Chiefs Find Recipe for Prolonged Success in Blowout MNF Win over Patriots

Finding a winning recipe often eludes even the best chefs. Too much of one ingredient or too little of another can throw off the flavor no matter how good the ingredients happen to be. It’s even harder to dial in the flavor when you are missing components.

The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t had all the ingredients or the right mix to find consistent success over the last two years—until now. Like a fine Kansas City barbecue sauce, head coach Andy Reid found the winning recipe Monday night in the Chiefs' 41-14 blowout over the New England Patriots.

It all started with running back Jamaal Charles as the base. After missing a game with a high ankle sprain, Charles touched the ball 21 times for 108 yards and three touchdowns Monday night. Charles didn’t lack the burst or agility that makes him one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league.

Of course, the Patriots knew that Charles can carry Kansas City’s offense, but they still couldn’t stop him. Part of the reason for that was because the Chiefs finally found complementary weapons, and Reid figured out how to use them.

With Patriots outside linebacker Chandler Jones lining up across from his much-maligned left tackle Eric Fisher, Reid had to find a way to keep quarterback Alex Smith clean in the pocket to keep the passing game on track.

The solution was a rather simple one: run right at Jones and force him to respect the run to his side.

The result was a lot of early running room for Charles and manageable third downs for the offense. Reid sprinkled in carries for running back Knile Davis, who finished with 17 touches for 119 yards. Davis sprinted for 48 yards off the left side to set up Charles’ second touchdown—he didn't just rack up yards in garbage time.

"I had a few carries early in the game so I was able to get into a rhythm early," Davis said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. "We both feed off each other. When he's in, I know he's going to do his thing. When I'm in, I'm going to do my thing."

And Reid said of the two-runner approach: "You can keep throwing fastballs at the defense. It allows you to have two fresh backs in the fourth quarter."

As the Patriots loaded the box to stop the run, Reid got tight end Travis Kelce more involved by having Smith throw him passes in space. This forced New England’s defensive backs to get off blocks and attempt to tackle the 260-pound tight end—a difficult task.

Kelce finished with eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown to lead the team in receiving. For once, Charles didn’t have to do the heavy lifting in the run and pass game. Perhaps a contest without Charles in Week 3 reminded Reid that he couldn’t rely on him to be the offense in 2014.

Player	Touches	Share	Yards	Share	Touchdowns
Jamaal Charles	21	38.9%	123	27.8%	3
Knile Davis	17	31.5%	119	26.7%	0
Travis Kelce	8	14.8%	93	21.0%	1
Dwayne Bowe	5	9.3%	81	18.3%	0
Total	51	94.5%	416	93.8%	4

Reid added a splash of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to keep his recipe balanced. What had been a solid New England defense was at a loss to defend everyone. Bowe finished with five catches for 81 yards, which more than doubled his yardage output so far this season.

Bowe’s 81 receiving yards Monday night constituted his highest total under Reid. It was also the first time Bowe surpassed 80 receiving yards in nearly two full years. More important than the yards was the fact that Smith looked to Bowe on third down five times and was able to convert three of them. It didn’t matter that cornerback Darrelle Revis was covering Bowe.

While Reid may have found the right recipe, Smith masterfully mixed all the ingredients. He finished with 248 yards on 26 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Smith also wasn’t afraid to add his own spice to the offense and hit both Bowe and wide receiver Donnie Avery on deep passes.

The right mix on offense was also the right mix for the defense. By jumping out to an early lead, the Chiefs defense could pin their ears back and go after quarterback Tom Brady, a strategy which plays to the strength of the defense.

Outside linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali combined for three sacks and two forced fumbles Monday night. The defensive secondary picked off Brady twice even without the services of safety Eric Berry.

Reid didn’t have a perfect night, but he found something that this Chiefs team has been missing since he arrived—balance. The offense, defense and special teams all contributed to a big win.

If the Chiefs can replicate the recipe they used Monday night, they are going to be tough to beat. That’s especially true at home, where the roar of the crowd can stymie even the most prepared offenses.

It wouldn’t be the first time the Chiefs found a winning recipe. For most of last season, Kansas City could just force the ball to Charles and at least half the time opposing defenses couldn’t stop him. The defense was also a big contributor to several wins last season.

It just felt like something was different this time around. As if Reid found a recipe that not only netted his team a big win, but that may also be sustainable. Only time will tell, but it’s at least clear that the Chiefs now have more than one playmaker on offense.