In the second half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ brilliant comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts, an offensive personality emerged that the team can carry into the final stretch of the regular season. Veteran running back Kareem Hunt led the way with 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. That kind of volume is a pure outlier in an Andy Reid offense.
In fact, when was the last time a single back logged 20 rushing attempts in a game? Try Week 9 of the 2024 season, when the Chiefs edged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in another overtime win, 30–24. That kind of commitment to the ground game is unheard of at One Arrowhead Drive.
The Chiefs also leaned on their top receivers with deep-over concepts to generate explosive plays in the passing game. At times, it almost felt like Kansas City was repeatedly dialing up the concept to create open looks downfield.
Late in the third quarter, Patrick Mahomes connected with Rashee Rice on a 42-yard over that pushed the Chiefs into the red zone at the Indianapolis 17-yard line. Unfortunately, the drive stalled two plays later on a Kareem Hunt fumble recovered by the Colts. Then, on Kansas City’s final drive of regulation, Mahomes found Rice again on an over that went for 47 yards up the right boundary.
To clarify, a deep over is less a single route and more a passing concept. It’s a crossing pattern run 15–20 yards downfield, designed to stretch defenses both horizontally and vertically. It’s tricky to defend for two reasons: in man coverage, it forces defenders to chase receivers across the field, often losing leverage.
Against zone, it requires defenders to pass off a target seamlessly as the receiver moves through different areas. When paired with an effective ground game, overs put defenses in conflict. Safeties that creep down to honor the run leave space behind them, opening lanes for receivers crossing the field.
There’s only so far a linebacker can carry a receiver through the intermediate zone. The challenge becomes even tougher against a player like Hollywood Brown, who boasts a 4.27 forty time. At that depth, the linebacker’s responsibility is to pass the receiver off to a safety with greater range. If pass protection holds, Patrick Mahomes can exploit the window between the linebacker’s drop and the safety, threading throws into that vulnerable space. On the 42-yard reception mentioned earlier, the Colts were in zone coverage, and Mahomes found Rashee Rice in the void between linebacker Zaire Franklin and safety Nick Cross.
By committing more fully to the ground game and pairing it with overs that maximize the unique skill sets of Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, the Chiefs can establish more than just a one-game wrinkle. In tandem, those two elements provide the foundation for a real offensive identity down the stretch. One that balances patience with explosiveness and creates real stress points for opposing defenses. Of course, this requires Mahomes to play with greater composure. There were several situations where he had a receiver breaking open on an over but didn’t pull the trigger. At times, he looked sped up and lacked the patience necessary to let those concepts fully develop.
After the game, [reports surfaced that the Chiefs would be signing free agent running back Dameon Pierce to their practice squad](https://arrowheadaddict.com/chiefs-give-dameon-pierce-real-shot-to-contribute-fast-in-banged-up-backfield-01kasjhbb3w9), pending a physical. Adding depth to a backfield that currently features an aging Kareem Hunt, an injury-prone Isiah Pacheco, and rookie Brashard Smith is a prudent move by general manager Brett Veach. Pierce, who topped 1,100 scrimmage yards as a rookie in Houston, gives Kansas City another option to sustain this ground-and-over identity in the coming weeks.
Throughout the season, this offense has often felt unmoored, with little clarity on how to maximize its top weapons. The second half offered a glimpse of the coaching staff leaning into the strengths of its personnel, marrying the ground game with deep overs to create balance and stress defenses. If Kansas City continues to build on that formula, there’s a real chance they’ll find the consistency needed to secure a postseason berth and carry a defined identity into January.