Raiders might have their own tricks in attempt to slow Chiefs

There is a building narrative that Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense has been figured out, with the roots of the storyline being traced to the 2021 Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles employed a two-deep shell that limited the Chiefs’ big-play ability and challenged them to rely on short passes and the running game to move the ball.

It worked to perfection, with the Buccaneers allowing no touchdowns in a 31-9 victory, and in a copycat league, the Chiefs are seeing that blueprint used against them this season.

Bowles wasn’t the first to try the method. Mahomes saw a two-high look on a career-high 55.7 percent of his dropbacks last season according to Pro Football Focus.

That number is up to 80.8 percent this season.

The results haven’t been great for the two-time defending AFC champions with the high-powered offense. The Chiefs are averaging 24.6 points, 15th in the NFL, but only 12.0 in their past three games.

Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and his unit will get their crack at slowing Kansas City when they meet in a prime-time game Sunday night at Allegiant Stadium.

But the Chiefs should see some different looks.

The Raiders’ base look is a cover 3, and Bradley’s scheme was ahead of the curve in slowing Mahomes and the Chiefs.

As the defensive coordinator for the Chargers, Bradley limited Mahomes to 6.8 yards per attempt as compared with the 8.4 he has posted against the Raiders.

Bradley obviously is aware of the success other teams have had in neutralizing Kansas City this season, but he isn’t about to overhaul a system that has worked well throughout his career. It might get mixed in, though.

“On the breakdowns, you watch a lot of teams and see how they try to attack them and what works for them and what causes them difficulties … and then you also incorporate in what you do,” Bradley said.

There is one aspect of the game plans that have been working against the Chiefs that falls in line with how the Raiders prefer to play defense.

Coordinators have all but abandoned the blitz against Mahomes, preferring to generate pressure with the front four and allowing extra defenders in coverage.

That’s how the Raiders approach most games, so plenty of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of standout defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue.

Crosby has been the second-highest-graded edge rusher in the league, according to PFF, and Ngakoue has two sacks in three of the past four games.

Their success has been a group effort with the depth on the edge, improved coverage and the space-eaters in the interior of the line helping create the pressure from Crosby and Ngakoue.

“(Defensive line coach Rod) Marinelli always talks about four equals one, and they’ve got to work together,” Bradley said. “If somebody is getting some sacks, it’s probably because a lot of the other guys are doing some things right, too.”

That will have to be the case against the Chiefs, who haven’t been completely shut down on offense.

They rank seventh in total yards and sixth in passing, but aren’t generating the big plays that made them such an explosive group since Mahomes took over at quarterback.

Much of that can be attributed to the defensive looks. The two-deep shell challenges offenses to run the ball and put together a string of short passes. It also enables secondaries to bracket the Chiefs’ biggest weapons, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce.

Kansas City has played right into the tactics, running the ball at a lower rate than any other team in the league. And Mahomes has continued to try to force the ball downfield instead of taking the underneath throws.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.