The return of the NFL didn’t bring the usual high ratings, but there’s context behind the numbers.
While the Chiefs’ 34-20 opening-night win over the Texans wasn’t exactly competitive, that didn’t matter in a ratings sense. And as it turned out, all the social justice initiatives pro football players have engaged in over the offseason, not to mention the pre-game show of unity that was sadly booed by some in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium, really didn’t affect the national opinion of the NFL.
Per NBC Sports, the “Thursday Night Football” opener averaged 19.3 million viewers, which is the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl LIV, and just the second show of any kind to average more than 20 million viewers per hour since then — the Academy Awards averaged 23.6 million on February 9.
Now, the ratings did represent a 12.3% drop from last year’s Bears-Packers opener, but before you declare a win for the “Get Woke/Go Broke” crowd, it’s also important to note that the data from NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital platforms represented a 55% increase in the amount of viewers who were accessing the game through other means than the NBC broadcast.
Per NBC Sports PR:
The Average Minute Audience (AMA) for last night’s live stream via NBC Sports digital platforms, NFL Digital platforms, Chiefs and Texans mobile properties, and Verizon Media mobile properties was 970,000 viewers – the highest ever for an NBC NFL game, excluding Super Bowls – and up 55% from last year’s NFL Kickoff Game (627,000).
So, the average audience was 19.3 million, but as NBC PR also points out, “NBC’s TV coverage peaked at 22.0 million viewers between 9:15-9:30 p.m. ET, and topped 20 million viewers in every quarter-hour from 8:45 p.m. ET through 9:45 p.m. ET. The broadcast averaged 19.3 million viewers on NBC.”
So, there are ratings, and there are ratings. If your average right-wing goofball is telling you that nobody is watching the NFL anymore because the players have the temerity to stand up (or kneel) for what they believe in, the numbers tell different stories.
Of course, the NFL is also trying to restart in the midst of a pandemic the likes of which we’ve never seen, and people are just getting around to the idea that there’s going to be actual football in 2020. Factor in the competition of NBA and NFL playoffs, and a 22.0 million peak is still a pretty strong number. Sunday’s slate of games, with the lead dog being Tom Brady’s premiere in a Buccaneers uniform, should bring in the NFL’s usual monster ratings.
Chiefs running back Darrel Williams could be a daily fantasy sports sleeper in Week 1.
Can’t wait to get daily fantasy football rolling after a long offseason? Thursday has quite the matchup for you. The Kansas City Chiefs begin their title defense at home on Thursday Night Football against the Houston Texans at 8:20 p.m. on NBC.
As the case often is with the Chiefs in recent memory, there are options all over their roster in terms of fantasy. There’s big-play potential in Tyreek Hill at wide receiver, and of course, quarterback Patrick Mahomes seems to always pay dividends.
But the thing the really helps in all forms of fantasy football is an ability to find a sleeper. Mahomes will certainly bring production against the Texans, but his $7,400 salary on your team (roster limit: $50,000) is a big chunk of change.
Instead, there’s a tempting sleeper option that can be found in KC’s backfield: Darrel Williams. He’s not the starter for the Chiefs – that’s rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire – but rolling the dice on the No. 2 running back in Week 1 could pay dividends.
Edwards-Helaire is among the most-expensive backs at $7,000. Williams is a worthwhile selection at $4,200 against the Texans. He has short-yardage ability which could pay off, against a defense that allowed the sixth-most points to running backs in fantasy football last season (452.8 total). Considering the COVID-19 offseason, Edwards-Helaire might be slowly brought along as well, giving Williams more early-season opportunities.
Receiver options for the Chiefs could make a difference, but the Texans attempted to address that area of their defense, bringing in Bradley Roby and Vernon Hargreaves this offseason. Williams is much more of a low-risk, high-reward option.
NFL football is finally back on Thursday night. Here are some schemes to watch for when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans.
Followers of my work, whether here at Touchdown Wire or at some of the other outlets where I cover football, are familiar with my penchant for working in movie references in articles or podcasts.
As someone who was in essence a quad-major in history, government, philosophy and economics, I have a soft spot for politics. Even political movies. “The American President” is one such movie. There is a moment in that film when President Andrew Shepard (portrayed by Michael Douglas) is arguing with one of his advisors Lewis Rothschild (played by Michael J. Fox). They’re debating a potential opponent in Shepard’s upcoming reelection campaign:
Lewis Rothschild : They don’t have a choice! Bob Rumson is the only one doing the talking! People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.
President Andrew Shepherd : Lewis, we’ve had presidents who were beloved, who couldn’t find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. People don’t drink the sand because they’re thirsty. They drink the sand because they don’t know the difference.
It has been a long offseason in the NFL, and a strange one at that. For a while we wondered if we would even see a regular season due to COVID-19. But at the end of this long and strange offseason, and drinking a lot of sand, we have arrived.
Football is back, and we have actual games to talk about.
The season kicks off on Thursday night when the Houston Texans visit Arrowhead Stadium and take on the defending Super Bowl Champions in the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a rematch of last year’s Divisional Round game which saw the Chiefs storm back after falling down 24 points early. Here are some of the scheme aspects of this rematch that are worth highlighting before this game kicks off.
When the Chiefs have the football
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
As mentioned before, the Chiefs’ victory back in January came via a huge second quarter comeback. That rally, and the four unanswered touchdowns scored by Kansas City in the second quarter, illustrate just how difficult it is to defend this Chiefs’ offense.
The Chiefs finally got on the board with a touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes to running back Damien Williams. Facing a 1st and 10 on the Texans’ 17-yard line, the Chiefs align with Mahomes alone in the shotgun:
The RB is flexed outside towards the right sideline, and across from him is linebacker Zach Cunningham. At this point, Mahomes has a good indication that the Texans are in man coverage. That is confirmed when Williams shifts back into the backfield, and the linebacker trails him:
Here is the route concept the Chiefs employ:
Vertical routes stress the defense along each boundary, but the meat of this play is inside, with a shallow/curl concept paired with the seam route from Williams out of the backfield.
Remember, Mahomes knows the Texans are in man coverage, so he knows that the shallow/curl routes are going to create traffic for the defender trying to run with Williams on the seam. Which is exactly what happens:
A similar process played out on the Chiefs’ next touchdown. Kansas City face a 2nd and goal on the Houston 5-yard line, and once more Mahomes aligns in the shotgun. This time, the Chiefs use a Y-Iso alignment, with Travis Kelce the single receiver on the left side of the formation:
Houston disguises their intentions a bit on this play, as the defender aligned across from Kelce is a cornerback, Lonnie Johnson Jr. Mahomes cannot be positive the Texans are in man coverage here, as he would be if the defense put a safety or a linebacker across from the tight end. But given the alignment of Johnson – feet parallel to the line of scrimmage, eyes trained on Kelce and not the QB – he can assume man coverage once more. He’ll still need to confirm that after the snap.
Here is what the Chiefs run on the play:
They run mesh underneath, with Kelce and Tyreek Hill running the crossing routes, with a three-level read to the right side of the play. Mahomes expects man coverage here – although again he cannot be positive before the play – so he will look to the crossers first and confirm the coverage.
He sees man, so works the mesh concept, finding Kelce for the score:
On both of these plays, Mahomes has a good indication presnap of the coverage, and then is able to quickly confirm the coverage and attack the man scheme once the play begins. Eric Bieniemy and Andy Reid give their QB information through the use of alignment and movement, and an informed quarterback is a dangerous quarterback.
The third touchdown from Kansas City? More of the same. Presnap information for Mahomes due to movement, and then a decision to exploit man coverage:
Kelce comes in motion before the play and a defender trails him, telling Mahomes that man coverage is in effect. The Chiefs move the pocket, rolling the quarterback to the right, and he has a flat route from Kelce and a curl route from Demarcus Robinson, which works as a rub for Kelce’s release to the flat.
The Texans actually “banjo” this, switching the man coverage when the receivers cross. That has the defender over Kelce passing him off the the cornerback and then carrying Robinson on his vertical release. The switch comes late, and when the CB overplays Kelce to the outside the tight end just sits down in space, making himself available for Mahomes for the score.
So…three touchdowns, three examples of the Chiefs attacking man coverage. Time to try something new if you are Houston. Maybe some zone?
The problem is, Mahomes and this offense are still too talented and creative:
This is virtually the mirror image of the previous play. Kelce comes in motion presnap – notice the defensive response, or lack thereof – and he runs a flat route to the left paired with a curl route that works as a rub. This time, the Texans drop into zone coverage, which Mahomes knows is coming given how Houston responds to the motion from Kelce. The zone coverage works to constrict the throwing late available, but Mahomes manages to extend time by pushing the edge as he rolls to the left. That puts the curl/flat defender in a bind, and when he is forced to step up and protect against the QB running the ball, Mahomes then flips to Kelce for the score.
Lost in the hoopla over Kansas City’s big comeback was how the Chiefs were able to exploit the Houston defense due to getting information to their quarterback presnap through movement and shifting. That played a pivotal role on all four touchdowns in the second quarter. How well the Texans respond – and mask their coverage intentions – will be crucial to how Thursday night unfolds. If nothing else, these plays illustrate how tough it is to defend Kansas City with man coverage, particularly in the red zone. When the Texans switched to zone, it took some creativity from Mahomes for the Chiefs to get into the end zone. So, at least make it harder on them?
