Kansas City need a defensive stand now more than ever if they are to beat the Colts

The Kansas City Chiefs rolled into the playoffs on an offensive juggernaut. The team ranks first in both points per game (35.3) and yards per game (425.6) while also being the third best passing attack with an average of 273.4 yards per game through the air.

The trio of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce has diced teams up at will. Mahomes became only the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for at least 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns while both Kelce and Hill had over 1,300 receiving yards and at least ten touchdowns, highlighting the aerial dominance.

Their method of pilling on points guided them to a 12-4 record and secure the one seed in the AFC. However the defense has only been able to hold an opponent to under 20 points four times – against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders. All rank in the bottom five for total offense.

In the five games they gave up over 30 points they went 2-3, losing against the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

Andy Reid’s squad rank in the bottom in yards given up per game and and passing yards given up per game while ranking 27th against the rush.

Now, they welcome and Indianapolis Colts team fresh off stomping a Houston Texans team who ranked 12th in total defense entering their Wild Card clash last Saturday.

When Andrew Luck led a nine play, 75 yard drive to open the game in NRG Stadium, carving up the Texans secondary as he did it was a sign of things to come. The Texans held their AFC South rivals to a scoreless second half but the damage was done with 21 first half points and shutting out the 15th ranked offense in the NFL until the fourth quarter in what was a 21-7 victory on the road.

Boasting two All-Pro rookies, offensive guard Quenton Nelson and outside linebacker Darius Leonard, Frank Reich’s team recovered from 1-5 to make the playoffs on the final day of the regular season and entered the postseason as perhaps the most well-rounded team.

Marlon Mack had a career-high 148 rushing yards against the Texans last Saturday (photo credit: IndyStar).

Behind Nelson and the fortified Colts offensive line running back Marlon Mack ran for 148 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He will now face a Chiefs run defense that has given up an average of five yards per carry.

That combination on the ground has played a huge part in Luck taking a league-low 18 sacks in the regular season and that was amplified by the former first overall pick not being sacked once against the Texans – who boast one of the most fearsome pass rushing duos in the league with J.J Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.

As a result, the passing game has taken off. T.Y. Hilton continues to battle injury but averaged 17 yards a catch last week and ended the regular season with 1,270 yards and six scores to go with tight end Eric Ebron’s 13 touchdowns, as well as Luck tossing 39 touchdowns and passing for 4,593 yards.

While the Chiefs have a far superior offense to the Texans, their defensive woes could lead to a similar offensive burst from the Colts and force Mahomes to turn in another MVP-calibre performance to keep KC in the game.

Better secondaries have failed to stop the rampant Colts passing attack, Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton will have to call a perfect game to keep Luck in check, and even that may not be enough.

The Chiefs will rightly enter the game as the bookies favourite to advance to the AFC championship game to meet the winner of the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, yet the late season surge by the Colts is one that has not been seen since the 2012 Baltimore Ravens who squeezed into the playoffs before going on a memorable run to lift the Lombardi trophy.

Of the four teams to lose on Wild Card weekend, three of them featured signal callers starting their first playoff game. That trend could continue on Saturday when Mahomes looks to add to an already historic season.