4 Bold Observations From Chiefs’ Week 4 Win Over Ravens

The Ravens were scoring an NFL-best 37.0 points per game entering Sunday. Spagnuolo held them to just 13 through the game’s 58 minutes.

Despite the Ravens’ record entering the game, Jackson had authored arguably the best three-game start to a season by a quarterback in league history. It came crashing down on Sunday in the laboratory of Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ resident mad scientist.

Jackson managed just 147 yards and one touchdown on 14 of 20 passing. He also committed two costly turnovers, including his season’s first interception – a one-handed catch by Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal, who’d eclipsed tight end Mark Andrews on a first-quarter pass. Jackson hurried the throw thanks to Spagnuolo's blitz.

MetLife halftime locker room could be turning point in season

The heated argument between Travis Kelce and Andy Reid on the MetLife Stadium sideline last week might’ve sparked the Chiefs. Since that dismal second quarter in New York, the Chiefs have been a different team on offense.

Take away their kneel-down possession to run out the clock in New York and the Chiefs produced points on nine of their first 12 drives after halftime against the Giants. If not for Harrison Butker’s missed 56-yarder Sunday, it would’ve been 10 of 12.

The Chiefs didn’t punt Sunday until 3:35 remained in the fourth quarter.

Short-yardage offense is part of identity

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has said a few times this season the Chiefs are fine-tuning their identity, hammering out what they do best on offense. There’s no question that they’re one of the best short-yardage teams in the league.

They don’t have a slam-dunk play like the Tush Push, but they do have Kareem Hunt. Hunt has proven one of the league’s most successful short-yardage backs since he returned to the Chiefs last September.

On Sunday, Hunt converted all four of his carries on third or fourth down and short yardage.

So far this season, Andy Reid is 9 of 10 on fourth-down attempts. The Chiefs were 4-for-4 in that category, including Patrick Mahomes’ 15-yard touchdown pass to Hollywood Brown, on Sunday.

Third downs, goal-to-go still an Achilles heel

While the Chiefs cut down significantly on penalties Sunday, they were still plagued by a lack of third-down efficiency. Kansas City was just 5-for-15 on third-down conversions Sunday, and the team has moved the chains on only 39.3 percent of its third-down snaps this season.

Goal-to-go has also been a weakness for Kansas City. On a key possession early in the second quarter, the Chiefs had first-and-goal from the Ravens’ 4-yard line, trailing 7-3. With an opportunity to take the lead, they lost a yard on first down before Mahomes threw two straight incompletions.

Later in the game, however, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on each of their last two goal-to-go opportunities.