FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 5: On November 5, 2023, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs scores an 11-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park.
The Miami Dolphins’ game in Germany is off to a terrible start as the Kansas City Chiefs are in total control.
Miami chose to kick off and struggled to stop the Chief offence, allowing them to drive the ball 77 yards in 7 plays for the first touchdown.
The Chiefs defence stopped Miami’s offence on a three-and-out, with Jaylen Waddle taking a while to stand up following a Mostert run play. Miami’s offence appeared out of rhythm.
Miami’s offensive woes were mostly due to penalties; they needed another punt after finding themselves in their own half on third and 15.
Luckily, the Chiefs punted again to end the first quarter.
Mahomes and company stalled as they went three-and-out in the opening minutes of the second quarter. However, the Chiefs recovered the ball and drove it 95 yards on 14 plays, capping it off with a quick underneath pass from Mahomes to Jerick McKinnon. The Dolphins had another fruitless drive after Tua Tagovailoa was called for intentional grounding.
With nearly two minutes remaining in the half, the Dolphins needed a big drive, but a short pass to Tyreek Hill resulted in a fumble, which Bryan Cook recovered 59 yards for a touchdown, making the Chiefs ahead 21-0.
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NFL defences capable of winning a championship, along with the early Coach of the Year and dominance of A.J. Brown
The Miami Dolphins’ game in Germany is off to a terrible start as the Kansas City Chiefs are in total control
The incredible resilience of a front-runner for Coach of the Year early on.
How a former second-round pick became one of the most powerful players in the league.
First, though, let’s take a look at five defences that can win it all.
“Defence wins championships.”
This proverb has been repeated in football meeting rooms at all levels, but with the NFL becoming a passing league, the emphasis on offensive explosiveness and efficiency seems to have moved to offensive efficiency when it comes to team building.
Nevertheless, the teams that win the Lombardi Trophy are typically the ones that also prevent their rivals from scoring touchdowns during crucial situations, even though scoring points is unquestionably important. 16 of the previous 23 Super Bowl champions had defences that finished in the top 10 in terms of points allowed. I’m not surprised to see the connection between scoring defence and winning, having played defence in the mid-1990s for some championship-caliber .Offence coordinators across the league are still baffled by Mike Macdonald’s opponent-specific game plans.
The astute defensive play-caller bases his weekly plans on the unique abilities of each player, making sure that players are positioned to capitalise on opportunities against the opposition each week. Baltimore has developed a dominant defence using a chameleon approach, whether it is Jadeveon Clowney looping around interior defenders on stunts, Kyle Van Noy attacking from the edge or as a standup 3-technique, or Odafe Oweh causing havoc from the edges and different alignments on the interior
The 49ers defence has been struggling lately, but they still have enough elite players to lead Kyle Shanahan’s team to the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy. The 49ers now have enough firepower to relentlessly attack quarterbacks from every angle, even though defensive coordinator Steve Wilks will need to modify his schemes to accommodate an influx of new pass rushers (recent trade acquisitions Chase Young and Randy Gregory) on a front line that already features reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.
Furthermore, these adaptable player-deployment strategies have improved a shrewd scheme that confuses quarterbacks when the snap is taken by combining exotic blitzes with simulated pressures. In light of the Ravens’ ability to match their coverage in order to increase pressure, Macdonald’s intricate plans generate enough errors and blunders to prevent opponents from scoring points. The fact that safety Geno Stone leads the NFL in interceptions right now—five—is no coincidence.The 49ers’ defence narrows the field for runners and receivers looking to create chunk plays on off-tackle runs and horizontal routes.
Star linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw support the defensive line as fleet-footed disruptors with exceptional speed, quickness and instincts. The Niners can suffocate opponents with an attack-style defence that throws a blanket over offences with its collective speed, quickness, and physicality once their defensive backfield adjusts to Wilks’ preference for man-to-man coverage.
It’s strange to watch the Chiefs win low-scoring games while Patrick Mahomes is the head coach, but football fans should brace themselves for more intense games at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chris Jones-led defence will set the tone. Headlining a formidable group full of inexperienced, hungry defenders coming off a Super Bowl victory is the All-Pro defensive tackle. The youthful exuberance has given a defence that Andy Reid’s offence has long overshadowed a swagger.
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