Jet sweeps play to Mecole Hardman’s strengths

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs prefer to make the most of Mecole Hardman on the jet sweep for causes extra than simply his apparent velocity.

Hardman was so good on the jet sweep in Sunday’s sport towards the San Francisco 49ers that the Chiefs figured they’d hold attempting till the 49ers made them cease. They by no means did.

He scored three touchdowns en path to a 44-23 Chiefs victory.

“I believe I’ve bought a very good really feel for it,’’ Hardman stated. “Actually, simply the imaginative and prescient and looking for out the little holes and the little gaps between the [defenders] . . . If you may get by way of it with velocity and also you attempt to get any individual one on one, it is gonna be an extended day for that defender. So I’m simply attempting to try this.’’

Two of his touchdowns had been runs and one got here on a pop go from Patrick Mahomes. The longest of the three, a 25-yard run, illustrated why the Chiefs like getting the ball to Hardman on the jet sweep.

Hardman shortly bought across the nook after which paused to permit his blockers, tight finish Noah Grey particularly, to do their jobs. He then picked up his velocity alongside the sideline and did some nifty footwork to remain in bounds earlier than reaching the top zone.

“Mecole did a heck of a job going quick and being affected person after which hitting it,’’ Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated. “Our guys blocked it effectively. It is the identical play actually three totally different occasions.’’

Up to now the Chiefs and Hardman haven’t been this efficient. Mahomes stated one cause why is that the Chiefs had been extra productive with their typical operating sport towards the 49ers. Operating backs Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon mixed to common 5.4 yards per carry.

“Jet sweeps work higher whenever you run the ball,’’ Mahomes stated. “Then whenever you get different guys like Travis [Kelce] going by way of the center, typically they lose sight of that jet sweep man.

“What makes Mecole so good at it’s clearly he’s tremendous quick, however he runs actually exhausting and a number of occasions whenever you get smaller receivers and also you get on these guys on jet sweeps, they wish to get outdoors and type of get to the sideline and exit of bounds. With Mecole, that man places his foot within the floor, he will get upfield and trusts his blockers. You do not see that out a number of guys on this league and it is a particular expertise.’’

Hardman got here into the sport with two receiving touchdowns, however the 49ers sport was his better of the season. The Chiefs’ different fundamental receivers — Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling — additionally had huge video games. Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling went over 100 yards and Kelce had 98 yards.

Every has had no less than one huge sport this season, however Sunday was Hardman’s flip.