Chiefs hope making secondary a primary focus will produce results

[BossChief]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=090...s&confirm=true

Conventional wisdom suggests that defenses are built from front to back, but the Kansas Chiefs are attempting to revive their dismal defense by restoring the proud tradition of their secondary.

From the Emmitt Thomas-led units of the late 1960's to the star-studded crews of the 90s that featured Pro Bowlers Albert Lewis, Kevin Ross, Deron Cherry, James Hasty and Dale Carter, the Chiefs have always excelled when their secondary led the way.
Associated Press
The Chiefs' pass defense was subpar last year in just about every category. Take a look at the unit's stats:
Secondary concerns


Total

Rank
Yards

3,707

22
Passer rating

87.1

20
TDs

25

T-20
40-plus yard passes

16

T-29

Last season, however, the Chiefs' secondary greatly contributed to the team's defensive woes. The unit was repeatedly victimized by the big play, and an inability to stop the deep ball resulted in the 22nd-ranked pass defense.

The Chiefs allowed the third-highest total of completions of 40 yards or more (16), and surrendered 25 passing touchdowns, which tied for 20th in the league. With the secondary unable to keep the ball from flying over their heads, the Chiefs finished 29th in scoring defense with a whopping average of 26.5 points per game.

Given the ineptitude of the defense as a whole, coach Todd Haley replaced coordinator Clancy Pendergast with Romeo Crennel during the offseason.

Crennel, who sat out the 2009 season after being fired by the Cleveland Browns following a 24-40 stint as their coach, comes to Kansas City with an excellent reputation as a defensive coordinator after serving as Bill Belichick's right-hand man in New England.

Known for using a clever blend of coverage and pressures, Crennel's system is deeply rooted in a "quarter-quarter-half" cover scheme that has the ability to suffocate offenses if executed properly.

The field is split into quarters with the strong corner (typically the left corner because most offenses tilt right) and the strong safety each responsible for covering a quarter of the field. On the weak-side, the boundary corner and free safety play a half-field coverage to create a double team on the split end (X-receiver). With the corner playing a "cloud" technique (corner is aligned three-to-five yards off the receiver forcing an inside release on all routes to ensure that the safety is able to stay on top of the receiver down the field) to disrupt the release of the receiver, the scheme can make it difficult for the quarterback to find open receivers.

In Kansas City, Crennel has the pieces in the secondary to enjoy tremendous success utilizing a system that puts all of the pressure on the strong corner and strong safety.

Brandon Flowers, the team's starting left corner, is a promising young player with the skills to develop into a star. Though he entered the league regarded as too short (five-foot-nine) and slow to be an elite corner, Flowers has proved his detractors wrong by routinely locking down the opposition's top receiver. He is physical and tenacious, and makes it tough on wideouts to create separation out of their break. With impressive ball skills to boot (his five interceptions led the team last season), Flowers has the ability to handle the one-on-one matchups that fall on the shoulders of the strong corner.

Eric Berry, the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft, possesses the versatility to become a difference-maker at strong safety. As a big hitter with corner-like cover skills, Berry can function as the eighth-defender in the box on run downs, while also taking on the challenge of covering tight ends or slot receivers in passing situations. In addition, his sneaky rush skills will allow Crennel to use him as blitzer off the edge in select packages.

While some have criticized the Chiefs for using their first-round pick on a defensive back instead of addressing their pass rush, the need for a hybrid player of Berry's pedigree is a requirement for Crennel's scheme, and his presence could lead to a defensive revival.

Though the Chiefs' secondary will ultimately be the key, Crennel must also find a way to get more production from his front seven.

In looking for ways to juice up a pass rush that only generated 22 sacks a season ago, he will have to devise a game plan that creates favorable matchups for Tamba Hali. The fifth-year pro led the team with 8.5 sacks, and has the speed to wreak havoc off the edges. With another year under his belt as an outside linebacker, Hali could post double-digit sack totals for the first time in his career.

Crennel would have an easier time creating favorable situations for Hali and others if the defensive line could do a better job against the run on early downs. Last season, opponents rushed for 4.7 yards a carry, and the duo of Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey failed to create enough negative plays to put opponents in long yardage situations.

Dorsey, who struggled making the transition from 4-3 defensive tackle to 3-4 defensive end, is critical to the success of their run defense with his quickness and athleticism. Though he lacks the ideal length to play the position, the scheme can be tweaked in a way to get him into spots where he can become a force. If he can create any kind of disruption on a consistent basis, the pass rush and secondary will ultimately benefit.

Given the Chiefs' 6-35 record over the past 41 games, the team's decision to overhaul its woeful defense is hardly surprising, but relying on the secondary to spark the turnaround is an ode to defensive tradition in Kansas City.

Haley and Co. are taking a nostalgic view towards rebuilding the Chiefs. Time will soon tell if the reflective approach will yield more wins.

[el borracho]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Is Berry seriously going to be our strong safety? I had always assumed he'd be a free safety.

The official word from the organization was that they wanted their safeties to be interchangeable. I assume that means Berry will move about a bit.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by el borracho

The official word from the organization was that they wanted their safeties to be interchangeable. I assume that means Berry will move about a bit.

That's better. I'd just hate to see a guy who's supposedly a ball hawk playing up in the box a lot. It would seem like a misuse of his talents.

[lostcause]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

That's better. I'd just hate to see a guy who's supposedly a ball hawk playing up in the box a lot. It would seem like a misuse of his talents.

Well via the description in the text of strong and free safety, (if i'm understanding crennel's vision that strong safety plays off the tight end and free safety is playing the weak side) it makes more sense to me to have Berry and Flowers lined up strong side where they have individual assignments and Berry has the option of covering the tight end. Whereas on the weak side, Carr and Page (?) will be able to double team wide recievers releasing alone. Additionally, I would rather have Berry playing the run side of the oline, since he can, well, tackle.

[RustShack]

I think people forget that Hali was second in the NFL in pressures... that Jackson was a rookie... and Dorsey was only in his second year..

[boogblaster]

Did someone say we needed a NT ....

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

The secondary is only as good as the front seven.

REP !

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Uhh without reading everything. Hasty and Carter were good but without Neil Smith, and Derrick Thomas they wouldn't of been that good. The Trenches are where the game is won or lost on both sides of the ball. Period

Hasty and Carter were good. Period. Hasty had great technique and Carter had elite closing speed and athleticism.

Maybe what you meant to say is that the pass rush provided by Smith and Thomas contributed just as much to the success of the passing defense as the excellent coverage provided by the secondary.

To have an elite pass defense you have to have both a strong pass rush and secondary. To have an elite passing game you have to have both a great QB and great receivers (an adequate OL is sufficient). It is a team game.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Hasty and Carter were good. Period. Hasty had great technique and Carter had elite closing speed and athleticism.

Maybe what you meant to say is that the pass rush provided by Smith and Thomas contributed just as much to the success of the passing defense as the excellent coverage provided by the secondary.

To have an elite pass defense you have to have both a strong pass rush and secondary. To have an elite passing game you have to have both a great QB and great receivers (an adequate OL is sufficient). It is a team game.

Hasty and Carter could have been the best corner duo ever, but a QB who is allowed to sit in the pocket will pick apart a secondary all day long, no matter how good that secondary is.

[Chiefless]

Elite secondaries create more coverage sacks for the front seven. That being said, I'd be surprised to see the Chiefs record any sacks from the middle of their D...coverage or otherwise. This D with a MLB that can get through OLs or a NT that can cave in the pocket would go from barely average to top 10, IMO. So, while I think The Chiefs improved their overall Defense, I believe the middle of the field will be open again a lot in both running and passing situations.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Chiefless

Elite secondaries create more coverage sacks for the front seven. That being said, I'd be surprised to see the Chiefs record any sacks from the middle of their D...coverage or otherwise. This D with a MLB that can get through OLs or a NT that can cave in the pocket would go from barely average to top 10, IMO. So, while I think The Chiefs improved their overall Defense, I believe the middle of the field will be open again a lot in both running and passing situations.

Coverage sacks are not all that common.

[Chiefless]

Originally Posted by milkman

Coverage sacks are not all that common.

True, but they are more likely to occur on teams with good-to-great secondaries. The chiefs should have more than 22 sacks this year. The way this off-season went KC is counting on getting pressure by forcing the QB to consistently hold the ball longer. If that happens, then a bunch of those plays where they were a half-step late in getting to the QB will turn into big plays for the D. I think it's the hard way to do it, but it is what it is I guess. We'll know if it worked in a couple of months. IMO, KC will have a better D than last year, but they will still be below average unless Crennel's scheme creates an surprise stud in the middle.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

That's better. I'd just hate to see a guy who's supposedly a ball hawk playing up in the box a lot. It would seem like a misuse of his talents.

As stated previously, 3-4 safeties are interchangeable in their duties versus a 4-3 system which requires that a SS play "in the box" a lot more than his 3-4 counterpart. It's kinda why Pollard was an expendable casualty for the Chiefs last season, but contributed for the Houston Texans. He's a pure 4-3 SS, and was a borderline liability in the 3-4, as evidence by his incredibly horrific performance in that pre-season game which saw him released by the Chiefs soon after.

By drafting Berry, the Chiefs substantially improved the defense as it provides a substantial increase in speed and versatility at the safety position - something that was severely lacking last season. (Though, I think that Arenas might have an even greater impact on the defense initially than Berry, as it was our nickelback coverage that was routinely gouged for career highlight numbers. He excelled at just that thing at Alabama.)

[Mr. Laz]

pretty much got to since they decided not to upgrade the front 7

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

As stated previously, 3-4 safeties are interchangeable in their duties versus a 4-3 system which requires that a SS play "in the box" a lot more than his 3-4 counterpart. It's kinda why Pollard was an expendable casualty for the Chiefs last season, but contributed for the Houston Texans. He's a pure 4-3 SS, and was a borderline liability in the 3-4, as evidence by his incredibly horrific performance in that pre-season game which saw him released by the Chiefs soon after.

By drafting Berry, the Chiefs substantially improved the defense as it provides a substantial increase in speed and versatility at the safety position - something that was severely lacking last season. (Though, I think that Arenas might have an even greater impact on the defense initially than Berry, as it was our nickelback coverage that was routinely gouged for career highlight numbers. He excelled at just that thing at Alabama.)

*cough* weren't you the one who didn't want Berry?

you said a safety wasn't worth that pick and wanted an OT iirc

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Laz

*cough* weren't you the one who didn't want Berry?

you said a safety wasn't worth that pick and wanted an OT iirc

Actually, I was pretty happy with the Berry pick. I'm not a big positional value guy, so I didn't mind them spending it on a player of Berry's caliber. Sure, I would have preferred Okung as I'm not convinced of Albert's protection capabilities on the edge, but I'm not disappointed with the selection of Berry. It was a definite position of need.

Okung was my #1 choice, but Berry was a very close #2.

As well, I thought that the Arenas pick was a very good choice for the previously mentioned reasons.