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Ivis AburtoESPN Digital
Scoring at least 30 points is something that is already expected every week from the Kansas City Chiefs and they have accomplished this mission in the road win over the New Orleans Saints, which makes us come back to see the performance of the defense. their.
While the Saints scored 29 points, the Chiefs’ defense managed to hold back the attack led by Drew Brees for 50 minutes, which returned to action after losing four games while recovering from broken ribs and lung damage. started the duel with five incomplete passes in the first quarter.
The biggest weakness of the team leaders is the running defense, and although they tried to exploit that area in the first half, the Kansas City defense managed to contain Alvin Kamara, and the Saints virtually gave up the running game by running only six times. In the second half.
It was anticipated that the Saints defense would complicate the game for Patrick Mahomes and he did. The surprise was the performance of the Chiefs defense, which, with an interception and forcing eight points, helped their attack build a 14-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter to keep the victory.
It should be remembered that the Saints approached 29-22 after the Saints recovered a fumble from Muhammad at the 25-yard line in Kansas City, which made work easier for Brees and company and also changed the timing. the game for a moment. to New Orleans.
For his part, the Saints defense did its best to limit Muhammad with deep safety coverage and sticky individual markings to the receivers, prompting the Chiefs quarterback to complete only 55% of his deliveries (26 of 47 for 254 yards) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire of Clyde Edwards-Helaire had to be helped off the pitch as an injury meant he was unable to finish the game.
However, Muhammad’s passing options, his ability to escape the pressure of the defender and the versatility of his running game were too great for a Saints defense that did everything it took and maybe more to slow one down. Offense of bosses that actually seems unstoppable.
The Seahawks experience wins the battle
The experience has a greater share in December, even more so in January, and the Seattle Seahawks used it to take a close victory and fought a Washington football team that learned a valuable lesson for the future.
Washington, which seems to be very close to consolidating its defense as the basis of its reconstruction, is in the process of learning to win important games, meaning the experience of Russell Wilson and company was reflected on the dashboard to give the Seahawks a playoff spot.
Washington’s defensive line has been characterized in recent weeks as one of the most pressure on rival passers-by, and although it did a decent job against Seattle, it was covered by the Seahawks offensive line, which did not allow Wilson’s sacks. However, he managed to do some foot damage by adding 55 yards on six runs, including a 38-yard run, while escaping the pressure to set the score that put Seattle 13-0 advantage on the scoreboard.
In all, the Seahawks rushed for 181 yards against Washington’s fierce defense.
On the other hand, the Washington offense did what it had to do: attack a weak Seattle air defense, which added 269 yards, but in the absence of Chris Gibson, Dwayne Haskins could not balanced the attack, which was only 84 meters in a hurry.
Managing the pace of the game and experience in these types of games were essential, so despite the fact that Washington scored twice in the fourth period, although it lost three points because it missed an extra points attempt and a conversion to two points, the Seahawks could take home the victory.
Let’s try the Patriots and Bill Belichick in 2021
What was anticipated a few weeks ago became official: after losing to the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots will not go to the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons, but whoever considers this a failure, only does so with the results as analysis material.
From a competitive point of view, Bill Belichick and the Patriots will certainly qualify their absence in the postseason as a failure, but what can be considered the beginning of a reconstruction in New England, getting out of the playoffs was one of the most realistic options. heading into the regular season.
The loss in the free agency of the best considered defender of this era, the hiring of Cam Newton a few days before the start of the regular season, the decision of several important players not to play for COVID-19 and what is limited in terms of talent the lists are the reasons that make it difficult to assess the work of the Patriots in 2020.
In a perhaps more normalized environment in 2021, with a new quarterback or a more developed and experienced quarterback and a little more room for maneuver in the salary cap, Belichick will have to have a more competitive team next season and then yes, he can be judged with a greater sense of justice.
Tom Brady’s mental impact on Bucs
Tom Brady has shown why he is one of the best defenders in history, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not want to put their defender in a position to prove it often, because they only have one game left against the Atlanta Falcons.
After a slow new start to the game, the Buccaneers had to overcome two 17-point deficits to defeat the Falcons, who, since losing that 25-point advantage in Super Bowl LI, have added four losses to their games. up 17 or more points.
The task for Bruce Arians, his coaching staff and his players is not complicated, because it is just a matter of starting the games at a good pace, so as not to complicate their qualification in the playoffs and to survive in the post-season.
Atlanta’s errors in strategy or execution to maintain leadership are not the fault of its rivals, whose merit goes back, so let’s review a few figures that reflect the quality and influence that Brady has on the mentality of his teammates.
The game against the Falcons is the first in Brady’s career, in which he commands three 75-yard offensive workouts in a quarter (Brady played 1,352 quarters) and is the first game in which he has four 75-yard offenses in one half. (Brady played 676 innings).
Brady tied Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers for the most winning defenders (7) in NFL history after scoring 17 or more points, including the playoffs.
When the Falcons were encouraged to push him with more than four defenders, Brady was virtually disappointed and completed 10 of 13 passes for 163 meters with two touchdowns. His total court in this circumstance is the second largest in the last five seasons.
The other game with the most yards under pressure came in week 5 of last season, when he added 166 yards through the air against Washington.
The ability and quality of a star matters a lot to be considered one of the best in history or at a certain time, but its influence on the mentality of a team is an important part of the formula and, in this line, the impact of Brady at Buccaneers it’s obvious.