I'm glad he's in there learning. Hopefully by the end of the season he will be playing like a veteran.

25 snaps. Exactly 1/3 of the total defensive snaps. Love that he’s getting out there more often.

I think he’ll get 50+ by the end of the month

Watched him a lot during his snaps..he had one good tackle but mainly helped to block up running lanes. His speed was also on full display as he's rapid getting from sideline to sideline. Dropped into coverage a few times too. Hitch and co were talking to him a lot..i think he'll be just fine moving forward and we'll have a special lb if he keeps learning and works hard.

He flashed a few times. It's fun watching him take on blockers. You can see the explosion and power.

Get him up to speed and he's going to be a real weapon on the second level for KC.

I mean, linebacker is a mentally tough position to play. It's going to take a bit for any rookie LB to play. I think we're going to like the finished product.

This is the problem with looking for instant gratification from draft picks. Yeah, he's being worked in slowly. So what? Anybody who read anything about him before or after the draft should have expected that. And it's not all about him: this is a franchise and coaching staff that always plays veterans over rookies. The few guys that do see the field that early are the exceptions that prove the rule.

I think it's encouraging that his snaps are increasing and like many of you I really look forward to the day when we never have to see Ben Neimann on the field again. But it's gonna take time.

I agree. You could see him flash the ability to cover ground in the blink of an eye and showcase his ability to anchor against linemen. He’s going to be fun to watch in the last few games and in the playoffs.

The kid is going to tell us a lot about our coaching from House and Reid’s kid.

Yep. And Spags puts special pressure on playing LB's too. It's a tough position to play, especially for this team.

Good grief people. He's a second round pick who didn't get that much time to play in college.

My hope for him is that he could take over a starting LB spot this year, but let's give him some time to develop.

Most of us have been saying this for months. ;)

It’s actually very encouraging that they are giving him as many opportunities as they are. They gotta see that ability in practice a lot. Him making plays on natural ability.

It’s very exciting to think about this defense when he gets up to speed and Spags weaponizes him.

Already worlds better than Neimann

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/ByNateTaylor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ByNateTaylor</a>, what month did you keep telling us to wait for? <a href="https://t.co/C9UwmZ2tF9">pic.twitter.com/C9UwmZ2tF9</a></p>&mdash; Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/1313654161171505159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He’s going to be a beast by the end of the season.

I wasn't one of the people saying Gay was going to need time. I'm very thankful for the smart posters who knew this and repeated it, because it allowed me to not worry when he wasn't starting.

Great call, guys.

The 2nd video is the really important one.

In the first video, it appears they are in nickel and he's playing the Buck, which is what we heard all offseason.

In the second video, he's on the WEAK SIDE. Notice that #54 is on the field at the same time.

He's taking snaps directly from Niemann, which is huge.

His athleticism allowed him to take some bad steps and still get around the block to make the play.

Are we starting the Gay4Gay campaign yet?

I don't remember seeing him this involved watching live. Great videos.

I'd have to go back and see if he was on the field for Harris' 41-yard run but more importantly than the flash plays is that he was on the field for so many snaps and there weren't any huge breakdowns.

EDIT: He was on the field but the run was actually to the strong side, so it was Wilson that got sealed out on the play side. Gay was on the back side of the play (and double-teamed).

Have you asked the student council sponsor at your middle school?

Meant to give this a thumbs up. My bad

Athleticism will eventually show itself once technique is worked out.

But one thing you really cannot teach is aggression at the point of attack. Darron Lee demonstrated it in camp and as soon as the lights came on went back to shirking responsibility and avoiding blockers.

Meanwhile Gay:

https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch...08_480x258.gif

https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch...44_480x266.gif

Dude is more than willing to power downhill and attack at the point of contact to keep plays from developing while his teammates take out the trash around him.

That will be ENORMOUS as this defense continues to develop an identity and focus on a team concept. If he can be trusted in run situations to simply ensure that he's occupying a man or two and making things more difficult for the runner, he'll be an asset regardless of the box score.

And in time his coverage technique will round into form and we'll see that athleticism flash.

I don't think he took bad steps there at all.

Neither the OL or the RB had committed and just as an OL can change an angle to set up a block, a LBer can/will often do the same to set up his attack angle. I think he was reading the OL and waiting for the G to commit. The moment he did, Gay was able to bounce around him.

If he comes straight downhill or even simply holds his spot, the G can drive the action to him and now the RB can play off the guard's shoulder with the G having the angle advantage.

I mean maybe he got lucky - but that's also very much what he could've been taught to do or simply did on instinct.

I don't think there's a way to state it categorically either way.

Every time he's on the field he absolutely looks like the athletic freak he's touted as. He's easy to spot when he's on the field. He's the big, rocked up, fast dude playing LB.

Guy looks awfully unpleasant to play against.

If you can't get an angle on him, he's gonna blast you. And for the most part he appears to be playing with good leverage.

He's not a guy you're gonna throw around out there unless you out-technician him. If you're not completely focused, you're gonna feel that rep.

On the 41-yard run I referenced earlier, the Patriots sealed the backside by double-teaming him.

These 2 plays are a great example of why he should be playing over Ben. Ben doesn't attack blockers at all, and lets himself get blocked.

As Gay continues to develop and get more snaps, Ben will go back to being able to simply focus on special teams, which is the only role he should be playing on this team. That said, Reid/Spags are doing the right thing here by letting Gay slowly take on more each and every week. We're in a position of luxury where the pieces around Niemann generally make up for his shortcomings. By November, the D is going to be a major force to deal with and our opponents are going to be flat out ****ed, for lack of a better word.

Those 2 plays are the top 2 plays made by a LB for the Chiefs on a run this year. All I've seen the starters do is either stand back and not attack or if they do attack they don't actively engage the blocker and take themselves out of the play/make a tackle 7 yards down the field cuz they tried to run around the blocker.

Those 2 plays are the perfect example of how a LB should play and Gay Jr is the only one of our LBs that could make those plays.

Ah, not for nothing, but 53 Hitchens made the tackle in the first clip. And for once he didn't dilly-dally in the hole; he actually attacked it and made the stop behind the line.

Or are you talking about taking on the FB and taking the outside gap away from the RB? He does do a nice job there. Hits the FB hard enough to nearly stop him in his tracks.

Nah.

Hitchens routinely plays the run like that. Wilson does more than he doesn't. Niemann is the only guy who truly will not make that play.

Hitchens problem is that he struggles in space and can get caught really flat-footed on misdirections.

But those were pretty straightforward 'see gap, fill gap' plays and Hitchens has never been a problem in that regard.

Hitchens last two games have been two of his best as a Chief.

Man, watching this play again, Gay MADE that stuff.

https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch...08_480x258.gif

If the G manages that reach block and brings Gay inside, the FB gets through clean w/ a dead line at Sorensen. The HB follows him and if the FB seals off Sorensen, that play may have broken for 6 because the slot receiver had gotten inside position on Mathieu.

Just a really really good play by Gay to completely blow that play up. Not only did he keep the G from creating a lane at all, he even occupied the FB in the process. He forced that run back to the A gap where Hitchens (and I think Wilson) were there to snuff it out.

That's really good run D in a lot of ways but if Gay doesn't do his job really well there, it's a potential big play. Also a really nice call dialed up from Spags to put Gay in that run blitz and completely destroy the G's ability to get the reach made. If that's not a run blitz there, the G may have gotten position on him and been able to ride him inside.

Hitchens has shitty instincts and over commits thus ****ing the defense over

It makes sense now why Hitchens has been playing pretty well last two games. He doesn’t have to do two jobs aka his and Semen Niemanns

I've been wondering just over the last couple games if this is true. Hitchens seems to be less hesitant in the last couple games. Maybe last season and the first couple games this season he was hedging in case he had to help Niemann?

If Hitchens gets touched by an OL like Gay did in Keysers video then there is no chance he makes that play. Hitchens gets eaten alive by blocks

I considered that and it could be the case. In fact, I initially wrote that I thought he was setting up the lineman. It just didn't seem likely of a rookie with so little playing time, so I assumed it was more likely a couple bad steps. Either way, though, he made the play.

He's also slow AF.

It turned into a double team on Gay, which should be a win for the D.

Yep.

Right. He's too slow to ever be an impact LB like say Derrick Johnson but he can be a solid player as long as he stays disciplined w his assignments. He is a pretty good tackler as well.

He's getting better and better each game. I'm gay for Gay!!

The entire LB group is playing well lately. Gay is getting better every game, especially pass defense.

This guy flashed several times today. He’s starting to play fast.

He did. Actually, all of the linebackers looked fast and active despite giving up a lot of yards on the ground.

Gay was impressive in finding and disrupting some of Lock's passing lanes. Made some solid tackles too.

From what I saw Wilson and Gay were making plays. Saw Hitch do some good things too. Encouraging

Gay was laying the wood.



*giggity*

Hitchens is having his best year as a Chief IMO

Defense was swagging out

The Broncos took the opening kickoff and Spags called a 4-3 D. Gay made a play on that first drive

Gay flashing out there today!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0C3fIq4K0yo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks.

The LB's looked aggressive against Denver. I thought they really turned the corner against Buffalo.

Sneed looks like a total stud so far.

Quick/fast enough to run with Keenan Allen, smart enough to come off his zone and make a backside int, physical enough to handle run defense.

I don't know what happened to Ward. It would be nice if Ward, Sneed and Fenton turned into quality starters for us.

LMAO

Nothing happened with Ward. He broke his hand and this season they have him at LCB instead of RCB, which has him facing #1's more often than usual.

The Chiefs have slotted a 1-hand Ward in as their CB#1 and ya'll over here "what happened to Ward bhagbhagabhaga"

Dude, i don't know why you decided to be such a dick.

Just put me on ignore, you won't see my posts and i don't have to listen to be such a dick for no reason at all.

That post wasn't me being a dick, but rather mocking all the "What happened to Ward" people who....i have no idea wtf they're talking about.

The Chiefs boast a top 5 pass Defense in the NFL with 1-hand Ward being elevated to CB1 this year.

Now, me laughing at your 'Sneed is fast enough to keep up with Keenan Allen' comment, THAT was me being a dick because Keenan Allen has never, ever been a speed guy.

Yes, Sneed is blazing fast and next year will likely be a trio of Sneed/Ward/Fenton. But referencing Keenan Allen as an example of speed?

C'mon that's funny.

Jake from Bitch Farm returns.

Betting we see a lot of Willie in this one.

Someone needs to change their tampon

I really don't understand why after having a very promising game against Denver the coaches decide to hardly play Gay at all against NY.

They were playing coverage a lot of the game. None of the LB's had very high snap counts. It wasn't just Gay.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In just 16 snaps played, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> LB Willie Gay Jr. impressed once again<br><br>• 78.6 Overall<br>• 81.3 Run Defense<br>• 77.7 Tackling<br><br>• Season grade: 69.5 Overall grade (14th among 96 LB &amp; 3rd among 11 AFC West LB with 100+ snaps played)<br><br>📸: Denny Medley, USA Today<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChiefsKingdom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChiefsKingdom</a> <a href="https://t.co/77gGzFObRO">pic.twitter.com/77gGzFObRO</a></p>&mdash; PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_Chiefs/status/1325930243476123653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Can’t wait to see this guy get better and better

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Remember the 43-yard run from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> RB Devontae Booker in Week 5? Yeah, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> LB Willie Gay Jr. saved another long Booker run from happening in Week 11. He&#39;s so stinkin&#39; quick to the ball. Only a five-yard gain, could have been much more. <a href="https://t.co/av0Q01eK1o">pic.twitter.com/av0Q01eK1o</a></p>&mdash; Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/goldmctNFL/status/1331283417087045636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Could be the stud I have been asking for for years.

Wow. It took him a while to recognize the play, but once he figured it out he cleaned it up in a hurry.

Guy needs more reps.

Damn. Freaking missle.

It's his pass defense.

He wasn't very good in coverage on Sunday night. My guess is that's why they're not putting him on the field more.

He’s certainly not ready to make calls.

we've been not mixing in much man coverage lately. Almost exclusively zone it seems to me. Am I mistaken? Anyway, yeah, he seems to struggle a little with zone coverage in space.

I'm thinking that mixing in some man underneath might make coverage easier for a guy like Gay and help get our best athletes on the field more.

I know I said it before, but man underneath and quarters over depending on personnel might be a good thing.

I mean like...if the back's his guy or the TE, hes faster and more physical than Sorensen.

He’s going to be soo good when they get him up to speed, mentally.

His star power is easy to see when he’s out there.

Once the coaches trust him to play 3 downs, he’s going to be a game changer.

He was very good on sunday..made loads of key tackles and his speed is incredible to watch.

But what about ben kneeman?

When I look at this play i see him taking the first step in zone by spying the QB before rocketing to the other side of the formation to make tackle.

So Gay only had 1 snap vs TB. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than myself will explain how that's because we were expecting to face the pass and they don't trust him yet, but it's still a little disappointing that we're roughly 2/3 of the way through the season and we're just not seeing the development we had hoped for from him. Not totally unexpected with the lack of a complete offseason, but disappointing nonetheless.

On a positive note Thornhill had 41 snaps, so usage was back up again for him which is good to see.

Honestly, I'd say there was something else going on maybe.

Because we've faced similar opponents and he's gotten more than 1 snap.

On a completely different note - Armani Watts played 2 snaps and gave up a TD on one of them. :facepalm: