Broncos set for up-Hill battle
Tyreek Hill has few, if any, equals in the NFL in sheer speed and elusiveness.
That makes the Kansas City Chiefs receiver/returner dangerous enough.
But couple that with all the creative ways head coach and chief offensive strategist Andy Reid schemes to get him the ball in space, and you get, well, an up-Hill battle if you’re a defender.
“It’s obviously a problem,” said head coach Vance Joseph, before his Denver Broncos (2-1) play host to Hill and the Chiefs (3-0) in an AFC West battle Monday night (8:15 p.m. EDT, TSN via ESPN).
“He’s really fast. What he’s doing better is catching the football, and his route running has improved.
“As far as fast guys, everyone has speed. You’re talking about a 4.3 guy to a 4.4 guy (in the 40-yard dash). It’s not much difference when they’re running. It’s really about great eye placement, great leverage, and our safeties having great range over the tops of the zones to keep the deep balls from going over our heads. That’s due to scheme,” said Joseph.
Veteran Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. was asked the other day if there’s one player among all the tough-to-cover Chiefs playmakers who’s toughest.
“Oh yeah,” Harris said. “(No.) 10, easily.”
That would be Hill. “He’s the fastest person I’ve ever seen on the football field.”
Reid employs Hill often in pre-snap motion, to create coverage mismatches, to jump-start him on routes, or just to mess with the defence. Does so much motion complicate the job of covering Hill? “Definitely,” Harris said. “Especially because one motion he might jog across the ball, and the next motion he’s flying across. You never know. He’s always the motion guy. We’ve got to be ready for that. When I play the Chiefs, I try to make sure I’m in extra shape against them because I’ll be running around especially for a lot of motion.”
Hill’s presence impacts what a defence does, Chiefs wide receivers coach Greg Lewis said.
“He draws attention (away from other playmakers) whether it’s (tight end Travis) Kelce, whether it’s Sammy ( Watkins), whether it’s Chris Conley, whether it’s Kareem (Hunt) having more room to run in the open space.”
Hill doubles as the NFL’s most dangerous punt returner.
And you better believe teams make coaching adjustments for that, too.
“You want to hang the ball (on punts),” Joseph said.
“That’s going to be the key with this guy. He’s a dangerous returner and he doesn’t fair-catch the football.”