Someone better call Sherlock Holmes, because the “lost pass incident” needs to be investigated before Super Bowl V.
The Chiefs led the NFL with 44 dropped passes during the regular season, but their weaknesses were so glaring that head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis were able to improve their wide receiver corps. -It was thought that Kelce would prevent the team from making the annual deep playoffs.
Then the playoffs roll around and the same cast of Laci Rice, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Richie James, and Mecole Hardman suddenly plays like gloves made in Elmer’s glue factory. are doing.
“Really, that’s one of the biggest things that Chiefs fans have been concerned about all year,” CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo told the Post. Somehow, this Chiefs team was able to change the narrative and also produce on the field. ”
The poster boy who failed in the regular season is now the face of a comeback.
Valdes-Scantling scored a game-winning 53-yard touchdown late in the loss to the Eagles, had a third-down catch-and-run touchdown against the Bengals, and dropped a catchable ball against the Chargers.
However, he quickly advanced to the playoffs, and against the Bills, he made a catch of over 30 yards on a second-half touchdown drive and converted a third-and-9 with a 33-yard grab that fell backwards, shutting out the Ravens. in the AFC Championship Game.
“He’s had some big drops this year, but he hasn’t let his head down, he hasn’t lost confidence, he’s worked with Pat and kept fighting,” Reed said. “He kept going, believing things would get better. Here he appears in the last two games. [with] Huge prey. Very similar to what he did in a few games last year. I’m glad for him more than anything that he was able to recover from what was going on before, or whatever you want to say. ”
Reed is “proud” of Valdes-Scantling. Valdes-Scantling earned some stock during last year’s Super Bowl appearance, but in recent months there have been “people criticizing him everywhere.”
“He understands he can go into a slump,” Reid said. “Sometimes the ball looks big, sometimes it looks small. And he overcame that.”
In the absence of the fictional Holmes, Romo suspects there is more to the recipient’s reversal of fortune than just a balance of hard work and luck. For example, “championship DNA” and smart coaching came up during a conversation with Broncos head coach Sean Payton earlier this week.
“If you look closely, they know how to play in big games, but when you study it, I think the biggest reason is they simplified their offense,” Romo said, adding that the Chiefs’ system was described as the “next system.” -level” has multiple options for each receiver based on various factors.
“I said [to Payton], “You know what’s funny?better [your team] When you step into the quarterback position as a head coach, you take it to the next level of trying to perfect your play. ” When doing calculus, you may not realize that these young recipients are still studying algebra. I think they just went back to algebra and made the game simpler for the receiver. ”
The Chiefs’ receiving corps next Sunday will bear little resemblance to the group in Super Bowl XV. Fourth-quarter touchdown scorers Skye Moore and Kadarius Toney did not play during the playoffs due to injuries, and leading receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had seven catches in that game, did not play this season. He played for the Patriots.
“When you look at the receivers every day, they’re making catches on the wing when the defense is up, they’re making catches after practice, they’re making catches before practice,” Mahomes said. “I remember one day as I was walking to lunch, Skye was outside foraging by himself. They have a mindset that will continue to improve.”
Rookie Rice has improved the most over the course of the season, with 63 catches for 741 yards and four touchdowns in his last nine games, including an eight-game no-drop streak. He ultimately got his first look at Mahomes on Valdes-Scantling’s game-winning pitch against the Ravens.
What can we expect from Rice at the Super Bowl?
“It was an explosive play,” Rice said. “Play more explosively.”
Yes, the Chiefs’ receivers have regained their confidence.
