“You need to watch more film” – Roquan Smith’s strategy to stop Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs in season opener doesn’t sit well with fans

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith claimed that the Ravens will put a leash on the Chiefs run game to stop Patrick Mahomes.

“You need to watch more film” – Roquan Smith’s strategy to stop Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs in season opener doesn’t sit well with fans

Roquan Smith and Patrick Mahomes (Image via IMAGO)

The Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs lock horns on Thursday in the 2024 season opener, and Roquan Smith already has plans to keep 3x Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes quiet. Smith, who often knows the answer to stopping most quarterbacks, sounded confident about the Ravens’ chances.

During a recent presser at the Ravens facility, Smith spoke with the reporters and answered several questions. The one query everyone had was how the Ravens would stop Patrick Mahomes.

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According to ESPN’s Ravens beat reporter Jamison Hensley, Smith disclosed a two-step plan.

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First and foremost, just eliminating the run. Making the guys one-dimensional just like in any other game, and once you make a team one-dimensional and know exactly what they’ll do in given situations, it gives us a chance as a defense to really pin our ears back and do exactly what we’ll like to do.
Roquan Smith said
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Football fans on social media make fun of Roquan Smith’s method of stopping the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes

Smith may be a 2x All-Pro pass rusher with a total of 851 tackles and 20 sacks, but that doesn’t mean fans have to agree with everything he says. Especially the Chiefs fans, who have over the years seen Mahomes getting the better of opposing defenses with a much less talented offense.

"You need to watch more film" - Roquan Smith's strategy to stop Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs in season opener doesn't sit well with fans
Patrick Mahomes (Image via IMAGO)

Last season the Chiefs were one of the worst pass-catching teams in the NFL, dropping 42 passes, 12 of them close to the endzone. Despite the horrible statistics, Mahomes’ clutch performances pulled the Chiefs through for another Super Bowl.

While Chiefs fans might find Roquan Smith’s statement about stopping the run game, they might need to revisit last season’s AFC title game. The Chiefs only gained 89 yards, with Isiah Pacheco averaging just 2.8 yards per carry.

The Ravens are one of the best when it comes to shutting down the line of scrimmage. Last year they only allowed 5.9 yards per carry, which was the lowest by any team in the league.

The area the Ravens need to focus on is the fast receivers the Chiefs added to their roster in the summer. They already had Rashee Rice, who almost had 1000 yards in his rookie season, drafted Xavier Worthy after he set the fastest 40-yard dash, and re-signed veteran Juju Smith-Schuster.

Mahomes also has the luxury of Hollywood Brown on the team. Unfortunately, he will not be available against the Ravens because of injury.

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