Andy Reid led the Chiefs to a victory in Super Bowl 54 last season. He followed this championship up with a 14-2 regular season, which gave his team the first overall seed in the AFC in 2020-21. The Chiefs survived an upset against the Browns in the Divisional Round. The team then dominated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game.
Reid is one of the most respected head coaches in the game of football. He is a football mastermind and a terrific leader. Here are some things that I expect from Reid in Super Bowl LV.
Establish the Run Game
Reid has the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Patrick Mahomes, under center leading his offense. However, Super Bowl LV will be won in the trenches because of the strength of each team up front. I think Reid will try to run the football early in Super Bowl LV.
If they’re successful, this will open up Mahomes because the Buccaneers will need to bring an extra player into the box. Also, the Chiefs will be without LT Eric Fisher. Reid knows that this could be an issue for his team. Fisher is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the team’s leader on the offensive line.
Reid will want to keep the Buccaneers front seven guessing to give his offensive line an advantage.
Blitz Tom Brady
Tom Brady is still one of the league’s best at the quarterback position. There is no denying this statement. Brady threw for 4,633 yards with 40 touchdowns in the regular season. If Brady has time, he is very dangerous because of his downfield accuracy and arm strength.
The way to beat the Buccaneers is to stop the run and pressure Brady. The Buccaneers can’t win if their opponents are successful in these two areas. Reid knows this because that is what he attempted to do when these two teams met in Week 12.
It’s hard to beat Brady by disguising coverages because he has seen everything in his 21-year NFL tenure. The Chiefs will need to bring pressure to shut down Brady. Expect Reid to be in Steve Spagnuolo’s ear, telling him to bring the heat all night.
Give Mahomes RPO Calls
If you are not familiar with the term RPO, it stands for run/pass option. These have become the latest craze in football because they are difficult for any opposing defense to stop. The quarterback has to read the defense and take what they give him by going with the designed run portion of the play or throwing the football.
Mahomes is the most elusive quarterback in the game of football. He can throw, run, and he consistently makes excellent decisions on the fly. Mahomes only threw six interceptions during the regular season.
I expect Reid to give Mahomes a lot of RPO play calls. These plays could be a great way to hurt the Tampa Bay defense because it provides Mahomes the ability to use his athleticism and high IQ. Reid has the best quarterback in the NFL. He does not need to overthink his offensive strategy.
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