Chiefs Run Defense: Better than you thought

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Below is a nice statistical article that really defines the Chiefs run defense and why it seems that even when it is playing poorly, the world doesn't fall apart. Pretty great stuff, and it somewhat kills the narrative that the Chiefs are a 'bad' run defense.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/1...e-inconsistent

Essentially, the summary of the OP's study is that even though the Chiefs don't get a lot of stuffs, they also are among the best in the league at preventing long running plays. They bend with the 5 yard runs, but do not break with 10+ yarders hardly ever. Good read and if you get the chance, take a look.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Below is a nice statistical article that really defines the Chiefs run defense and why it seems that even when it is playing poorly, the world doesn't fall apart. Pretty great stuff, and it somewhat kills the narrative that the Chiefs are a 'bad' run defense.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/1...e-inconsistent

Essentially, the summary of the OP's study is that even though the Chiefs don't get a lot of stuffs, they also are among the best in the league at preventing long running plays. They bend with the 5 yard runs, but do not break with 10+ yarders hardly ever. Good read and if you get the chance, take a look.

Not even trying to be an ass, but I think we both know what 2 consecutive 5 yard runs yields.

Statistics in this article show that the Chiefs defense is bad, but they don't give up long runs? That just proves the team has pretty solid back-end run support.

This team only gave up less than 100 yards on the ground 4 times and two of those were in the 90s at 97 and 99 yards.

In any event, the article should have also looked at yards given up per game versus team average and yards per carry versus average to help gauge how much more teams could run against KC. They held opponents at or under their average yards per game 5 times and at or under their average yards per attempt 6 times. Those 6 times were generally less than a half yard per carry (1.2, 0.6, 0.6, 0.3, 0.3, and 0.2), while in the other 10 games the Chiefs let opponents average nearly a yard per carry better than average 7 times (1.0, 1.0, 1.4, 0.4, 1.0, 2.2, 0.0, 0.5, 0.9, and 1.2).

What I see is a team that pretty consistently gives up alot of rushing yards and they tend to give up more than a team's average per game and a healthy average per carry. You see this in about 2/3 of the games this season.

To me there are no excuses for this team. We know this team has good safeties. We know this team has pretty solid corners in run support. The problems arise in the front seven, and we've seen some pretty poor ILB play this year against the run overall.

Here's images of the stats/graphs:

[Mr. Laz]

we've more or less lived and died by the turnover all season. That will continue in the offseason.


Is it sustainable?

[Dinny Bossa Nova]

It's tackle football, guys. Tackle football.

It's not roll on the ground at the ball carrier's feet football. It's not lean a shoulder into the ball carrier football. It's not put your arm around the ball carrier football.

It's tackle football.

Wrap 'em up. Get 'em on the ground.

Tackle football.

Dinny

[OldSchool]

We won't beat the Pats (unless Alex just goes off like he did vs the Colts) if the run D remains shoddy and if Sutton insists on continuing to play the CBs in off coverage like he did last season vs the Pats in the divisional round.

[dj56dt58]

We might not have a great run D, but Pitt and NE are pass happy which plays right into our hands.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Dinny Bossa Nova

It's tackle football, guys. Tackle football.

It's not roll on the ground at the ball carrier's feet football. It's not lean a shoulder into the ball carrier football. It's not put your arm around the ball carrier football.

It's tackle football.

Wrap 'em up. Get 'em on the ground.

Tackle football.

Dinny

That's a big part.

The willingness to hurt yourself to make the tackle. You need to be committed and fired up to really throw yourself into a full tackle. Most of our guys just aren't.

Berry,Sorenson,Hali,Roche,Jones are the only guys that come to mind that really do "hit"

DJ,Bailey and Houston do also but they've been hurt.

The rest seem to "avoid" the pain as much as possible

[Shawny2X4]

Thanks for trying, AP, but you need a little more lipstick to put on that pig.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by dj56dt58

We might not have a great run D, but Pitt and NE are pass happy which plays right into our hands.

You haven't seen the Pats lately if you think that. Or Pitt for that matter.

Blount is one of the biggest reasons why NE's offense has still been able to score without Gronk. He has 18 rushing TDs on the season and 1161 yards. He's their main Red zone threat.

What makes Pitt dangerous is that they can easily check into a run if you are running nickel and will kill you doing it. Bell missed 4 games and still ran for 1268 yards. The Steelers also have a better OL than we do, as do the Patriots.

Bell had 18 carries for 144 yards against us.

It's foolish to dismiss their running games just because they have dominant passers.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Aspengc8

Here's my rambling, and its similar to what Giant Meatball already stated about the combination of scheme & solid tackling. The Chiefs get some awesome gap penetration by the interior line, mostly cant finish the tackle. Sometimes forcing the RB to cut back or try to bounce outside, and the 'pile' ends up moving forward for 2-3 yards. pretty typical. what I get angry with is the inside linebackers, namely Ramik, meeting backs in the gap but tackling WAY TOO HIGH and getting driven (free ride) downfield for 5-6 yards. Swarming/gang tackling can help, or you can bring someone else down into the box. Problem with that, is you now show Big Ben 1 high safety, and just gave a pre-snap read of cover 1/3. Yes, you can still drop the box safety back, but there is no way he is rotating deep to help. I don't really mind this, as I'd rather have him try to throw deep, over Bell gashing us and owning time of possession. KC got murdered last time off of double moves and blown coverages. I don't think that will happen again. Those are low probability throws, as long as they dont get beat off a double move, or assisted via pass interference, they should be ok. With a healthy pass rush (JH, TH, DF), they can drop 7 back will give anyone a hard time throwing the rock.

I'm down with that. I feel pretty confident in Peters and Mitchell not getting beat deep on an island. As you say, as long as the pass rush can crash consistently they won't be able to open up their entire offense against us.

I'd place priority on stopping Bell.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I'm guessing this is sarcasm.

Bell is going to assrape us.

EVERY time CP says this about a player, it doesn't play out that way. Most over dramatic drama queens i have EVER seen.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

Our run D sucks monkey nuts...especially without DJ. I don't even need to see stats to back that up.

I envision Blunt running 35 times against the Chiefs in Foxboro.

"The Chiefs just can't find a way to stop the bleeding" the announcers will say.

We will all die slowly.


I hope I'm wrong.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I'm guessing this is sarcasm.http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/usercp.php

Bell is going to assrape us.

The Chiefs will be better at stopping Bell than Blunt.


Blunt runs straight ahead, and that kills the Chiefs.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by notorious

I envision Blunt running 35 times against the Chiefs in Foxboro.

"The Chiefs just can't find a way to stop the bleeding" the announcers will say.

We will all die slowly.


I hope I'm wrong.

Well, it was death by 4 yard passes the laat time.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by notorious

The Chiefs will be better at stopping Bell than Blunt.


Blunt runs straight ahead, and that kills the Chiefs.

Remember when the baters predicted Eggo to run for 3 hundo in the season opener a few years ago and had like 40

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by notorious

The Chiefs will be better at stopping Bell than Blunt.


Blunt runs straight ahead, and that kills the Chiefs.

I think Bell will kill us with draw type plays.

We commit to the run and Rapeburger goes deep
We pull back for the pass and Bell will pick us apart


Our best chance against Pittsburgh is Justin Houston and Dee Ford

If our pass rush is overwhelming then it will allow us to play the run as we go for the QB.

If Houston isn't healthy ... really healthy, then we are DOA against pittsburgh.

we have a better chance against the patriots because their power running and short passing is all up front. That game will depend on Poe and Jones getting a great push up the middle.

JMO