Evaluate the Defense Game #1

[petegz28]

I thought they looked improved from several aspects. Keep in mind this was Jax and not a high-powered offense.

Tackling = Much, MUCH better

Coverage = Tighter. Few plays without a defender right on the WR

Run Defense = Stellar start, let's not get cocky

Pass Defense = Not a ton of pressure today. Missed a huge sack which ended up leading to a TD. Coverage overall was decent. Made a backup look all-world but that happens when a backup comes in mid-game.

Overall it looked like we were more sound fundamentally. Run gaps were getting filled, screens were getting blown up and not a ton of YAC. Hopefully as the season progresses our defense will as well.

Overall grade today: C+

[duncan_idaho]

Haven’t watched all -22 but the comments - more assignment sound, better team d - March what I was thinking watching live. So that’s cool.

Thanks for sharing, gang.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

In.



I don't think Jones is coming back. That looks like a tag and trade waiting to happen. So his salary slot can go into Peterson and some lower pedigree reinforcements (and possibly retaining Breeland) long-term. Meanwhile in the short term you have the guy you need for the stretch run and playoffs AND Chris Jones. You've improved the near term without substantially altering the long term as I think Jones is a fait accompli at this point.



I'd give up a 2 for that. I'd sure as shit hate doing it given that it's now the 49ers 2 (seriously Frank Clark - be better), but I'm there. And we get a little cap relief to boot because of his suspension.



I was against Peterson because I felt like you needed to keep the books clean to retain Jones. But I'm feeling more and more like Jones is going to walk and if that's the case, go ahead and use some of that dry powder to up your shot this year and you're in the same position next year as you'd have otherwise been (only with a little more stability at CB).

So Jones becomes a tag and trade to recoup draft capital then, right?

[MightyMouse]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

In.

I don't think Jones is coming back. That looks like a tag and trade waiting to happen. So his salary slot can go into Peterson and some lower pedigree reinforcements (and possibly retaining Breeland) long-term. Meanwhile in the short term you have the guy you need for the stretch run and playoffs AND Chris Jones. You've improved the near term without substantially altering the long term as I think Jones is a fait accompli at this point.

I'd give up a 2 for that. I'd sure as shit hate doing it given that it's now the 49ers 2 (seriously Frank Clark - be better), but I'm there. And we get a little cap relief to boot because of his suspension.

I was against Peterson because I felt like you needed to keep the books clean to retain Jones. But I'm feeling more and more like Jones is going to walk and if that's the case, go ahead and use some of that dry powder to up your shot this year and you're in the same position next year as you'd have otherwise been (only with a little more stability at CB).

Agree I don’t see him back either. Amazing dude and locker room presence. Very talented but his impact in this scheme may not be enough for the cost to keep him. I think as he gets more comfortable he will be good, I’m not questioning his talent at all just don’t think it’s a wise investment in the long run.

On a bit of a side note. Spag can’t bring pressure much right now if he has to worry about Ward getting burnt or miscommunication. When things get cleaned up in the back, especially an addition of say a PP, then you can afford to attack more.
I think we will see more of the same against the raiders. Carr won’t hold the ball long. We won’t risk giving up the big play because Reid knows the offense can score, how many teams can keep marching the ball down the field one first down at a down and keep up with the chiefs O?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

So I was seeing what I thought I was seeing, then.

You were. The defensive plan up front didn’t look much different than the preseason to be honest. It was very vanilla all day.

[MightyMouse]

Originally Posted by O.city

If that's C2, isn't Breeland supposed to pass that guy off or is he supposed to keep dropping? **** if I remember.

The first one Thornhill just guessed wrong I think.

On the last one the inside guys guys are in man and the outside db’s are in zone in the flats. The slot receiver held the fuller from getting the boundary sooner. It ended up being the perfect play call and Menshew got it off just in time. Breeland should have done better and played it more like man before breaking off, he gave away his coverage from the snap by eyeing the qb and not even trying to act like he was gonna stay with wr.
Ward timed his blitz well but he just isn’t fast enough.

[MightyMouse]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

So I was seeing what I thought I was seeing, then.


As far as the Patriots go, the difficulty is finding ways to get to Brady in under 2 seconds, because he's going to try and dink and dunk you to death. Obviously Brown is better than anybody he's had to throw to since Moss, but the reality is that he gets production regardless of who his receivers are, so it's not like that offense struggled without Brown. Maybe he breaks some plays that other guys might not have, but it's basically going to be the same offense with a different name on a jersey, as far as I'm looking at it. I still think the Patriots signed him primarily to keep him away from anybody else. And no I don't mean us. They know as well as us that the AFC is a 2 horse race, and Brown going somewhere else potentially adds a 3rd team to the mix.

Yea it very much was even when they did blitz it was pretty basic. One problem we have on the delayed blitz that won’t improve is just a lack of speed. I think Wilson will be our best option. Fields would have been nice to keep as a a guy that can blitz from the slot. We can have success with stunts but you want to limit tape on those packages until you really need to use it. Patriots will pick it up before the snap and Brady will be ready. I think the fan base needs to understand Andy is worried about the opposition scoring 20 points. The garbage time TD means nothing.
It’s part of the game plan. Obviously you don’t want them to score but they are banking on most NFL teams not being able to score every drive, you should have to score 30+ to beat us so there is no point in being to aggressive when you don’t need to be. No reason to show it on tape for opponents and no reason to risk getting beat deep and giving the opponent a quick score and momentum, make them earn it. I’d love to have a top 5 defense but I get the strategy especially with a new system and players. There was a good amount confusion in assignments on pass D. From a D coordinator point of view, you gotta call the game based on the players as well, you got a rookie safety and athletically limited DB in ward.
And honestly Minshew may not be great but he was very accurate in this game and for the most part it was because he kept it short or hit open guys on blown coverages.
My biggest concern coming out of this game is Frank. I thought he had more pass rushing moves but I thought I’d see a guy who could physically have his way with weaker tackle and that didn’t happen. Not sure what was going on with him but it was only one game.

[Tribal Warfare]

Andy Reid expects Chiefs defense to continue to improve #KansasCityChiefs https://t.co/1Ggacr4sE3

— KC Chiefs Talk (@Chiefs_TT) September 11, 2019

[Mahomesmyman]

I'm still skeptical of this defense. They need some help in secondary.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

2nd watch and all 22 so now I’m ready to share my thoughts

Very vanilla. You should see more stunts and blitz in the future but the game plan seemed to be stop the run. Multiple reasons this makes since, many teams need to run so not to get in shoot out with chiefs and run clock. They are still seeing how all this is gonna work, lotta new guys and it will take time.

Pass rush- I really don’t know what to make of Clarke. His movements look weird, he looks uncoordinated at times and just not fluid or bullish. He was a monster a Seattle and honestly better against the run than a pass rusher but he was fierce and disruptive. He just didn’t have many wins on Sunday and it’s hard to figure out why. I just didn’t see the power that I saw from him last year.

I think the talent is there but consistent pass rush is gonna be a problem unless we blitz more. There just isn’t the speed on the outside and Jones doesn’t look comfortable yet.

Linebackers- seemed like a lot of 2 lb sets. Wilson was very solid. Hitchens looks better, bit slow reacting at times.

Cb’s- no surprises. Ward just doesn’t haven’t the speed and hips to be a consistent solid player. He does some things well and often good intentions but held back by his true ability.
Breeland is great, please stay healthy.

S- good game from Juan.
Honey badger is weak as I thought he was

Bottom line - pats will destroy us. Seriously. Veach has to get a stud corner or We are finished. This will not be a super bowl year for the chiefs, you can take it to the bank. I am really good at this as well for those that don’t believe me.

Thanks for reading, . Til next week.

Well shit! Maybe next year then.

[TwistedChief]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Well shit! Maybe next year then.

He’s called the Chiefs to fail to win the Super Bowl every season for the last generation. The guy is legitimately very good.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

He’s called the Chiefs to fail to win the Super Bowl every season for the last generation. The guy is legitimately very good.

Lol! Touche!

[htismaqe]

Watched the all 22 twice and somehow failed to notice how often Clark was chipped or flat out double teamed.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Andy Reid expects Chiefs defense to continue to improve #KansasCityChiefs https://t.co/1Ggacr4sE3

— KC Chiefs Talk (@Chiefs_TT) September 11, 2019

I'll be honest, that's exactly what I would expect him to say.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Watched the all 22 twice and somehow failed to notice how often Clark was chipped or flat out double teamed.

well, he did say it didn't make since.

[IUsedToBeATightEnd]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I have a concern.

Offensively we're just ahead of the game. We are setting the trends and teams are trying to catch us. Andy is the top of the game and it's a horserace to see who's in second.

BB is his defensive doppleganger. He's the defensive equivalent of Andy and he sets trends out there that nobody else can seem to duplicate (just as Andy does on O).

So when the Patriots do a thing that seems 180 degrees different than what we're doing on defense, that's worrisome. And right now the Patriots are largely eschewing the idea that pass-rush is king in the modern NFL and nobody can cover long enough to matter anyway with these rules. They're spending money on DBs and making their coverage work. That Steelers game wasn't a display of a fire-breathing pass-rush scaring off Big Ben - it was a secondary just blanketing guys.

Is he right? Should we have been building our defense around our defensive backfield rather than plowing all these assets into the DL? Should we have have stayed put at 1, taken Ya-Sin, even peddled Jones for another CB and just hurled assets at the secondary while trying to scheme pressure?

My gut says no. My gut says we got it right. But my gut's resume is a shitload less impressive than Bill Belichick's brain.

My concern don't mean shit, in the end. This team is unquestionably pot-committed to a plan built predominantly around it's DL and either it works or we lose. But you have to get a little skittish when you see probably the best defensive mind in history doing the opposite of what you're doing.

Very interesting take, but looking at what the Pats are doing compared to us can be misleading when taken out of context.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

So when the Patriots do a thing that seems 180 degrees different than what we're doing on defense, that's worrisome.

We are basically rebuilding the defense from scratch which the Pats ain't doing. Its a completely different scenario. The Pats run defense has already proven to be reliable, our was not.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And right now the Patriots are largely eschewing the idea that pass-rush is king in the modern NFL and nobody can cover long enough to matter anyway with these rules. They're spending money on DBs and making their coverage work.

They can invest on DB's because they don't need improve on the rest of the defense, again different scenario than the chiefs.
The Pats pass rush never was particularly aggressive, even against us last year. It was basically aimed at keeping Mahomes in the pocket, while putting pressure up the middle, more than sending the outside guys straight for his head.
Too early to say after one game but I see some similarities in this regard with our d-line.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

That Steelers game wasn't a display of a fire-breathing pass-rush scaring off Big Ben - it was a secondary just blanketing guys.

Blanketing Big Ben is not the same as blanketing Mahomes and Andy. This may work with some teams, could be total disaster with others.
If you think about it, this is basically what they did to us on the AFCCG, but it worked only to some extent.
Mahomes will always find a way to deliver when given enough time. I am pretty sure we will have more of a hard time against teams with dominant pass rushers than top ranked secondaries.

All that being said it is obvious we need to improve our secondary, but Rome was not built in one day, and I am confident we are on the right track to build a top ranked defense in one year or two.