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The Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line has remained a focal point within the 2020 season, given the opt-outs, accidents and struggles. Let’s check out how we bought right here — and the way issues may change within the postseason:
A tough begin to the season
Issues didn’t begin effectively. Longtime veteran Stefen Wisniewski — who had carried out admirably filling in at left guard for Andrew Wylie in the course of the last weeks of the 2019 season — left for his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers in free company. Beginning proper guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and third-round rookie sort out Lucas Niang exercised their choices to choose out of the 2020 season on account of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chiefs moved shortly to supplant the road, buying two longtime veterans. Guard Mike Remmers signed on to develop into the staff’s swing offensive lineman and former All-Professional guard Kelechi Osemele was acquired to be the brand new beginning left guard. Wylie — again from damage — moved over to take Duvernay-Tardif’s place at proper guard.
These gamers joined returning left sort out Eric Fisher, heart Austin Reiter and proper sort out Mitchell Schwartz to start out the season.
Early accidents
Whereas few would have mistaken this offensive line for the bruising traces the Chiefs fielded within the early Nineties and 2000s, it proved greater than serviceable at first of the season.
But it surely lasted solely 4 weeks.
Early within the Week 5 recreation in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders, Osemele suffered season-ending injuries in each of his knees. Remmers stepped in to take his place. And whereas he completed the Raiders recreation, Reiter sat out the next three weeks with what head coach Andy Reid referred to as a “tender knee.” Former Miami Dolphins heart Daniel Kilgore — who had been signed to the team in late August — began these video games, though Reiter had some snaps in opposition to the Denver Broncos in Week 7 and the New York Jets in Week 8.
In opposition to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6, one other starter went down. After simply eight performs, Schwartz left the game with a back injury. Schwartz had suddenly been listed as questionable on the previous Friday’s injury report with a again damage; it appeared that enjoying had aggravated the issue. Remmers moved to proper sort out to take his place, whereas second-year participant Nick Allegretti got here in at left guard for the primary vital offensive snaps of his profession.
Following Reiter’s return in Week 9, Fisher, Allegretti, Reiter, Wylie and Remmers have been the bottom gamers of the offensive line.
Later modifications
Extra just lately, the Chiefs have had two scares.
One was when Remmers injured his back in the third quarter of the Week 14 game in opposition to the Miami Dolphins.
By this time, Kansas Metropolis had re-signed Wisniewski to the apply squad. The 31-year-old had suffered a pectoral muscle damage throughout his Week 1 begin for the Steelers — however had not performed since then, so Pittsburgh launched him in early November. Although the Chiefs had elevated Wisniewski to the energetic roster the week earlier than, he had seen no motion. Elevated once more for the Dolphins recreation, the Chiefs might have used him to take Remmers’ place. However as an alternative, they selected to have undrafted rookie Yasir Durant end the sport at proper sort out — simply as he had finished for temporary durations in opposition to the Broncos and Jets.
The second scare got here the next week when Fisher missed two days of practice with — you guessed it — a again damage. With Remmers nonetheless out — and Durant not having proven a lot in opposition to the Dolphins — a serious question arose about how the Chiefs would handle things for the Week 15 recreation in opposition to the New Orleans Saints. Ultimately, Fisher battled by means of and performed (albeit not at his regular stage), whereas the Chiefs handled the best facet of the road by transferring Wisniewski to the energetic roster and beginning him at proper guard, shifting Wylie to proper sort out.
However the next week — with Remmers again — the Chiefs returned to their regular 5 offensive linemen for the Week 16 recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons.
What’s to come back in Week 17
With the primary seed of the postseason secured, Andy Reid has already stated that for Sunday’s Week 17 recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers, backup quarterback Chad Henne will begin rather than Patrick Mahomes — and that different key gamers will journey the bench to get some relaxation, too. However which offensive linemen will get relaxation — and who will take their locations?
Since each have just lately had again points, Fisher and Remmers will very doubtless sit this one out. Martinas Rankin — who has been energetic for simply two of the 5 video games since he returned from final yr’s knee damage — could be within the combine to interchange them as starters, as would Durant. From what we’ve seen, Kilgore might simply substitute Reiter for the sport. Wisniewski might definitely step in for both Wylie or Allegretti.
However the Chiefs are quick on backup guards, so it’s not clear if each Wylie and Allegretti might sit down. Observe squad guard Bryan Witzmann has already been elevated for 2 video games, so until the staff makes use of a COVID substitute designation to carry him up — which they might do as a result of linebacker Anthony Hitchens stays on the staff’s reserve/COVID listing — he wouldn’t be obtainable.
Final Saturday, the team signed veteran guard Patrick Omameh to the taxi squad, however whereas he has loads of expertise — he’s began 57 video games in his profession — whether or not they would elevate him for a recreation with solely every week’s price of acclimatization is open to query.
In any case — just because the staff is so skinny throughout the road — it’s doubtless that not less than one beginning guard and sort out might be energetic for the sport, able to play in case one of many backups is injured.
What’s to come back within the postseason
Amongst Chiefs followers and observers, it has develop into an article of religion the staff wants an excellent offensive line to guard Mahomes; again in Could, I joked on Twitter that the road ought to hereafter be referred to as “the Division of Mahomeland Safety.”
But it surely’s not completely clear that the Chiefs don’t already consider they’ve a line that may not less than adequately shield their celebrity quarterback.
It’d shock you to be taught that in line with Pro Football Focus statistics — and let’s be clear: these are statistics, not grades — the Chiefs have allowed simply 140 whole pressures on 662 dropbacks. That’s good for an effectivity fee of 88.7, which ranks sixth-best within the league behind the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams.
Wouldn’t it additional shock you that amongst all offensive linemen with not less than 50% of a staff’s passing snaps, Reiter ranks second on this metric, with solely seven pressures on 554 dropbacks for a fee of 99.4? Among the many Chiefs, Mike Remmers is 51st with 97.9, adopted by Nick Allegretti at 74th (97.5), Eric Fisher at 94th (97.2) and Andrew Wylie at one centesimal (97.1).
To make sure, having Mahomes because the staff’s quarterback most likely skews these numbers a bit. As a result of he is aware of he might be profitable outdoors the pocket, he’s extra inclined to skedaddle earlier than a strain attributable to a particular lineman might be famous. (When Alex Smith was Kansas Metropolis’s quarterback, we referred to as this phenomenon “comfortable ft”). However Mahomes’ instincts additionally work in opposition to the offensive line; he continues to be liable to dropping again deeper than he actually ought to, making his lineman work more durable as a result of they must defend extra floor.
This isn’t to say that the offensive line is ideal as it’s — in truth, it’s removed from it. As simply famous, the road could possibly be higher at defending Mahomes, who is definitely the league’s most dear asset. In the meantime, the staff has averaged 4.5 yards per rush on the season — eighth-best within the league — however can’t at all times generate yards on the bottom on the most crucial instances, comparable to when the staff is defending a late-game lead or when they should punch in a landing. Given the expertise we’ve got already noticed from rookie working again Clyde Edwards-Helaire (to not point out Le’Veon Bell) the staff undoubtedly has room to enhance.
However at this level of the season, how might the staff even do that? It’s not as if there are a lot of high quality linemen obtainable for them to amass — and even return from damage. Mitchell Schwartz stays on injured reserve — where he been since the bye week — and has not been designated for return. We do not expect him to be available within the postseason. Stefen Wisniewski may be an enchancment over Wylie, however the truth stays that after enjoying him in Wylie’s place throughout Week 15, the Chiefs returned to Wylie for the following recreation.
Nonetheless… the Chiefs may be taught one thing from what they see their reserve linemen do on Sunday. It stays attainable that with a few weeks till the following recreation, they might determine to make a change or two to the road.
However for higher or worse, the Chiefs will most likely journey this line by means of the postseason.
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