Three Keys For a Chiefs Win Over the Dolphins

The Kansas City Chiefs are returning to the site of their Super Bowl victory for their Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins and are in search of the same result to keep pace in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

But what do they need to do against an 8-4 Dolphins team that is trending in the right direction heading towards the postseason to become victorious?

All Dolphins publisher Alain Poupart joined me on today's Roughing the Kicker podcast to preview and break down the Chiefs and Dolphins' first meeting since 2017.

Here are three things the Chiefs need to do to secure a victory on Sunday.

1. Get some solid pressure.

Blitzing is a pretty common theme when it comes to defenses facing rookie quarterbacks. Either the pressure will make them crack or every once in a while it'll make diamonds (Patrick Mahomes). But more often than not, rookies crack under pressure. With recent struggles in the pass-rushing department, I would expect Steve Spagnuolo to send a variety of blitzes with disguised coverages to keep Tua guessing. If Kansas City can get a pass rush, this game won't be close.

2. Put the ball in Patrick Mahomes' hands in the red zone.

It's no secret the red zone offense hasn't been up to par. From oddly conservative play calling to wild special plays, the Chiefs haven't been able to find the endzone in their last seven trips inside the 20-yard line. If Kansas City is faced with an opportunity to score from close range this week, Patrick Mahomes should have three or more chances to make a play. No runs. Put the ball in the hands of the best player in the league and have him make a play. A foolproof plan.

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3. Hold the Dolphins under 20 points.

Having lofty expectations for these defense hasn't really panned out this year. The Chiefs defense began to turn a corner around this time last season and there are no signs of that happening. Arrowhead Report's Conner Christopherson wrote a great piece on the recent trend of Kansas City's defense and it's definitely worth the read. Maybe 20 points is too high of an expectation for the Chiefs' recent form but the Dolphins aren't built to go score for score with Mahomes, so 20 points is reasonable.

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