Patchwork Chiefs offensive line could decide Super Bowl LV
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes might be the most valuable asset in all of professional sports.
That’s why Kansas City is so concerned about trying to protect him with a makeshift offensive line on Sunday when it plays the fierce defensive front of the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs will be missing three starters, and that doesn’t include Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the starting guard in last year’s Super Bowl victory who opted out of this season.
It won’t exactly be the part-time night watchman at 7-Eleven guarding Fort Knox, but the Chiefs do have concerns about their protection heading into the biggest game of the season.
It’s been a work in progress throughout the season.
Veteran left guard Kelechi Osemele, a former Raider, has been out since tearing tendons in both knees in October. Star right tackle Mitchell Schwartz injured his back the following week and hasn’t played since, marking the first time he has missed any action in his nine-year career.
Left tackle Eric Fisher ruptured his Achilles in the AFC championship win over Buffalo.
The depth even took a hit this week when reserve Daniel Kilgore went on the reserve/COVID-19 list and couldn’t practice with his teammates, though he is expected to be active in the game.
“My guys have been practicing hard the last couple weeks here, trying to make sure their technique and fundamentals are proper,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Listen, we’re not the prettiest bunch on the offensive line, but I’ve got scrappy guys and they’ll figure out how to do it well.”
Mike Remmers, who has been playing right tackle most of the season, will likely start on the left side and protect Mahomes’ blind side. Andrew Wyile is expected to slide outside from right guard to right tackle.
Nick Allegretti has been playing left guard since Osemele’s injury and center Austin Reiter is the only Week 1 starter who is still in place.
The Chiefs also made a fortunate roster addition just before the start of the postseason. Stefen Wisniewski, who started at left guard in the Super Bowl last year only to sign with Pittsburgh in the offseason, was re-signed after the Steelers waived him. He is expected to get the call at right guard.
All of this would be concerning for any team in any game. For a team going into the Super Bowl against one of the most dominant pass rushes in the entire league, it could be nightmare inducing.
The Chiefs aren’t about to panic, however.
“Our guys — over the course of the season, and (in) some cases years — have seen just about everything that you can throw at them,” said offensive line coach Andy Heck. “They can draw upon past experiences. Even if they’re playing next to a guy they haven’t played next to the previous week, there’s still a continuity there from training camp on through the season. So our guys, I feel like they play as one no matter where they’re at. They have that continuity.”
They have found a way to reach this point despite the injuries, plus Mahomes doesn’t need a whole lot of time or space to operate.
Reid has also been around the block a few times and understands what adjustments his team needs to make to account for the absences. Against Buffalo, that meant shortening things up in the passing game.
Mahomes averaged just 5.5 yards per target (8.5 during the season) in the game and didn’t have a completion of longer than 20 yards, even though he torched the Bills for 325 yards and three touchdowns.
On the nine occasions Buffalo did pressure Mahomes within 2.5 seconds of the snap, the Chiefs still averaged 9.2 yards per play.
The Buccaneers, who finished tied for fourth in sacks (48) and third in pressure rate (27.9 percent), will have to do better at getting to him and they have to do it without blitzing. Mahomes averages a league-best 9.1 yards per attempt against the blitz and is in the top three of passer rating and touchdowns against extra rushers. Tampa Bay blitzes 29 percent of the time, second most in the league.
Those trends bore out in the regular-season meeting, which the Chiefs won 27-24 after opening a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.
Mahomes received just a 61.3 passing grade from Pro Football Focus in that game when the Bucs got pressure without blitzing. He went 6-for-9 for 109 yards and two touchdowns when they sent an extra rusher.
How the Buccaneers decide to attack and how the Chiefs’ offensive line handles it could be the deciding factor in which team takes home the Lombardi Trophy.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.