Chiefs' offensive linemen remain unsung 'bullies' of Kansas City offense

The Kansas City Chiefs have an offensive line full of bullies.

I say that with affection.

In the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, bully-ball was on full display. The Chiefs' offensive linemen didn't want to just win the line of scrimmage; they wanted to get inside the heads of their opponent — especially the Ravens' linebackers.

All game, guard Trey Smith snuck in little shoves after the whistle. Center Creed Humphrey less subtly pancaked a dude. Left tackle Donovan Smith drove a Baltimore defender to the ground. That was a pretty common occurrence, actually: Ravens players flat on the ground, crushed by their red-laden opponents.

This went on and on and on until linebacker Roquan Smith finally snapped. Following a too-many-men penalty, Smith incurred a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty that essentially ended the game in the fourth quarter. Smith inexplicably charged through the neutral zone right for Trey Smith and knocked him over. The ball wasn't even close to being snapped.

The Chiefs know all too well what not having a formidable line can do in a Super Bowl run. Down a couple of offensive tackles, they didn't just lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV; they were dominated. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the offense didn't even score a touchdown.

Kansas City wasn't going to let that happen again.

They'll face another tough defensive opponent in San Francisco, with a defensive front seven that includes Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Javon Hargrave. The Niners are known for their physicality up front… but so are the Chiefs.

"My favorite thing about playing guard is that there are numerous occasions and opportunity to be physical with somebody and just let out your aggression, play violently," said Trey Smith on opening night in Las Vegas on Monday. "A lot more than tackle, when you're kind of isolated on your island. Guard, you gotta go through me, Creed and my buddies. We're coming to hit you." 

Engaging defenders as an offensive lineman is a mindset that trickles down from coaches and team leaders. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is well-versed with the position group. He's also a master schemer and motivator. There is a strategy beyond the X's and O's for every individual position group. Tape study doesn't only include a player's physical ticks or tells; it can also tell you how a player thinks and reacts.

Reid is one of the best at understanding that. That's emphasized by the plays he dreams up. You see the flashy ring-around-the-rosy plays that test the limits of football audacity. You see the freedom Mahomes has to maneuver through the backfield and wait for his guys to be open. But if you look closely enough, you'll also see the mind games he plays with opponents. 

That manifested itself most starkly in the AFC Championship through the offensive line. Former NFL center and offensive assistant coach AQ Shipley broke it down well recently. Even tight end Travis Kelce has bought into the line's mentality.

Kansas City's offensive line ranked second in sack rate this regular season. That comes with the caveat that Mahomes can often get himself out of trouble, but opposing rushers were only able to take Mahomes down on 4.41% of dropbacks. That translates to allowing just 19 sacks all season. Both Trey Smith and Humphrey have over 98% efficiency rates as classified by Pro Football Focus. Joe Thuney is PFF's highest-graded guard, though he's unlikely to be healthy in time for the SUper Bowl.

The trash talk has already begun, too. Speaking last week, Bosa was asked about what he's seen out of the Chiefs' tackles in particular.

"They hold a lot," he said.

The Chiefs are the league's third-most-penalized team and Jawaan Taylor leads the team with 19 penalties. But Donovan Smith has eight penalties on the season, four of which were declined. The other four cost the team 35 penalty yards.

The Chiefs undoubtedly also have one of the biggest ‘bulletin boards' in the league, used to showcase slights and fiery quotes from the opposition. It all plays into the mindset the offensive line — and really, the whole team — has.

So on Sunday, look closely at the line of scrimmage. Watch Smith, Humphrey and friends. There won't be anything friendly about it.

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.