Zero sacks. Two quarterback hits. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes probably didn’t have to even wash his jersey after besting the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 29-10 win Wednesday. The Chiefs, as they always have against the Steelers in the Mahomes era, had the perfect plan to win.
The one true advantage the Steelers had in this game was their pass rush. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig at outside linebacker with Cam Heyward leading the charge up front. Against a Chiefs offensive line with injuries and issues at left tackle that caused left guard Joe Thuney to kick out and put a young backup at left guard.
Point being, if the Steelers’ rush could get home, Pittsburgh would have a chance. Kansas City made sure that didn’t happen. While the Chiefs only rushed for 69 yards, their hidden run yardage was huge. Quick and RPO game that got the ball out almost immediately and took the Steelers’ rush, and the Chiefs’ questionable protection, out of the equation.
Kansas City did it in a variety of ways. Let’s walk through the tape. We’ll even use the TV tape because it captures things well in more clarity and from a closer angle. We’ll break this down by route concept.
Flat
Used early in the game for the Chiefs’ first touchdown. Back-to-back throws in the flat, the first on 1st and 10 for 6 yards before Mahomes hit WR Xavier Worthy (aligned as a running back) for the score. Appears there was miscommunication on Worthy’s score, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick late to match it in the flat and for a player with Worthy’s world-class speed, that’s all he needs.
First completion is an RPO, the second a designed quick throw where the rush has zero chance to even breathe on Mahomes, let alone sack him.
Glance
A “glance” route is basically a slant/skinny post route on an RPO. In the first clip, Mahomes has three options. He can hand the ball off to the back, can hit No. 2 on a swing route to the flat, or No. 9 JuJu Smith-Schuster. With SS DeShon Elliott in the back and the Steelers playing single-high, Mahomes wants to throw instead of handing it off.
Mahomes reads the overhang defender CB Cam Sutton. He runs to the flat to take the swing route while Elliott is down in the box to stop the run. Mahomes rips the glance to Smith-Schuster on target and before CB Donte Jackson can close. It’s a first down on 1st and 10.
The second is similar. Inside linebacker blitz with the nickel again expanding to the swing. Glance opens behind and Mahomes hit No. 5 Hollywood Brown in stride for a great YAC chance, turning 2nd and 14 into a first down.
Swing/Bubble
A staple part of the Chiefs’ offense, as we wrote in our pregame scouting report. Used early in the game, Mahomes hitting Worthy on the bubble/swing and getting his speed in space. A 6-yard gain on 1st and 10 is a successful run and that’s functionally what this play is.
Get the same on a third-quarter drive, Mahomes twice hitting Worthy on the swing/bubble. Both on 1st and 10, both successful with the latter gaining a first down.
Screen
They mixed in on a tight-end screen to Travis Kelce. Steelers playing off to the top and late keying the snap, LB Payton Wilson looking back for a call/check as Mahomes receives the snap. Pitch and catch to the boundary from Mahomes to Kelce. First-down play that puts them in second and short, the Chiefs scoring a few plays later.
Boot
And there were boots and half-rolls. Completions to the flat or on curls, basically like a Sprint Right that you see from a lot of high school/small colleges. The Chiefs can just do it at a higher level. The third example becomes a first down on 1st and 10.
Curl
Finally, one simple curl/flat concept. Kelce sitting down, showing his numbers, and Mahomes hitting him. T.J. Watt is intentionally left unblocked so the ball has to come out quick and does, gaining a first down on 2nd and 4.
No, not all of these were big plays. In fact, most weren’t. But they kept Kansas City’s offense moving and on schedule, avoiding third and longs where Mahomes would have to hold onto the ball, the protection would have to stay in and chip/help, and the Steelers’ pass rush could go to work.
On first-down throws, Mahomes went a crisp 13-of-16 for 144 yards and five first downs. The Chiefs averaged nine yards per pass attempt compared to just three yards when running the ball on first down. This was a great counter for which the Steelers lacked any answers, consistently put in conflict, read by Mahomes, and always a step behind. They chased the ball the entire game. That took Pittsburgh’s pass rush and solid run defense out of the equation and allowed the Chiefs to matriculate the ball downfield for a comfortable win.
