Play #2
We’ve moved to the fourth quarter. Kansas City leads 28-27 and has a 1st and 10 at its own 40-yard line with eight minutes remaining.
This play has plenty going on, despite its simplicity. The Chiefs have motioned Tyreek Hill from left to right, leaving him in the slot alongside Chris Conley. Kansas City is in 11 personnel, while the Patriots are in their dime package, again treating Kelce like a receiver. Typically, 11 personnel calls for nickel, matching up three receivers with three corners.
The route concept is simple. On the snap, Alex Smith rolls right behind a moving pocket. This is a quick read for Hill, who is getting 12 yards of cushion from Devin McCourty (red circle). With Conley driving downfield and taking corner Stephon Gilmore with him, McCourty is left man-to-man with Hill. The second-year speedster is running a quick out, the equivalent of stealing against this coverage.
But there’s another wrinkle that’s hard to see from the above angle…
Kansas City has Fisher, normally a left tackle, lined up next to Schwartz on the right side. This formation makes Kelce ineligible, but gives Smith a huge wall to throw behind. Also, on the snap, Fisher and Schwartz move forward, creating the illusion of the run. The rest of the line (along with Kelce and Hunt), seal the backside.
The result is the easiest nine yards an NFL team will ever gain. Look at the pocket Smith has to throw from, with no Patriots player within five yards of him. Meanwhile, Hill has made his break and McCourty hasn’t moved an inch. After being beaten for a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter, New England is playing it safe. In the end, this drive gets started on an easy nine-yard pitch-and-catch. Kansas City would later score to go up 35-27.
The main takeaway here is Hill’s speed. It puts the defense in a bind, forcing it to either commit multiple players toward him, or leave Hill in single coverage. If the latter occurs, Hill demands a large cushion as seen here. In that scenario, Smith will take quick, easy throws and lightning-fast yardage.