Podcast: Mark Schlereth on what could prevent the Chiefs from going back-to-back

For the second straight year, the Kansas City Chiefs have rampaged through the regular season and are in perfect position to make a return trip to the Super Bowl. Non-Chiefs fans around the league are surely looking for any reason a repeat won’t happen. FOX analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth joined today’s SB Nation NFL Show, and may have given those fans a glimmer of hope:

“I always worry about the rust vs. rest equation. Can they run the ball? Of course they can run the ball. Do they have any desire whatsoever to run the ball? Nah, probably not. If you’re out of rhythm as an offense throwing the football, it’s very difficult to throw yourself back into rhythm when things aren’t right. The best way to get yourself back into rhythm is to line up in heavy personnel and just play a little smash mouth. Eventually everybody has to come up to defend the run and then you’ve got one-on-ones on the outside and you’re gonna make something happen. Can Kansas City do that? Absolutely. Their quarterback is a unicorn so it may not matter, but I always find it interesting, kind of the whole rhythm aspect.”

To be completely fair, Mark did say that the Chiefs have the best chance to win back-to-back titles of any team in recent memory. Still, the fact that they will have essentially taken two straight weeks off is a factor, and has hurt other great teams in the past.

Check out the entire conversation between RJ Ochoa, Mark Schlereth, and myself in the player below.

Other topics discussed in the episode: