for those principles (1/x)

https://twitter.com/PFF_Eric/status/1466048512643239943

Football is controlled violence and about physically imposing your will on another person. The run game taps into that instinct and mindset in a way the pass game doesn’t. It breeds physical confidence. That’s why coaches revert to it, and put such a huge emphasis on it. (2/x)

Football Friday, Episode 6 | The Hamilton

The Hamilton is my all time favorite OL technique! Why? It's a great tool that counters the normal (and taught) technique of defensive linemen trying to control the encounter, and it creates leverage for you against your defender. It also puts you into a position of strength and power. It drives your hips down and allows you to be in optimal positioning as you're working against your defender.

Lastly, it's plain frustrating for the DL to go against. And landing a Hamilton is a great feeling!

Football Friday, Episode 4 | Pass Pro Essentials, Part 2

Today we're discussing Footwork in pass protection. I'm going to discuss a few principles that I think are of the utmost importance: balance, exploding out of your stance, and efficiency of motion. Sound up for the clips! Balance is where it starts. You must be balanced in your stance to move well. It also gives you the foundation to explode out of your stance and be efficient. The stance should be close to 50/50, with a touch more weight on the inside leg if needed. No more than that.

For the “keep your head up” and “see what you hit” crowd tell me where this hit would’ve been had he kept going straight. That’s right, head to head. What’s he supposed to do? Stand up and hit him with his chest? No, that’s leaving your feet and launching. Dive at his ankles? Why isn’t this guy ejected??

I’m excited to show off this recipe, the best brisket I’ve made to date. The basics: 13.5 lb brisket, hand trimmed. Salt and pepper rub. 11.5 hours at 225 on the @TraegerGrills. Pulled at 195 internal, double wrapped in foil and towels, rested in cooler for 4.5 hrs, then sliced. @TraegerGrills First thing first, here’s the brisket. Whole one from @Costco. It was 13.5 pounds originally, but then I went ahead and took off a decent amount of the fat.