Niemann is a perfect fit for this defense

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Niemann lets the traffic clear. Reads Lindsay coming out of the flats and lays him out after the catch. I love seeing Lindsay yelling at Flacco. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JacobsEyeInTheSky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JacobsEyeInTheSky</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZjUkWP3xsX">pic.twitter.com/ZjUkWP3xsX</a></p>&mdash; Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobs71/status/1186380082337779714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Niemann, a coaches kid, deserves to be a starter for us.

He played about 50% of the snaps against the Donks. Seems like he took Lee’s spot

Niemann basically is a starter

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> LB Anthony Hitchens played just 48% of the snaps in his TNF return from the groin injury -- 2 fewer snaps than Ben Niemann, 1 fewer than Damien Wilson and just 7 more than Reggie Ragland. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDPHits?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IDPHits</a> <a href="https://t.co/maC8z7iFhU">pic.twitter.com/maC8z7iFhU</a></p>&mdash; Matt Schauf (@SchaufDS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SchaufDS/status/1186261120904056833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The tackling, man.

The Lions game first made it apparent how tackling can level up a defense so quickly. That 'keep it in front of you' shit just does not work if the first man misses; it's 6 yards every time when that happens, if you're lucky.

So many of these plays suddenly look a lot better when the first guy on the scene makes the play. And a TON of those easy little 8-10 yard pickups in previous weeks came with the first guy just missing and giving the ballcarrier/receiver another 6 yards to stay ahead of the sticks and set up another easy play on the next snap.

That Niemann play is a perfect example of it. If Lindsay shucks him off to the ankles, he has 7 yards by just angling to the sideline and 10 if he can put a shoulder into Sorensen and drive him forward. But by just doing his damn job and finishing the tackle, the Broncos are forced into a bad down/distance situation and things get awfully tough for them.

So much of the failures of this defense of late (and by 'of late' I mean for the last 2+ years) have come from guys just not doing the basic fundamental elements of their job.

I didn't watch this game (client stuff) but the common thread among the wins I've seen is rarely some exotic schematic switch - it's just that the individual players on the defense are doing what they're supposed to be doing. And when that happens, team defense becomes possible and things work a looooot better.

HB said the exact same thing after the Colts loss. He knew we had the talent. It’s just about doing your job. Not everyone has to make the big play. I worry when Jones comes back he will go back to the Me first Jones. If Jones can prove that he can do his job and assignment I pay him. If he proves he just wants to make the big play all the time and abandon his assignment he walks

Ragland needs to be the damn starter!! I dont care if he’s a liability in pass coverage. He is a damn good player vs the run

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ogbah sets up Ragland and they just keep working till one of them gets the sack. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JacobsEyeInTheSky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JacobsEyeInTheSky</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/6GrAQhhOZO">pic.twitter.com/6GrAQhhOZO</a></p>&mdash; Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobs71/status/1186377932429762562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Honestly, the Chiefs were really struggling with various stunts, including twists, in previous games vis-a-vis timing. That one looked pretty good, though.

And THIS is exactly what I've been talking about:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ragland flows down the line and then lays the wood. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JacobsEyeInTheSky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JacobsEyeInTheSky</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/yGwtQJMC97">pic.twitter.com/yGwtQJMC97</a></p>&mdash; Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobs71/status/1189539655311597570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If Ragland had been slow to read that cutback or too aggressive laterally and taken himself out of the gap, this would've been blamed on "{X Coordinator}'s complicated scheme!!!!"

This is textbook flow/fill. Hitchens flows with the blockers, as does Ragland. By flowing, Hitchens pulls the C up and out of the middle and also takes away the B gap. By flowing and filling when the gap opens, Ragland is EXACTLY where he should be when the RB sees the B gap close and he's there to blow the shit out of that play. This is how run defense works, not "see gap, hit gap" - and when it works, it looks awfully simple. Because it is.

And this is exactly what the Chiefs have been trying to get guys to do for 2+ years. It was NEVER complicated - the damn players just wouldn't maintain gap responsibility.

When they do it, it's really friggen hard to run the ball. When they don't, it's really easy.

And there's nothing more complicated to it than that. Run defense is about maintaining your responsibility and your effort level. When we get that from the box players, we'll be just fine.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of those times where I wonder what Williams is seeing because a lot of running backs wish they had that massive of a cutback lane. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JacobsEyeInTheSky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JacobsEyeInTheSky</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/xuCNmO8ZUb">pic.twitter.com/xuCNmO8ZUb</a></p>&mdash; Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobs71/status/1189544997063987201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is why Shady gets more snaps. RB is all about vision.

Man, prime Jamal would have gained 20 yards at minimum with that hole.

Shady would've gotten at least 7-10 yards out of that. More if he could the first guy miss, and he is pretty good about that.

It's too bad Ragland can't cover.

As soon as coordinators adjust he's going to need to play less snaps.

Damn fine thumper, though.

Ragland can’t be any worse than Hitchens in coverage

Actually, he can. Ragland's lateral/top speed just isn't anything close to fast enough to cover 90% of the RBs in the league. Hitchens is faster, but he's not going to cover a guy like 33 downfield.

In his defense, there might be 10 LBs in the NFL that could cover that guy. Maybe less.