The DL is more self-suffient.

[Direckshun]

Some factoids about our passrush:

The Chiefs ended the year 2nd in the league in sacks, with 55 total.

Jones had 15.5 -- ridiculous.
The next four top sack-rackers were our DEs, which I guess is good. Karlaftis 6, Clark 5, Danna 5, Dunlap 4.

Saunders/Wharton/Williams combined for 5 sacks on the season.

The blitzers put up 14.5 all year.

7 from the LBs.
7.5 from the DBs.

I noticed around the bye week that blitzers accounted for roughly a third of our sacks. I haven't looked up pressures, but I'm going to assume the numbers are similar there.

End of the season, they accounted for 26% of our sacks.

The number dropped exactly for the reason you think:

Week 12 vs. Rams: 3 total sacks, 1 from blitz
Week 13 vs Bengals: 1 total sack, 0 from blitz
Week 14 vs. Broncos: 6 total sacks, 1.5 from blitz
Week 15 vs. Texans: 1 total sack, 0 from blitz
Week 16 vs. Seahawks: 2 total sacks, 0 from blitz
Week 17 vs. Broncos: 4 total sacks, 1 from blitz
Week 18 vs. Raiders: 6 total sacks, 1 from blitz

The last seven games of the season, blitzes accounted for 4.5 out of 23 sacks, or 19%.

I don't know if Spags is blitzing less, or if the blitzes are getting less effective.

I think the biggest factor is that the DL is rushing somewhat more effectively, led by Jones and Karlaftis.
--> In that same 7 week timespan, Jones has put up 6.5 sacks, and Karlaftis has put up 5.5 sacks.

Considering how important it's going to be to beat Burrow (and maybe Allen?) without blitzing, that's a very big development for the defense.

[Gary Cooper]

Can they sack/hurry the good QBs who aren't statues and have multiple weapons?

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Gary Cooper

Can they sack/hurry the good QBs who aren't statues and have multiple weapons?

Name 15 defenses that are better at it.

It's not easy to contain/sack mobile QBs, even if they aren't that good, but now you want to do it all the time against good ones? With multiple top-tier weapons? What year do you think this is?

They're better than average, statistically speaking. Considering the players we have on the table, that's pretty good. You want the 85 Bears, you're simply out of luck. We don't have HOFers/perennial All-Pros all over the defense.

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Name 15 defenses that are better at it.

It's not easy to contain/sack mobile QBs, even if they aren't that good, but now you want to do it all the time against good ones? With multiple top-tier weapons? What year do you think this is?

They're better than average, statistically speaking. Considering the players we have on the table, that's pretty good. You want the 85 Bears, you're simply out of luck. We don't have HOFers/perennial All-Pros all over the defense.

No, you're not getting pressure on every play. No defense is that good. But getting pressure/sacks in key moments is huge. We've seen what pressure can do to elite offenses in the Super Bowl (Giants/Patriots in 2007; Broncos/Seahawks in 2013; Chiefs/Buccaneers in 2020).

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Gary Cooper

No, you're not getting pressure on every play. No defense is that good. But getting pressure/sacks in key moments is huge. We've seen what pressure can do to elite offenses in the Super Bowl (Giants/Patriots in 2007; Broncos/Seahawks in 2013; Chiefs/Buccaneers in 2020).

in key moments is the critical phrase. And sometimes they don't, that's true. They have gotten better at it in recent weeks, but they've also been playing some bad OLs, so it might be a false read.

It obviously remains to be seen. My opinion, which can't get you a cup of coffee anywhere, is that Spags will have to dial up some blitzes in key moments and roll the dice with the LBs/Ss covering better than they have most of the season. It's just the reality of the situation. Reid and Thornhill played their best games last Saturday, so there's some hope they won't get gashed repeatedly when he does send an extra blitzer. But even then, sometimes the OL blocks everybody. It happens.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Yeah, but even in that game he allowed Jaylen/Josh (can't seem to keep those guys straight in my mind) to shadow Williams a few times in that game.



The significant side benefit is that it has moved Trent to the slot, which has paid some nice dividends in the secondary, allowing him to be a kind of HB lite there. That should cover some of the issues we've been having with Reid/Thornhill, allows Reid to play closer to the LoS, and still allows Thorny to protect the deep zones on whatever guy Sneed isn't on.

Looked like Thornhill had a great game Saturday too.

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

in key moments is the critical phrase. And sometimes they don't, that's true. They have gotten better at it in recent weeks, but they've also been playing some bad OLs, so it might be a false read.

It obviously remains to be seen. My opinion, which can't get you a cup of coffee anywhere, is that Spags will have to dial up some blitzes in key moments and roll the dice with the LBs/Ss covering better than they have most of the season. It's just the reality of the situation. Reid and Thornhill played their best games last Saturday, so there's some hope they won't get gashed repeatedly when he does send an extra blitzer. But even then, sometimes the OL blocks everybody. It happens.

I would rush four and dare Burrow/Allen to move down the field slowly. That may be death by 1,000 papercuts, but it worked against the Chiefs last season. The key is stopping the run of course. If you can't stop the run, you're cooked against these offenses. Also, no coach is as unlikely to commit to a run game as Reid. I think McDermott and Taylor would be less stubborn and more willing to run.

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Wat about 2018

Points Allowed:
2012 425 26.5 PPG (2-11)
2013 305 19.0 PPG (11-5)
2014 281 17.5 PPG (9-7)
2015 287 17.9 PPG (11-5)
2016 311 19.4 PPG (12-4)
2017 339 21.18 PPG (10-6)
2018 421 26.3 PPG (12-4)
2019 308 19.2 PPG (12-4)
2020 362 22.6 PPG (14-2)
2021 364 21.4 PPG (12-5)
2022 369 21.7 PPG (14-3)

QB Pressures :
2018 197 12.3 PrPG
2019 145 9.0 PrPG
2020 156 9.7 PrPG
2021 183 10.76 PrPG
2022 171 10.05 PrPG

Sacks :
2018 52 3.2 SPG
2019 45 2.8 SPG
2020 32 2.0 SPG
2021 31 1.8 SPG
2022 55 3.2 SPG

Interceptions :
2018 15
2019 16
2020 16
2021 15
2022 11

Total Yards Allowed
2018 6,810 425.6 YPG
2019 5,593 349.5 YPG
2020 6,117 382.3 YPG
2021 6,619 389.3 YPG
2022 6,201 364.76 YPG

YAC:
2018 2067 129.1 YACPG
2019 1865 116.5 YACPG
2020 2087 130.4 YACPG
2021 2446 143.8 YACPG
2022 2037 119.8 YACPG

Missed Tackles :
2018 116
2019 101
2020 119
2021 93
2022 77

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Agreed. Just get his ass on the ground. That’s it.

It was completely unacceptable to only manage 1 sack against that OL with that type of lead. The defense was alright overall, but that was an inexcusable performance from the pass rush.

Great time for Jones to have a dominant performance and leave no doubt that he’s one of the true stars of the league. He should be motivated for it.

That game pissed me off more than any other in a long time. These guys are about to hang 3 in a row on you in a Calender year and you STILL aren't motivated enough to lay Joe Burrow on his ass? How does that happen?

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by crispystl

Looked like Thornhill had a great game Saturday too.

I thought he did. He looked really comfortable playing deep, imo. And he made a play or two in the box, iirc.

Yeah, 7 tackles, 4 solo, a run stuff, a PD, and the INT.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Gary Cooper

I would rush four and dare Burrow/Allen to move down the field slowly. That may be death by 1,000 papercuts, but it worked against the Chiefs last season. The key is stopping the run of course. If you can't stop the run, you're cooked against these offenses. Also, no coach is as unlikely to commit to a run game as Reid. I think McDermott and Taylor would be less stubborn and more willing to run.

Well, Spags is a blitzer. It's genetically hard-wired into him; he's going to blitz at some point. Honestly, I've been impressed at how little he's blitzed this season. I thought at first it was like working out lines in hockey. Insert player X here and see what he does. Try player B over here for a couple games. Play around with the combinations until you start seeing something you can work with.

I swear he does that with the secondary.

Anyway, i think he's figured out somethings about what works and doesn't work on the DL, or rather Cullen has. So I think there's a better than even chance the DL will be able to be significantly more effective against the CIN OL if they meet in the playoffs.

I wouldn't necessarily bet my house on it, but I think it'll happen.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Just get to Burrow.

The rest is masturbating.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why this team cannot touch Joe Burrow. The rest of the league beats him like a rented mule when they send 3 and yet we can't even get his damn jersey dirty when we send 6.

I don't get it and at this point I don't even care what the cause is. Fix it. Go hit that MFer. The rest will sort itself out.

Their rebuilt offensive line got better after a really bad start, since Oct. 31 st they haven't given up more than 2 sacks a game. However, losing their LG and LT will make it harder in the post season.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by DRM08

KC was fortunate the Bengals pissed away 11 points deep in KC territory. Burrow threw a perfect pass that a wide open receiver dropped in the end zone, which cost them 4 points. And of course the great play by Carlos Dunlap on 4th & 1 near KC’s goal line. Zach Taylor and Cincy staff probably should have kept the ball in Burrow’s hands instead of attempting the silly/cute reverse play. Either QB sneak it with Burrow or let him throw it.

Regardless, the Bengals punted 1 time the entire game and moved the ball at will. KC’s offense was the only solid defense against Cincy’s offense. Chiefs offense ran a lot of clock and kept Burrow/Chase on sidelines. Obviously the Bengals did the same thing to keep Mahomes on the sideline as much as possible. Both teams were using ball control approach, which helped keep the score below 30 for each team.

That was the worse OPI/Pick by Chase that wasn't called, they even talked about it on the broadcast. I call that Karma.

[Couch-Potato]

Some things that come to mind...

-Holy shit! 2nd in sacks in a year the entire fanbase believes we have a poor pass rush
-Keep Jones.
-Karlaftis will continue to improve, this was his floor for the next 5 years+
-Not sure if DL is as high a draft need as prev thought, but imagine adding another star!

[DRM08]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

That was the worse OPI/Pick by Chase that wasn't called, they even talked about it on the broadcast. I call that Karma.

Agree with you it was a dirty OPI/Pick play and pretty good Karma when the guy dropped it.

[Nickhead]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

God damn, no. No he didnt. I swear the people that say this haven't actually went back and actually watched Rank in that playoff run. He didn't wreck shit.

he didn't wreck the opponents, but he did close out all three games if i recall correctly?