Dominate the Super Bowl

Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers, Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers, Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams.

In the past two years, a trend of young coaches has surged through the league, with more and more young people taking on head coaching roles, bringing new energy to the league.

Mike Vrabel is among them.

Although Vrabel is under forty-four years old this year and not considered young age-wise, he retired at thirty-six, transitioned to coaching, and in just seven years made a leap to become a head coach at lightning speed, marking him as part of the youthful storm.

Like other young coaches, Vrabel has shown his unstoppable and energetic side, standing proudly at the league's peak in his second season as head coach:

Not only did he enter the playoffs, but he declared with action they were not mere supporting characters—

They were there to win.

In the wildcard game, facing his former team, the New England Patriots, against the team he once ascended to the Super Bowl with, facing his former coach Belichick and ex-teammate Brady, Vrabel delivered an exceptional game, targeting Brady's weaknesses and making him uncomfortable throughout.

He defeated Belichick in the style of Belichick.

In the divisional game against his last professional team, the Kansas City Chiefs, Vrabel again demonstrated his ability as a lineman and defensive coach, controlling the situation with unparalleled performance in the first quarter, disrupting the Kansas Chiefs' offense from the "rhythm."

In a certain way, Vrabel might be seen as a student of Belichick, since his longest career phase was with the New England Patriots, during their strongest and peak period, where Vrabel understood the role of the special teams.

In the previous game, Vrabel relied on fouls and the special team's control of game time, a rogue albeit ugly method that managed to confound even Belichick, forcing acknowledgment of his brilliance.

In this game, Vrabel again started from the special teams, creating opportunities right from the start—

In the Kansas Chiefs' first punt of the entire game, Tennessee Titans special teams launched a blitz blocking the Kansas Chiefs' punter's kick.

After which, the Tennessee Titans special teams picked up the football, controlled possession, and launched a return attack rapidly striking into the end zone.

Punt block return touchdown.

Tennessee Titans, in a typical New England Patriots fashion, gave the Kansas Chiefs a surprise right from the start, quickly establishing their advantage.

Coupled with Running Back Henry's god-like performance, Tennessee Titans seized twenty-one points in the first quarter, their scoring ability truly frightening.

Vrabel's tactical layout took effect right from the start, swiftly establishing an advantage, leaving no chance for the Kansas Chiefs to gain a foothold. At Arrowhead Stadium without even completing a warm-up, the Tennessee Titans had already dominantly taken over the game, creating a significant lead.

Of course, reasoning out the situation from the outcome is easy, there's no difficulty in that; it's the alignment from planning to execution to effect at the game's commencement that is most challenging.

While Tennessee Titans' offense and special teams controlled the initiative; Vrabel couldn't dictate the Kansas Chiefs' offense, how to limit this league's top offense in the first quarter was Vrabel's genuine challenge of demonstrating his abilities.

Vrabel knew the difficulty very clearly.

In the regular season's tenth week, Tennessee Titans hosted the Kansas Chiefs.

At that time, Mahomes was out with injury, it was still backup quarterback Moore starting, Tennessee Titans tightly contested Kansas Chiefs, maintaining grip until the fourth quarter, where Kansas Chiefs suddenly surged forward and broke away, Tennessee Titans couldn't keep pace and ended up losing with a whimper, Vrabel and Henry swallowed a bitter defeat.

Now, Tennessee Titans have returned.

Vrabel recognizes they face tests, one being the devil's home field of Arrowhead Stadium, and the other Mahomes' healthy return, presenting an elevated challenge.

Against the patched-up Kansas Chiefs, Tennessee Titans couldn't win; facing a complete Kansas Chiefs now, what can be done?

Nonetheless, Vrabel utilized his strength to devise a solution:

Frontcourt press.

Simply put, the core is pressure.

Not sacks, but pressure, because Vrabel knows Mahomes and Li Wei's counterattack ability under extreme pressure, rather than expending effort on ineffective pursuits like tackles and running back takedowns that inflate post-game data without bringing substantial victory, it's better to leverage the lineman's role to connect the defensive line and defensive backfield, create a chain defense that disrupts the Kansas Chiefs' smooth offensive rhythm.

What does this mean?

The focus is on zone defense.

Vrabel doesn't emphasize completely stopping the offense as he knows the difficulty is too high; the focus is on continual pressure like a ghost and shadow around the offensive players' vision, ceaselessly hovering, creating a bomber effect.

In this way, from initiation, to running to catching, finally to advancing, every step and every move can feel the omnipresent pressure, including Mahomes and Li Wei too, the shadow drifting nearby, unsure when it might strike yet unable to completely shake free.

The resulting situation ultimately is pressure constantly swirling at the corner of the eye.

Starting with Mahomes and Li Wei, applying indirect pressure while maintaining mobility; then spread to tight ends, wide receivers, and other facets.

Kansas Chiefs' advancement still progresses, but the efficiency is greatly reduced, even worse, the fluency of advances hits a snag.

Since the 2017 season, Kansas Chiefs' offensive pace control ranks among the league's best, yet they aren't invincible, having faced defense powerhouses like Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, they encountered difficulties, evidently, Vrabel gathers essence from many, fully utilizing his talent abilities, showcasing his determination for victory.

Moreover, that's not all.

If it were only Tennessee Titans' defensive group deploying targeted defense, Kansas Chiefs wouldn't be so embarrassed; the focus is on their own mistakes.

Kelsey and Hardman each had a butterfinger moment.

Li Wei and Watkins experienced one route breakdown coordination error.

Additionally, Hill had one accidental drop nearly causing an interception, although Hill immediately compensated by securing possession, preventing a turnover, yet the entire Arrowhead Stadium exhaled in cold air.

Of these, Kelsey's error was most fatal.

Third and six yards, Kelsey had completed the catch and had room for advancement; yet unexpectedly, too anxious, with all focus on turning steps for further advancement, he didn't completely control the football.

The result, his butterfingers led to a drop, needlessly wasted opportunity, resulting in a strikeout.