Can the Chiefs fix their red zone woes?
Plus transactions, latest KCSN podcasts, Substack articles and more Chiefs news.
Charles Goldman
The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t quite been the dominant offense that fans have come to know over the past several years with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback.
One area where they’ve struggled most is the red zone. Right now, they rank 13th in the NFL with a 55.56% red zone scoring percentage when it comes to touchdowns. Flashback to the 2022 NFL season and the Chiefs finished with the second-highest total in the league with a 71.08% red zone scoring percentage.
So how exactly do the Chiefs get back on track in the red zone? Going back to their last game against the Green Bay Packers, Andy Reid feels it’s a combination of fixable problems.
“You know what, the first drive I can help the guys out with the calls, and the second drive, we had the penalty,” Reid said. “We can fix all of that stuff; we’ll get that taken care of. You’re right, we need to score touchdowns there, not field goals.”
It might sound like a broken record, but for Matt Nagy, correcting the correctable issues such as penalties and turnovers is where the problem starts. From there, he says that the team has to be able to execute in the moments that call for situational football.
“Opportunities, stay away from penalties and stay away from turnovers,” Nagy said. “The two easiest are the penalties and the turnovers are simple, we know that we’ve been saying that all year. It’s got to be eliminated. The execution down there – things are tighter, everything happens faster.
“For us we’ve got to be able to – to me, situational football is a mindset. You’ve got to be locked in at all times and you have to understand – not that every play isn’t important – when you get down there you’ve got to understand– we had two positions in that first half last game. When you get those opportunities, those possessions you’ve got to come away with seven (points) not three. So that’s really what we’re hitting home right now.”
Will the Chiefs jump over 15% in red zone success rate in the next five weeks of the season? Probably not. However, if they can continue to improve in that area and start scoring some touchdowns, they’ll be in much better shape to make a successful run in the postseason.
NFL Officiating has been AWFUL this season! What can be done to fix it?
What type of boost could Nick Bolton provide?
It looks like the Chiefs are gearing up for the return of starting MIKE linebacker Nick Bolton in Week 14. But what exactly does his return provide for the rest of the defense? Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo weighed in on Thursday.
“I’ll tell you what, he (Nick Bolton) provides – he boosts me,” Spagnuolo said. “I mean that. He’s an energy giver. I know the guys feel that in the huddle. We’ve had Tuesday where we do a little walkthrough, yesterday – everybody knows what he’s all about, what he brings, and how he communicates. You’d have to ask him a little bit more exactly, he knows where he’s at with all that. We trust the trainers and Nick on that.”
Between his mastery of the defense and the energy that he brings, Bolton’s return will be a welcomed one, especially with backup LB Drue Tranquill still in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Outside the Trenches - Chiefs Injuries MOUNTING! Cause for CONCERN vs. Bills?
Nick Leckey, Brien Hanley, and Tucker Franklin talk about the mounting injuries for the Kansas City Chiefs and around the league and ask if it is a cause for concern for the playoffs.
Thursday Injury Report:
Quick Hits:
- The Athletic’s Nate Taylor further details rookie OT Wanya Morris’ success in the wake of Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor’s struggles.
- The Chiefs have several Pro Bowl fan vote leaders, but not QB Patrick Mahomes.
- A rundown of the Chiefs’ grievances with Week 14 referee Carl Cheffers.
- Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire could have a chance to jump-start his NFL career in Week 14.
Important Dates Ahead:
- Dec. 10: NFL Week 14 - Chiefs vs. Bills
- Dec. 17: NFL Week 15 - Chiefs at Patriots (Flexed out of Monday Night Football)
- Dec. 25: NFL Week 16 - Chiefs vs. Raiders
