Tag: Browns

Chiefs Wire Podcast: Preparing for a personal divisional round vs. Browns

This week we’re discussing the divisional playoff matchup with the Cleveland Browns and catching up with Chiefs legend Jamaal Charles.

We’re back with an all-new episode of the Chiefs Wire podcast! This week we’re discussing the divisional playoff matchup with the Cleveland Browns and catching up with former Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles.

During this episode, Chiefs Wire managing editor Charles Goldman opens the show sharing the latest injury updates heading into the divisional round. Mitch Carney, Talon Graff, and Ed Easton Jr. discuss the Browns’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the other wild-card weekend games. Browns Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon gave us Cleveland’s point of view heading into Sunday. Lastly, Ed Easton Jr. sat down with the Chiefs’ All-Time leading rusher Jamaal Charles to discuss memorable moments in his career, and his thoughts on rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

AFC playoffs an exhibition of Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s coaching tree

Each of the three head coaches remaining in the AFC playoffs all got their start in the NFL under Chiefs HC Andy Reid.

The roots of the coaching tree in the AFC playoff race run straight back to Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. In fact, each of the three remaining head coaches got their NFL starts under Reid.

In 1998, Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh joined Reid’s coaching staff in Philadelphia as a special teams coordinator. In 2001, Buffalo Bills HC Sean McDermott became Reid’s personal assistant with the Eagles. In the summer of 2005 at Eagles training camp, Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski was a coaching intern for Reid.

For Reid, how he’s managed to create so many branches of his coaching tree, all goes back to his upbringing through the Green Bay Packers system as an assistant coach.

“I think it’s kind of a neat process as it works out over the years,” Reid said on Wednesday. “I’m part of that process because of Mike Holmgren, so I’ve lived this and it’s kind of a neat deal to be a part of.”

Harbaugh knows as well as anyone that Reid is just as good of a scout for coaches as he is for NFL talent. He became the first of two former assistants in the Reid coaching tree to go on and win a Super Bowl during his career. He also realized just this past week that each of the remaining coaches in the AFC playoff race all got their start under Reid.

“Remarkable. I guess I realized that when it was pointed out to me in practice to me today,” Harbaugh said on a conference call with Buffalo media. “You kind of take a moment and think about it, it’s pretty amazing. I think it speaks really highly of Andy (Reid). The kind of coach that he is. We all learned so much from him.”

But what makes Reid such a success when it comes to finding good coaches? Beyond the football of it all, Reid is just a good judge of people and it starts with that.

“The idea, they’re just good people,” Harbaugh said. “I look back on those years with those guys… just a bunch of great people who are just tremendous friends to this day. I don’t know how to explain it but it’s pretty amazing.”

Even as the Chiefs prepare to face the Browns and HC Kevin Stefanski in the divisional round, both coaches recall Stefanski’s days as a coaching intern. Stefanski would say that it wasn’t exactly a glamorous job, he called it an “anything and everything job.” He would do anything and everything asked of him, be it football tasks or otherwise.

“I knew who he was,” Reid said of Stefanski. “He was a heck of a football player right there at Penn, so I followed Penn, I had a couple of assistants that had been there and coached there, so I knew about it. I was with the head coach there and it’s a neat program. It was right there by our facility, and the tradition is phenomenal. Anyways, all that said, yeah, I knew who he was, and yes, I did see him.”

Not every head coach knows their coaching interns, yet Reid has a way of making all of his assistant coaches feel important. He’s a great delegator, allowing each and every one of them to play a part in the success of a team.

Stefanski certainly learned a lot from that experience and it influenced his path as a coach. Now, what Stefanski admires most about Reid is his offensive genius.

“He’s obviously somebody that I admire a ton,” Stefanski told reporters of Reid on Wednesday. “Just watching how he’s done it over the course of time and just the various ways that he’s structured his offense to the strengths of his team. Then, he’s a great play-caller. I love to watch the great play-callers and how they mix it up, how they call different things situationally as well with Coach Reid.”

At the heart of what Reid does for coaches is to show them to be teachers and mentors. He’s a football empath of sorts, able to relate to players and coaches and put them on the best possible path for success.

“These guys work their tail off and they work all the areas of what you need to be a good football coach,” Reid explained. “It’s not all X’s and O’s. That’s a big part of it, but it’s not all X’s and O’s, it’s how you deal with people and take care of your players and at the same time, try to give them whatever they need to be the best they possibly can be. So, you see guys go through this and you see their players mature, you see them mature, and you go, heck, they sure deserve a job to have an opportunity to run their own building and then teach others how to do the same thing.”

We’re seeing Reid’s development of coaches play out now with the current Chiefs’ coaching roster, just as he says. Assistants like Eric Bieniemy and Mike Kafka both receiving interest for head-coaching positions.

In his 22 years as a head coach in the league, perhaps the greatest testament to Reid’s success has been the coaches that have come through his doors and gone on to succeed elsewhere. That will be Reid’s lasting legacy in the NFL, just as it was with Bill Walsh, Marty Schottenheimer, or Bill Parcells.

Over the weekend when the Chiefs face the Browns and the Bills face the Ravens, his legacy will be on full display for the world to see.

[listicle id=85326]

NFL.com tabs Browns, not Bills as fan base that ‘most deserves’ Super Bowl win

Buffalo Bills are edged out by Cleveland Browns as NFL fan base that “most deserves” a Super Bowl win.

Woof, we’re just splitting hairs, aren’t we?

One thing folks in western New York can agree on, if not them, at least the folks on the other side of Lake Erie, right?

NFL.com recently look a swing at ranking which of the remaining eight NFL fan bases with their team still in the playoffs is most deserving for a Super Bowl title in the coming weeks. Naturally this one comes down to the Bills and the Browns.

First and foremost, of the eight teams in the playoffs (Chiefs, Ravens, Bucs, Rams, Packers, Saints) the Bills and Browns are the only two to not win a title. Because of that, 1-2 were pretty much locked up.

But here’s why the Browns get the edge, understandably so. The Bills have at least played in the Super Bowl. In fact, they have more times than the entire list of teams beside the Packers (5). The Rams and Bills have both played in four.

And let’s not forget… while the Bills dealt with a brutal 17-year playoff drought, the Brown dealt with a period when… well, the team literally left and then came back.

Yeah, we’ll concede this one.

[lawrence-related id=76657,76668,76677,76654]

How did Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes prepare for Browns during the bye week?

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes explained how he got a head start on preparations for the Browns during the bye week.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is locked in for the playoffs.

This is now his third time that Mahomes has made the NFL’s divisional round of the playoffs as a starter in the past three seasons. He’s taking things up a notch knowing that it’s win or go home time for him and his teammates. Travis Kelce even revealed that Mahomes got a head start on preparation for the Cleveland Browns during the course of the Chiefs’ bye week.

“You can tell that he’s been doing his homework for the past week and a half,” Kelce said of Mahomes on Wednesday. “Just talking to him, him understanding what every single team that we could possibly face is doing defensively. Sure enough, as soon as we found out on Sunday who we were playing, he was right there and had a whole notebook ready for the Cleveland Browns. I think right now we’re in the process of figuring out the gameplan and I think like I said, what Pat does best is communicating exactly what he’s seeing and how he feels we need to attack the defense. All those conversations are extremely relevant toward the game.” 

So how did Mahomes create a whole notebook worth of notes and begin preparing for the Browns prior to knowing they’d be the divisional round opponent for Kansas City? It was all part of his bye week process.

“Yeah, I mean, right when the bye week started and we knew who seeds were for the 7, 6, 5, 4 — all those seeds that we could possibly play — I took a day where I watched about four or five games of each team,” Mahomes explained. “Just trying to get a general feel of what the defense is presenting and what offenses are doing to try and attack them, from different teams and different offenses. So I had a days worth of film on the Browns, so whenever we found that out I was able to look back at that and look at my notes and try to see how it presents to us.” 

Many expected the Chiefs to place greater emphasis during the bye week on the three teams they hadn’t yet played this season. One of those teams, of course, was Cleveland. However, the Browns and Chiefs did share four common opponents this season — The Ravens, Raiders, Texans and Jets. Mahomes revealed that some of those opponents were part of his film study. He also revealed the types of things that he was looking for in the film.

“They definitely were,” Mahomes said. “You see those different offenses and they do a lot of similar things that we do. Then I try to look at offenses like the Texans and stuff like that, that do a lot of similar types of stuff that we do as well as Philly and all these other teams. If you try to take away from the formations that they’re in that are similar to ours, even though we do different things out of those formations, you can kind of see where their defense is at and how they’re combatting that. Then you know they’re going to make adjustments and we’re going to have to be able to make adjustments during the game.”

While Mahomes did get a bit of a head start on his preparation, this is really nothing new or different from what he’s been doing all season long. He claims the only thing that changes this week for the team in terms of their preparation is their intensity.

“I think you just take your intensity up a level,” Mahomes said. “I mean it’s still the same preparation, you just maybe try to dive deeper into the film study, dive deeper into the breakdowns and the different ways you can go out there and have success against a defense. But just to take it to another level is the biggest thing.”

During the ensuing week of practice, they’ll put that raised intensity level to the test as they continue to work on ways to attack the Browns’ defense.

[listicle id=85315]

Report: Chiefs sign WR Antonio Callaway to a reserve/future contract

A new report says the Kansas City Chiefs have added a talented receiver on a reserve/future contract.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to get a headstart on their 90-man offseason roster, this time signing an intriguing receiver.

Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor reports that the Chiefs have signed WR Antonio Callaway to a reserve/future contract. Callaway was selected out of the University of Florida in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 16 games for the Browns in 2018 with 11 starts, recording 43 receptions for 586 yards and five touchdowns.

In 2019, Callaway was suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the NFL’s policy on substance abuse. He’d appear in just four games that season, recording 8 receptions for 89 yards. After a number of issues in practice, team meetings, and off the field the team would waive Callaway.

Most recently, Callaway spent the 2020 season with the Miami Dolphins on their practice squad. He faced a suspension again to start the 2020 season, serving three games while on the practice squad. He appeared in a total of five games this season for the Dolphins, including one start. He faced the Chiefs in Week 14 and was targeted twice, but failed to record a reception. He did, however, return two punts for a total of 12 yards. On Monday, Callaway’s practice squad contract in Miami expired, making him an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team.

Callaway has always been immensely talented, but off-field issues have stifled his NFL success. Andy Reid, of course, has a history of working with players like this and turning them into success stories. We’ll see if that’s what the future holds for the Chiefs and Callaway.

Kansas City already signed QB Anthony Gordon to a reserve/future deal on Tuesday. This would make the second of such signings by the Chiefs, though, they did report a number of players in for visits on Tuesday. Remember, reserve/future deals do not count toward the roster until the league year changes and the 90-man offseason roster is opened.

[listicle id=85315]

Anatomy of a Divisional Round win: How Cleveland can use a Belichick plan to manage Mahomes

It might require the perfect game, but the Cleveland Browns sure do have a path to an upset. It starts with Myles Garrett.

Last week in outlining what the Cleveland Browns needed to do to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers I tapped into the film industry. They needed to take some pages from “Varsity Blues,” I argued. They needed to channel Bud Kilmer and “stick to the basics.” They needed to steal from Johnny Moxon and go empty. Of course, getting out to a 14-point lead before most had settled in helps too, but now they face a bigger challenge, and they need to look to the baseball diamond.

They need to channel Don Larsen.

Perfection might be a tough ask, but when you are facing a 14-2 team and the defending Super Bowl Champions pitching a perfect game might be what you have to do. It is a tall order, and as we will see over the next few paragraphs teams have come close and failed to finish the job. But the Browns can take lessons from the teams that have come close over the past year, and put together a plan for victory.

The first prong of the perfection plan? Unleashing Myles Garrett.

(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

If you look back at the Chiefs’ recent and not-so-recent history, teams that came the closest to defeating them had the ability to pressure Patrick Mahomes without relying too heavily on blitzing him. San Francisco in the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Chargers earlier this season. The ability to generate pressure on the opposing passer while rushing four can be a cheat code, allowing you to keep seven defenders in coverage and giving you a chance to lock down the talented Chiefs receivers.

The 49ers had Nick Bosa and the rest of the imposing San Francisco defensive front. The Chargers had Joey Bosa. While the Browns do not have a Bosa brother of their own, they have Garrett, who was on a potential Defensive Player of the Year path before injuries and a bout with COVID-19 derailed his season. But with Garrett the Browns have the ability to pressure with four and even get to the QB. As they did on this sack of Sam Darnold in Week 16:

Here the Browns get home while rushing four, as Garrett beats the chip from the tight end and rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton. That allows Cleveland to play seven over five in the secondary.

Then there is this example against the Tennessee Titans. Garrett explodes off the edge and gets home due to a combination of burst and athleticism, as he bends the arc around the left tackle. Once again, the Browns have seven over five in the secondary:

Garrett’s pass-rushing ability can be a critical component of Cleveland’s game plan. If he can get home – or at least pressure Mahomes when the Browns rush four – that allows Cleveland to use the numbers to their advantage in the secondary.

Adding to this, Mahomes has been good, not great, when pressured this year. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus (PFF) he has an Adjusted Completion Percentage (ACP) of 64.9% this year, ranking him 16th among qualified passers. That is behind players such as Nick Mullens, Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew, Baker Mayfield and yes, Cam Newton this season. He also has an NFL Passer Rating of 78.5 when pressured.

When kept clean, Mahomes has an ACP of 81.1%, and an NFL Passer Rating of 121.1.

Pressure will help.

But sometimes you cannot get home. So what then?

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Anatomy of a Divisional Round win: Can Cleveland’s iffy safeties survive Patrick Mahomes?

The Cleveland Browns have given up some big passing plays this season in the downfield game. Does that sound like something the Chiefs do?

I am the last person that Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy need to turn to for advice.

Reid is a Super Bowl-winning head coach who has crafted one of the NFL’s best offenses, a modern version of the West Coast offense on steroids. Bieniemy has been his right-hand man, putting his own flavor on the offense and as such he is destined to be a head coach sooner rather than later. They have NFL success, rings, championships and accolades.

I’m drinking a caffeine-free diet coke at the moment and listening to “Africa” by Toto.

But if those two football wizards happen to be poking around the internet, they might stumble across this bit of advice I would have for them: When you put together a game plan for this Sunday and the Cleveland Browns, make sure you are looking to attack downfield in the passing game. Wild concept, I know, given that your starting quarterback has broken the mold of quarterback evaluation and can put the football anywhere on the field from any platform, but hear me out on this…

Cleveland has gotten inconsistent safety play this season. That is probably due to the fact that their safeties are more strong safety types than anything else, and when asked to handle half-field or single-high responsibilities, the execution has been lacking. This video highlights some of the instances where the Browns secondary has given up big plays this season:

https://youtu.be/pmUFpGCIr-8

Now, do these route concepts look like plays that the Kansas City Chiefs might already have in the playbook? They should. For example, this breakdown of Mahomes’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers highlights some of what the Chiefs do in the downfield passing game, and the play at the 1:35 mark has Tyreek Hill attacking a safety on a deep crossing route:

At the 0:46 mark of this breakdown you’ll see Kansas City running a “stutter-and-go” concept from a reduced split, again attacking the safeties:

This breakdown has more examples of the Chiefs stressing the safeties in the middle of the field with Hill:

The Browns are considered the biggest underdogs this week, at least according to the minds in Las Vegas. Perhaps they’ve been watching the Browns’ safety play this season as well. Expect Reid and Bieniemy to dial up some shot plays early in this game to test the back half of the Cleveland secondary.

Chiefs vs. Browns tickets are in huge demand, short supply on secondary market

Expect a large contingent of Browns fans at Arrowhead Stadium for the game.

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to host the Cleveland Browns during their divisional round playoff game and tickets are in high demand.

The decision-makers in Kansas City don’t plan to alter the course when it comes to their current allotment of tickets. Right now, Arrowhead Stadium’s capacity is capped at right around 17,000 as it has been all season long. The team won’t be releasing any more tickets for this game or the AFC Championship Game if the Chiefs are to host it. That means there is already a limited supply of tickets available to the general public.

According to TicketIQ’s Jesse Lawrence, the average price on the secondary market for tickets to this weekend’s game is $862.00 and rising. That’s over double the price of any other home playoff game since the 2010 season. The lack of inventory and reduced capacity is certainly driving up the prices of these tickets, but there’s also another factor playing a part.

Chiefs team president Mark Donovan says that Browns fans are driving the secondary market.

“When we confirmed we’d be hosting playoff games, we started talking about how there were teams that hadn’t been in the playoffs for a long time, much like we were a few years ago,” Donovan said. “When you get in, they’re going to do everything they possibly can to be here so, we’ve got to be prepared for that. I think that will affect prices this week on the secondary market because Cleveland is one of those teams with a pent-up demand, especially with the win they had [against the Steelers], a lot of people get excited to get on that bandwagon and be here and be part of this.”

It’s been 18 years since the Browns’ last playoff game and 25 years ago since they last won a playoff game. Fans weren’t allowed at Heinz field for the game against the Steelers, so this is their first actual opportunity to see the Browns play in the postseason.

Obviously, the initial cause for concern is that Cleveland’s fan base might outnumber Chiefs fans in their own stadium. The Arrowhead Stadium experience is quite different when there are 17,000 fans than it is with 75,000. Why would Kansas City fans pay more than double the prices of regular playoff tickets for that experience?

The good news is that Donovan confirmed a sellout of the Chiefs’ ticket allotment reserved for their Season Ticket Members. There was also some data to suggest that those fans intend to hang onto those tickets and attend the game.

“What we did was we took all of the available tickets and made them available to our Season Ticket Members,” Donovan said. “We sold out of our entire allotment for the most part… We have holds for the visiting team, we have holds for the league, so there will be tickets sort of trickling back out here as those are used or not used… An interesting little tidbit to that was about 40% of those sales were from our Season Ticket Members who hadn’t attended a game yet this year. When you think about that, those are fans who said, ‘We’re going to take the year off. We’re going to push to next year. We’re going to be safe and watch from home but still be a part of it, still be committed to the team.’ Forty percent of those tickets went to people who hadn’t been to a game. I think it also points to the safety protocols put in place and the belief that you can come and be safe here at Arrowhead.”

Ultimately, the business side seems to be operating under the assumption that Chiefs Kingdom is still very passionate about their team, that they trust the protocols in place and that they’ll be in the building to support on Sunday despite those high ticket prices.

[listicle id=85271]

Chiefs’ divisional-round matchup: Everything to know about the Browns

Get to know the Kansas City Chiefs’ divisional-round opponent.

The Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) will play their first postseason game against the Cleveland Browns (11-5) on Sunday during the NFL’s divisional round of the playoffs. Cleveland is coming off a stunning win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round, while the Chiefs are coming off a first-round bye week.

With the Browns heading to Arrowhead Stadium soon, it’s a great time to learn more about their team. Here’s everything to know about Cleveland ahead of the divisional round of the playoffs: