When the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ protection takes the sector in opposition to the Houston Texans within the Divisional spherical, a whole lot of focus shall be on vast receiver Nico Collins.
He’s the first goal for quarterback C.J. Stroud — particularly with vast receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell struggling season-ending accidents at totally different occasions this 12 months. Within the Wild Card win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans’ offense had one in all its best video games of the season; Collins was the catalyst with 122 yards and a landing.
Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has all the time ready his protection unit to account for Collins. He emphasised that to reporters throughout his press convention on Wednesday.
“Irrespective of who finally ends up on [Collins], all 11 units of eyes on protection have to know the place he’s,” Spagnuolo asserted. “He’s what we name a ‘recreation wrecker,’ and if you happen to let a recreation wrecker on offense wreck the sport, it’s not going to be good.”
The fourth-year receiver earned his first Professional Bowl nod this 12 months after eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive common season. He has had loads of explosive performances this season, however the matchup with the Chiefs in Week 16 was not one in all them.
There was a whole lot of centered assist protection from the #Chiefs safeties when Nico Collins did attempt to work throughout the sector
Anticipate a whole lot of bracket protection & safeties coming down to select up Collins from the alternative aspect pic.twitter.com/gSlPgAFIJi
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 16, 2025
The Chiefs’ 27-19 win over Houston featured one in all Collins’ least environment friendly video games of the season. He was held to 60 yards over 10 targets, catching seven passes with no touchdowns. It was a workforce effort by the Chiefs’ protection unit: nobody cornerback primarily matched up with Collins, and safeties had been continually positioning themselves in assist protection.
#Chiefs severely restricted Nico Collins’ manufacturing over the center of the sector in Wk16
On the opening drive, Williams’ stays in good trailing place, combining with Hicks to tighten the throwing window
Stroud has no margin for error, so a barely excessive throw will get INT’d pic.twitter.com/yJBI5w9H4d
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 16, 2025
That was the case on the Texans’ opening drive. On third down, Chiefs’ cornerback Joshua Williams is aligned in press-man protection in opposition to Collins on the surface. On the snap, Williams works into trailing method, figuring out he has assist from rookie security Jaden Hicks excessive.
As Collins works to the center of the sector, Williams’ positioning and Hicks’ break on the route tighten the throwing window. That eliminates the margin for error on the throw; when the move is available in barely excessive, Hicks is in a fantastic place to intercept it.
In Wk16, Collins solely had house to work with on routes to the sideline the place it is tougher for safeties to be there in assist#Chiefs had been centered on taking away in-breaking routes. Simply earlier than halftime, McDuffie holds inside leverage, leaping on the hurried throw to Collins’ slant pic.twitter.com/xBNfayW0ty
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) January 16, 2025
A few of Collins’ best performs occurred when the Chiefs couldn’t present security assist to the cornerback. The primary two performs on this clip present Collins profitable to the sideline, away from assist defenders.
Nonetheless, the third play reveals Chiefs’ cornerback Trent McDuffie making a play on his personal, lined up in opposition to Collins. Collins makes an attempt to run a slant from the slot, with McDuffie holding inside leverage. That deters Collins from working by means of the route, however stress up entrance hurries Stroud’s throwing determination.
It’s one other instance of needing a workforce effort to restrict Collins, however the pivotal moments might come all the way down to the Chiefs’ greatest cornerback versus Houston’s greatest receiver. McDuffie is trying ahead to that problem.
“I like going in opposition to gamers like this,” McDuffie informed reporters throughout a press convention on Tuesday. “I name him an entire receiver: he’s massive, he’s bodily, he’s quick, he has good arms.
“You may inform his reference to C.J. is at an all-time excessive, they’re type of clicking on all cylinders. He’s their number-one receiver. That’s actually why you wish to play this recreation: to go in opposition to the perfect competitors in a recreation which means rather a lot within the playoffs. [I’m] excited to go in opposition to him… I’m able to go compete.”
Based on Professional Soccer Focus, the Week 16 contest featured McDuffie matched up with Collins on 4 targets: Collins produced 5 yards over three catches, none leading to a primary down.
Two of these completions had been fast makes an attempt by Houston to get the ball into Collins’ arms on the perimeter. The Chiefs’ secondary firmly dealt with these perimeter screens, which can dissuade Houston from conserving the play calls within the recreation plan forward of the Divisional spherical.
The Chiefs’ protection has been vulnerable to explosive move performs all through this season. Clearly, Collins is Houston’s greatest probability at creating these massive positive aspects, so the Chiefs will account for him accordingly.
