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+

[R Clark]

Originally Posted by Mecca

They didn't play much base, Hitchens played 100% of the snaps, Wilson was at like 85 and Darron Lee played like 10 plays as the 3rd LB.

So how would you rate the lb play?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

I mean, he bull rushed him backwards 3 steps?

Looks like he wanted to go outside but saw the chip coming and just put his head down and bull rushed.

But the LT re-set and the pocket didn't do anything. Willie Roaf would give a bull-rusher a step, that's just smart OL play (no need to stand a guy straight up) and someone with a running start against a dude in a backpedal is always going to push back the other guy a bit.

But the OL re-anchored and held him with no real risk to the QB. Minshew dropped back on the hash and never had to even consider vacating it (not from his blind side anyway). That's a clear win by the OT.

And I know that Clark's more of a 'set up' rusher in that he'll use that bull rush to get guys to behave a certain way and set them up for a hump or a rip move later. But even still, Clark quit on that rep once he got stopped. The bull-rush is a part of every down lineman's arsenal but once it's stopped, it's time to try something else to keep advancing. Clark didn't - that's the 'counter move' thing you want to see from developing pass-rushers and Clark doesn't even attempt one there.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But the LT re-set and the pocket didn't do anything. Willie Roaf would give a bull-rusher a step, that's just smart OL play (no need to stand a guy straight up) and someone with a running start against a dude in a backpedal is always going to push back the other guy a bit.

But the OL re-anchored and held him with no real risk to the QB. Minshew dropped back on the hash and never had to even consider vacating it (not from his blind side anyway). That's a clear win by the OT.

And I know that Clark's more of a 'set up' rusher in that he'll use that bull rush to get guys to behave a certain way and set them up for a hump or a rip move later. But even still, Clark quit on that rep once he got stopped. The bull-rush is a part of every down lineman's arsenal but once it's stopped, it's time to try something else to keep advancing. Clark didn't - that's the 'counter move' thing you want to see from developing pass-rushers and Clark doesn't even attempt one there.

Minshew is looking left, looks like Frank figured he couldn't get there and was gonna try and bat it down which allowed the LT to re set and slow him down.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Part of that is getting the ball out quick. Part of it is Jax getting flagged for 5 holds. Part of it is playing base sets and not doing any of the exotic blitzing Spagnuolo is known for.

The Chiefs aren’t going to be as effective rushing 4 this year as they were last year. They personnel changes dictate that.

All fair points, but he still beat-up our secondary nonetheless.

So I guess next week Spag will unveil some exotic defensive looks? Sorry, the only exotic looks we've seen from a Chiefs D in recent years is a multi-millionaire player made-up to look like a hobo.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

He tried to jump or something it looked like, had he just kept pushing he pushes the LT into the QB.

I'm not exactly overly joyed by the deal, but I think you're being a bit overly harsh here DJ.

Then club the guy; he's got his hands set inside now, do a club with that right hand and clear them - use his momentum against him to free yourself inside.

This is a BAD OT he's going against - he doesn't need to toss Walter Jones out of the way here. He hits the guy and rocks him; feel that and make your next move. Instead he goes full Bailey and the guy just re-anchors.

It was completely ineffective.

[Titty Meat]

Regarding that play though can we give Daly some props? That's beautiful work by a former first round bust on that play.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Minshew is looking left, looks like Frank figured he couldn't get there and was gonna try and bat it down which allowed the LT to re set and slow him down.

I'd give that some thought but like I said - he didn't ever find the QB. He drops his head (almost never a good idea) and when he does that, Minshew is actually looking over the middle.

That isn't one of those Chris Jones specials where he gets stood up and puts his hands into the passing lane - Jones is a master at that precisely because he keeps his eyes up and finds his mark. Clark didn't do that here.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'd give that some thought but like I said - he didn't ever find the QB. He drops his head (almost never a good idea) and when he does that, Minshew is actually looking over the middle.

That isn't one of those Chris Jones specials where he gets stood up and puts his hands into the passing lane - Jones is a master at that precisely because he keeps his eyes up and finds his mark. Clark didn't do that here.

He's looking past he tackle at the QB when he sticks his hand up though.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Regarding that play though can we give Daly some props? That's beautiful work by a former first round bust on that play.

2nd round.

But your points stands - great set of moves by Ogbah there. Getting free was nice enough but then the little dip/rip to keep the OL from getting his hands on him as he's trying to get the corner was awfully nice.

Yeah, that was a hell of a play and if that's something Ogbah wasn't showing, it definitely deserves some praise for Daley.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

He's looking past he tackle at the QB when he sticks his hand up though.

At the QB who is STILL looking up the middle and is starting to turn his head to the right. What exactly does he intend to do with his right hand there? He expect Minshew to go all Cassel, pull a 270 and throw it into the end zone behind his head?

If he'd have kept his head up, he'd have known that there's no reason to be looking for a deflection there and that he might actually have a play to the inside.

Just looks like a half-plan executed poorly to me. By the end he's just getting ridden out of the play because he's compounding problems.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Here's a tweet of the sack:

Emmanuel Ogbah (@EmanOgbah) beats Jawaan Taylor with the cross chop/club/rip. Sacks the QB! #PassRush #Chiefs #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/2J7RaBJyfT

— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) September 8, 2019

I mean c'mon man...what exactly was that?

This one isn’t much better either..

#Jaguars WR Marqise Lee was not targeted Sunday, but he did a good job blocking here to set up QB Gardner Minshew's 69-yard pass to WR DJ Chark. Very valuable having Lee back even in a limited role. pic.twitter.com/7NBOPJBhcg

— Phillip Heilman (@phillip_heilman) September 9, 2019

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RunKC

This one isn’t much better either..

#Jaguars WR Marqise Lee was not targeted Sunday, but he did a good job blocking here to set up QB Gardner Minshew's 69-yard pass to WR DJ Chark. Very valuable having Lee back even in a limited role. pic.twitter.com/7NBOPJBhcg

— Phillip Heilman (@phillip_heilman) September 9, 2019

Boy, that play will take more time to unpack than I'm gonna give it; mostly because I kinda think I know what I'm seeing there but I'm not positive.

Is that an RPO? Or just a really cleverly designed PA pass? Because the entire OL down-blocks so you can see Fuller and Hitchens both kinda take themselves out of the play. Fuller gets stuck in the wash and Hitchens is just too slow to react to the play-fake and get upfield to disrupt the rhythm.

Clark seems to first be going 'with' the run, squeezing to his left and treating it like a run play to close up the gap and potentially maintain a new edge. If that's a run play and he tries to freelance it (jump outside and get after the passer, for instance), he could create a massive cutback lane so credit to him for really engaging his guy first. Then he diagnosis the play action and by then it's too late.

I won't put that play on Clark. That's mostly on Ward for getting beat by a single move and then just being outrun to the spot. Clark did what he needed to do given that the OL was showing run. Be it an RPO or good play-action design, the down-blocking from the OL fooled most everyone there. Ward needed to do his job there and Minshew probably checks down to the guy squeezing out to his left there for maybe 6-8 yards.

In either event, that was a well designed play and I think there were yards there whatever the case ended up being. You just sure would like to see that not be 60+ in that spot.

EDIT: Yeah, I dunno - I really think that's an RPO given that Lee came across the formation and his first step was to block. I'll remain open to being educated there. Fournette seemed to give up on the mesh pretty quickly for an RPO but it's possible he was just making the same read as Minshew and knew what was going to happen so he was trying to get out in the pattern. Dunno really but I don't think Clark did anything wrong there.

[O.city]

Yeah, that's where Ward has to just make a play and do something other than that. Make him check it down.


I'm atleast encouraged because it seemed, to me atleast, that it was a lot of breakdowns caused by communications and such. That can be fixed (in theory).

[O.city]

Defense is so reactive and looking around at the best defenses, they've been together for quite a while. Cohesion matters.

So, i'm thinking when Spags was saying it'll take time, he's probably right.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Yeah, that's where Ward has to just make a play and do something other than that. Make him check it down.


I'm atleast encouraged because it seemed, to me atleast, that it was a lot of breakdowns caused by communications and such. That can be fixed (in theory).

Go read my posts from September of 2018.

I spent the first 6-8 weeks of last season saying "don't worry guys, these are communication problems and not talent problems, they'll work themselves out..."

I won't whistle past that graveyard ever again. Call me irrational or premature, but I banked on that shit just working itself out last year and it just never did.