The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense has not been operating at its best throughout the entire season, but one aspect that has consistently worked is their formations with three receivers on one side. Patrick Mahomes excels at analyzing defenders who are put in difficult positions due to the route patterns from these formations. This season, including the playoffs, Mahomes has completed 28 passes for big gains from these 3×1 sets, averaging 31.4 yards per play. Additionally, there is an average of 4.8 yards of separation between Mahomes and his intended receiver on these plays. Regardless of the defensive coverage or pressure, the Chiefs consistently create chaos and confusion from these formations.
The effectiveness of these formations is even more evident when a running back or a fourth receiver is added to the area where the three receivers are bunched together. This forces opposing defenses to contend with Andy Reid’s “four-strong” concepts, and it rarely works out in favor of the defense.
For instance, let’s examine a play from the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. With 43 seconds remaining in the first half, Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to Travis Kelce. The Ravens were playing Cover-3 defense, with linebacker Roquan Smith dropping back to cover Justin Watson on his post route. Cornerback Ronald Darby provided deep coverage on Marquez Valdes-Scantling, leaving Kyle Hamilton to deal with the challenging task of defending against the four-on-three advantage that favored the Chiefs. Hamilton’s attention was divided between Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s route in the flat and Travis Kelce’s corner route. When Hamilton committed to defending Edwards-Helaire, Mahomes easily found Kelce for the completion.
Throughout the season, the Chiefs have consistently utilized these four-strong concepts to create confusion and uncertainty for defenders. This strategy is particularly effective against defenses that employ two-deep coverage schemes. In the play mentioned earlier, the Ravens found themselves caught in a difficult situation due to the Chiefs’ clever play design and execution.
The Chiefs have more than one way to achieve their four-strong formation. In a Week 16 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, Mahomes connected with receiver Richie James on a 45-yard pass. James and Travis Kelce executed matching 15-yard in-cuts, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling ran a vertical route and Rashee Rice worked the shallow cross. Rice occupied the Raiders’ linebackers and slot defender, creating space for James to face cornerback Jonathan Jones one-on-one. With a bail coverage to the boundary, Jones was left behind as James made the catch and had plenty of open field to run.
Another example of defeating two-deep coverage came in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs lined up in a 3×1 set with Justin Watson motioning to trips right. This motion caused problems for Denver’s Cover-2 coverage, leaving Watson wide open on the corner route. Mahomes could have also targeted Jerick McKinnon on the release route for a big gain.
Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks of the 49ers understands the challenge of defending against the four-strong formation. One approach is to sit in zones and anticipate Mahomes’ reads. Kelce and Mahomes have a strong connection, often improvising their routes. Wilks emphasizes the importance of staying with assigned receivers and finishing plays.
While it may be difficult to execute, don’t be surprised if Andy Reid utilizes the four-strong formation in multiple ways during the most important game of the year.