The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 on the season, a record that looks great on paper, but for anyone who’s actually watched them play, their defense has been downright stressful in the last two matchups. After a dominant Week 1 performance against the Denver Broncos, things got way too close for comfort. The Indianapolis Colts dragged the unit to overtime in Week 2 and nearly snatched a win, advancing all the way to the Kansas City 17-yard line in the extra period. Then in Week 3, the lowly Miami Dolphins, who really shouldn’t have been much of a threat, somehow posted their highest yardage total of the season against this very same Chiefs defense, even if it was their lowest-scoring game.
The Eye Test Doesn’t Lie, Even at 3-0
So, while Next Gen Stats might tell you the Chiefs are actually fourth in expected points added (EPA) per defensive play at a cool -0.16, that unit is absolutely failing the eye test for a ton of observers, and yes, even their own leader. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo laid it all out before Thursday’s practice, admitting everyone’s totally aware of the recent issues. He remarked that by the time Tuesday rolls around, the guys are “chewed out.” Guess what? Spagnuolo’s not exempt. He adds, “I’ve already chewed myself out for a whole day.” But he likes the constructive criticism, and the good news is, this group is super accountable. “Even if I’m standing in there and pointing something out, I see a lot of heads shaking, ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ so that part I don’t even worry about,” he said. So the locker room vibe sounds right, but the on-field results in the last two weeks? Not so much.
Where Did the Pass Rush Go?
Spagnuolo’s also got major frustrations with opponents escaping on third downs when the defense should have the upper hand. He acknowledged that their “third down percentage, and it looks crappy.” He tries to dissect it, giving credit where it’s due, like one third-and-10 against Miami that had a “really good design route concept” that beat their coverage. He argues that if you just take three plays out, it’s a completely different ballgame. What he *is* happy about is how the squad has come through with key fourth-down stops, getting three crucial ones. But he’s not about banking on those, because “those are pretty difficult.” He wants better on third down, plain and simple, and they’re going to dissect it to find solutions. The pass rush has been a big part of the problem, honestly, going a full two weeks without a sack. That’s just giving opposing teams too much time to dig themselves out of difficult situations. They’ve knocked down some key passes, sure, but they’re just not getting to the quarterback fast enough. Spagnuolo wants to see it better on first and second down, because that’s where some of those plays get long. He knows they’ve got to step up on the “back end with those explosive passes,” but when a down gets extended, guys just tend to get open. So first and second down are a big focus.
The Chiefs might be 3-0, but this defense is clearly far from where it needs to be. Spagnuolo and his crew are grinding to fix those third-down issues and, more importantly, figure out why the pass rush has seemingly vanished. We’ll see if they can tighten things up and make that 3-0 record feel a whole lot less stressful in the coming weeks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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