Chiefs Gretz: Wednesday Cup O'Chiefs (Defense Stuff)

Coogs · 06-10-2009, 07:09 AM

http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-footb...html#more-9112

Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs
June 10, 2009 - Bob Gretz |

Making assessments about a football team as it runs around in underwear during the month of June can be dangerous.

There is too much that can still happen in the football year, and that’s even before the teams head to training camp at the end of July. Throw in training camp and pre-season and there are a lot of players who will show themselves with an opening day roster spot, but they remain unknowns at this moment to media, fans and even sometimes the coaches. There are injuries, there are holdouts and there will be off-field incidents to come.

Taking all that into account, I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that Chiefs fans are going to like this new Chiefs defense.

Based on what they’ve shown during the nine practices that have been open to the media, coordinator Clancy Pendergast (left) is loading up the kitchen sink with this defense. Pendergast is experimenting right now with personnel and schemes, but there’s one thing that comes through no matter what type of players are on the field. This defense is going to be an aggressive group that sometimes lines up in ways that have not been seen by Chiefs fans.

Over the weekend at mini-camp, the Chiefs were in a nickel-type defense where only one player had his hand on the ground for the snap of the ball. DE Tyson Jackson was in a two-point stance as he stood over the guard. Five other guys were also standing along the line of scrimmage. That was seven guys in the immediate grill of the quarterback. On one play, only four rushed. On the next it was five.

Before they were done, I swear there was a play where the Chiefs blitzed all 11 guys. Cornerbacks are coming off the corner. Safeties are flying up from the secondary. Linebackers are on pogo sticks, jumping up and back in various combinations.

On 1st-and-10, the Chiefs are lining up in the 3-4 defense but that might be the only play in a possession where they are in that alignment. When they got to a nickel, the nose tackle comes out and a cornerback comes in. That’s when all sorts of things happen.

The premise is simple: limit the pre-snap information for the quarterback. Always have the offense wondering who is coming and who is dropping. Go hard, go fast and arrive in ill humor. There’s nothing revolutionary here. Pendergast and his staff don’t appear to be writing a new book on playing defense.

But if what we are watching right now is the approach, then they are going to go after the quarterback with multiple blitzes.

The big question is will they be blitzing because they want to cause confusion, or will they be blitzing because that’s the only way they can get to the quarterback?

The Chiefs had the most embarrassing pass rush in NFL history last season, pulling the passer down 10 times, a league record for sacking ineptitude. Pioli/Haley have not gone out and sought pass rushers to bulk up the roster. Instead, they are going to rely on a different coaching staff, different scheme and player development from within to improve the rush. That’s a gamble on their part, especially if Pendergast has to generate a pass rush by gambling with the blitz.

With Arizona last year, Pendergast was not blitz crazy. One statistical service estimated the Cardinals blitzed 25 percent of the time in the 993 plays they faced on defense. Most of those came on second and third down plays when the opponent needed four to six yards for a first down.

How often the Chiefs will use the blitz remains to be seen. There’s no question the Chiefs will have a lot of options in their defensive playbook, if they need to use them.

Again, it’s June. It’s a new defensive coaching staff (save DL coach Tim Krumrie). It’s a new scheme. It’s a new head coach. There are a bunch of key new players in Jackson, Alex Magee, Zach Thomas, Mike Vrabel and Monty Beisel.

But there’s a look about this defense that provides hope that negative NFL records will not be set in the 2009 season.

06-10-2009, 07:09 AM	Topic Starter
Coogs In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Northern Kansas Casino cash: $1494349	Gretz: Wednesday Cup O'Chiefs (Defense Stuff) http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-footb...html#more-9112 Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs June 10, 2009 - Bob Gretz \| Making assessments about a football team as it runs around in underwear during the month of June can be dangerous. There is too much that can still happen in the football year, and that’s even before the teams head to training camp at the end of July. Throw in training camp and pre-season and there are a lot of players who will show themselves with an opening day roster spot, but they remain unknowns at this moment to media, fans and even sometimes the coaches. There are injuries, there are holdouts and there will be off-field incidents to come. Taking all that into account, I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that Chiefs fans are going to like this new Chiefs defense. Based on what they’ve shown during the nine practices that have been open to the media, coordinator Clancy Pendergast (left) is loading up the kitchen sink with this defense. Pendergast is experimenting right now with personnel and schemes, but there’s one thing that comes through no matter what type of players are on the field. This defense is going to be an aggressive group that sometimes lines up in ways that have not been seen by Chiefs fans. Over the weekend at mini-camp, the Chiefs were in a nickel-type defense where only one player had his hand on the ground for the snap of the ball. DE Tyson Jackson was in a two-point stance as he stood over the guard. Five other guys were also standing along the line of scrimmage. That was seven guys in the immediate grill of the quarterback. On one play, only four rushed. On the next it was five. Before they were done, I swear there was a play where the Chiefs blitzed all 11 guys. Cornerbacks are coming off the corner. Safeties are flying up from the secondary. Linebackers are on pogo sticks, jumping up and back in various combinations. On 1st-and-10, the Chiefs are lining up in the 3-4 defense but that might be the only play in a possession where they are in that alignment. When they got to a nickel, the nose tackle comes out and a cornerback comes in. That’s when all sorts of things happen. The premise is simple: limit the pre-snap information for the quarterback. Always have the offense wondering who is coming and who is dropping. Go hard, go fast and arrive in ill humor. There’s nothing revolutionary here. Pendergast and his staff don’t appear to be writing a new book on playing defense. But if what we are watching right now is the approach, then they are going to go after the quarterback with multiple blitzes. The big question is will they be blitzing because they want to cause confusion, or will they be blitzing because that’s the only way they can get to the quarterback? The Chiefs had the most embarrassing pass rush in NFL history last season, pulling the passer down 10 times, a league record for sacking ineptitude. Pioli/Haley have not gone out and sought pass rushers to bulk up the roster. Instead, they are going to rely on a different coaching staff, different scheme and player development from within to improve the rush. That’s a gamble on their part, especially if Pendergast has to generate a pass rush by gambling with the blitz. With Arizona last year, Pendergast was not blitz crazy. One statistical service estimated the Cardinals blitzed 25 percent of the time in the 993 plays they faced on defense. Most of those came on second and third down plays when the opponent needed four to six yards for a first down. How often the Chiefs will use the blitz remains to be seen. There’s no question the Chiefs will have a lot of options in their defensive playbook, if they need to use them. Again, it’s June. It’s a new defensive coaching staff (save DL coach Tim Krumrie). It’s a new scheme. It’s a new head coach. There are a bunch of key new players in Jackson, Alex Magee, Zach Thomas, Mike Vrabel and Monty Beisel. But there’s a look about this defense that provides hope that negative NFL records will not be set in the 2009 season.
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