NFL: Young, wild and ready for the big stage?

The new year is here and so is the start of the playoffs. The wild card round begins with the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans and the question of whether the Chiefs under Andy Reid can finally be successful in the playoffs. Later on, the young Los Angeles Rams will face last season’s Super Bowl loser, the Atlanta Falcons. For a legendary stadium, the playoff returns. You can watch both games live on Saturday from 22.35 hrs on DAZN.

The way to the playoffs:

Chiefs: The season was like a uphill and downhill run, which at first promised enormous positive things and then suddenly drifted off into the alarming. It began with a victory at the Super Bowl Champion in New England, when the first exclamation point was set, but Eric Berry’s injury also caused a severe setback. While Alex Smith, who had previously been discredited for his excessive caution, played remarkably well in the Downfield Passing Game for the first few weeks, the Defense in the Pass Rush and Backfield had serious problems.

After Defenses had slowly adjusted to Andy Reid’s offensive concept, the offense around the furious rookie-running back Kareem Hunt often seemed to be calculable and unimaginative. The five victories at the beginning of the season were followed by six defeats from the next seven games. Failures against the hitherto weak raiders, Giants and Jets caused tension in the playoff race at AFC West. In the final spurt, the team rehabilitated itself impressively and was able to continue its offensive approach to the opener. In Week 16 the playoff participation was finally made clear.

Titans: In his third season as Head Coach of the Titans Mike Mularkey once again relied on Smash-Mouth-Football and was able to place himself and his team in the AFC playoff race for a long time. Only three teams collected less than the 157 passing first-downs collected by the Titans – almost everything had to be done during the race. The box was therefore stuffed by the opponents and Tennessee and his go-to options in DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry were kept at 4.1 yards per attempt. The Titans scored an average of only 60.9 plays per game, also the fourth lowest value of the league.

But despite the effectiveness of the seemingly ancient game philosophy and a pleasant program throughout the season, the Titans have barely reached the playoffs. Defeats against the Cardinals, 49ers and Rams turned a comfortable position in front of the season’s final quarter into a do-or-die game against the Jaguars in Week 17. Although they won the day, they only made it as ESPN’s 19th strongest team of the season according to the Football Power Index, but only because of cheap tie-breakers in the playoffs.

The current situation:

Chiefs: The Chiefs have been able to regain a lot of self-confidence in the season-end sprint. The downfield passing game clicked again and so the running game worked like it did at the beginning of the season. Against a strong run-defense of the Titans it will depend on the game through the air. In addition to the outstanding Hill and Travis Kelce options, you’re a little thin here. For the quarterback, however, each game could be the last for its colors. Smith is probably playing his best season, but the Chiefs are already ready to go into the future with Patrick Mahomes.

On the defensive side, the Chiefs have to be prepared for a run-heavy offense “They are very convinced of the running game’s philosophy. This comes from Coach Mularkey,”said Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton,”He learned this system as a player in Pittsburgh. It’s pretty clear what they’re trying to do with you, and how they’re trying to do it,” recalls one of the memories of the last encounter, when a 17:19 defeat occurred in Week 15 of the 2016 season.

Titans: Not only offensive but also defensive, the Titans focus on the game on the ground. The approved 3.6 yards per run are the best value among the playoff participants, as well as the 3 approved Big Plays (20+ yards). Tennessee also tends to flash frequently. A stylistic device that helps you to resist play action. This could also be a factor in the game against the Chiefs.

This also applies to the abstinence of Murray. The running back with a knee injury and will have to leave the sceptre of responsibility for the running game to Henry. Taking into account the weak season of Marcus Mariota, who threw in for more interceptions than touchdowns, Henry is expecting a very big workload – at least if the game doesn’t quickly tip over in favor of the Chiefs.

Players to Watch:

Chiefs: Travis Kelce. The tight end has gone through a great season and was a constant go-to option for Smith. Kelce could play an important role against the Titans’ lightning-happy Defense, as he is a quick pass option against the high pressure on the quarterback and can switch to the outer lane from a central position with a full box. Kelce can also be set up on the outside and in Man Coverage she is a constant miss-match against defensive backs and agile linebackers.

Titans: Marcus Mariota. Mariota has to shake off the frighteningly weak year and concentrate only on the game. The young Hawaiian ridden 62 percent of his passports this season and threw 13 touchdowns at 15 interceptions. The Passer rating of 95.6 from the previous year was followed this season by one of 79.3. Injuries gnawed at his productivity in running play and accuracy in passing play. If the Titans want to be successful, Mariota must not make mistakes. But the Chiefs are more susceptible to the air and Mariota must try to take advantage of these opportunities.

That’s what matters:

The Chiefs go into the game as favourites and are responsible for exploiting their offensive power in the passing game. During the negative phase of this season, it was difficult to get short passes against zone coverage, forcing them to make downfield passes that rarely yielded success. The Titans, with 231 passing first-downs, have by far the most allowed in the league, but they are trying to prevent Big Plays. The Chiefs will come back over short passes and yards after catch.

On the other hand, the motto is Run, Run, Run. The Titans have to control the game on the ground and thus the clock. If they succeed in doing this with the least possible risk passing-assistance, they spend a lot of time with the ball in their own hands and can design a low-scoring game with an open exit.

forecast:

They will be able to confirm the strong impression the Chiefs have made in recent weeks against the Titans. Experience also plays an important role here. In four of the five seasons under Reid, the Chiefs have made the playoff move (1 victory, 4 defeats) and make 39 players who have already completed a playoff game. On the other side there are 18. In a flawed year like the one Mariota is experiencing, not good conditions. In addition, the Chiefs can focus on delivering the box to limit Tennessee’s offense. Tip: 20:10 Chiefs

Page 1: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans

Page 2: Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons