This is optimistic considering Spags hasn't had any real sustained success in over a decade.

He's gotten a lot of mileage out of that Superbowl win. People tend to forget he's had fewer top 10 defenses and more bottom 3 defenses than Sutton has.

Proof will be in the pudding, but I'm not sold he's an upgrade as a DC. That's not a defense of Sutton. I wanted him fired. I just didn't want to hire a guy I've considered over-rated for 10 years.

I figure with new personnel he'll have a good season in 2019. KC will lose 1 or 2 top assistants who would probably do the job better than him. Then, like usual, teams will figure him out and start toasting his schemes.

Why is it optimistic? I didn't say anything about how good it would make KC's defense. I stated schematic differences. Sutton, for the most part, ran a generic 2-gap, read and react, 3-4 with off-man coverage and a single high safety. Spags scheme is much more aggressive, single gap 4-3 and uses alot more zone concepts. Whether or not the defense is going to be worth a **** is largely yet to be determined. There does seem to be a better talent fit to run Spags' 4-3 than there was to run Sutton's 3-4. I never said shit about him being a better DC or this defense being better. He has to prove that to me.

Spags, like every other good DC, needs talent to succeed. When he’d had talent, he’s been successful, and when he hasn’t had it he has not.

After this offseason, I have the confidence to say he will have the talent to succeed.

I also have no doubt that this defensive staff is a significant improvement and anybody who thinks otherwise doesn’t have a clue IMO.

without Reek, this needs to be a balanced team. With a much bigger defensive front, we will need a lot less running yards and YPC and more interceptions.

The giants had talent. He finished 32nd in 2015, 10th in 2016, 31st in 2017 and 31st in 2018. At the very least they were too talented to finish last or 2nd to last 3 of the past 4 seasons. It's not like they were super talented in that ONE year and just awful before and after. The passing D in particular is ALWAYS bad with his defenses.

Yes, the staff is an improvement. Huge. I'm going to be annoyed when smart teams poach our talented assistants who will undoubtedly do the job better than Spags.

Nobody is going to convince me otherwise. Only Spags can do that with some consistent performances. One good season next year won't do it and 2008 was a long time ago.

His resume, outside of a superbowl win (which Greg Robinson also had) isn't impressive AT ALL.

Umm he wasn’t their DC in 2018.

The entire team was a disaster in 2017, so that’s tough to put it on him. They quit on their HC.

The truth is, he’s been in some terrible situations and had a year to reflect and learn. He clearly used it wisely. Now he’s in one of the best situations imaginable with a great staff around him and a GM with an eye for talent.

Good. I think he's over-rated. You think he's been held back by misfortune.

No point arguing since we're not going to agree. As I said, the proof will be in the pudding. At the very least the personnel make-over and new scheme will give KC a different look that teams will need time to catch up with. I think they'll have some success next year.

I still think if David Tyree doesn't make that catch nobody gives a **** about Steve Spagnuolo.

He had some serious pass rushers up front in the Giant's Super Bowl run. We don't have that on paper here for him, but I feel like our talent was obviously upgraded this offseason so we'll see what he can do with some young and hungry players looking to shake off the mantra of being a shit defense the last few years (and I feel we had talent and vastly underachieved under Sutton and his "we don't adjust to offenses, they adjust to us" crap).

I would love to say I expect a ton more 3-4-5 and outs from this defense, and I hope that happens, but I expect to see us in nickel and dime a ton playing in shootouts, especially if Mahomes takes the next step in his second year and the offense elevates with him.

The major flaw with Sutton is that he seemed incapable of adjusting, both in-game and with personnel. We all saw that lack if adjustment in the LAC game and it was in 3D IMAX in the AFCCG. He stubbornly played sub-par guys ahead of younger, more talented players. I suspect Spags will be a little more open to change.

I expect a good run defense, more turnovers and more variety pass rush.

We won’t lead the league in sacks, but we will have more players capable of rushing instead of relying on 3 players like last year.

Frank Clark called Spags a legend!

We could lead the league in sacks in 2019

No one here ever expected we’d have an elite pass rush in 2018. There’s always surprises

Agree. I accidentally downvoted this post

With Daly running a DLine with several nice new toys, it will make an improved secondary better yet. LBs haven't really changed.

honey badger > last 2 years Berry
Thornhill > Sorenson/Lucas
Breeland > Murray