The Kansas City Chiefs are sitting pretty at 2-0, but don’t let those two wins completely fool you. Especially after what defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo just laid out about his unit’s Week 2 performance. The team is heading into three straight AFC matchups, two against division rivals, and the defense’s up-and-down start is definitely a hot topic.
Week 2 Was a Reality Check After a Stellar Opener
Talk about a rollercoaster ride for the defense in the first two weeks! In Week 1 against Denver, the Chiefs were stifling. They allowed just 10 points, a measly 176 total yards, and only nine first downs. That’s legit, right? Then came Week 2’s overtime victory, and the numbers tell a wild story. The defense gave up a whopping 30 points, 329 total yards, and 24 first downs. Woof. Spagnuolo didn’t sugarcoat it during Thursday’s presser either. He said, “We’re probably not as good as we were in the first week. And hopefully not as bad as we were in the second. We didn’t reaffirm; we didn’t do a good job there.” That’s as direct as it gets. It’s clear the Week 2 showing was a big step back from the opener, and the coaching staff knows it.
The “Other Stuff” That Nearly Blew It
Even though they pulled off the win, Spags definitely saw the underlying issues. The defense did come up with a massive red-zone stop in overtime, right after a wild, long completion and a negated turnover, which preserved the victory. He was “really proud of the way they responded after the big play; that was huge,” praising linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill. But he also admitted, “it was hard not to think about all the other stuff; the reasons we were in overtime were because we kind of let the team down in certain areas.” That’s a blunt assessment from the coordinator himself.
The third-down struggles were a big part of that “other stuff.” In Week 1, they shut down Denver, allowing only two third-down conversions out of 12 attempts. But against the Colts, it was a different story. They allowed five third-down conversions on 12 attempts, and then to twist the knife, two failed third downs were immediately followed by successful fourth-down conversions. Spagnuolo even owned up to his own role, saying, “I did a terrible job at the end of the half. I told the guys that. I was fully disappointed in myself in what we”. He’s not shying away from accountability, which is what you want to see.
Through two weeks, the Chiefs defense ranks 11th in points allowed and third in total yards allowed, which is promising given some inexperience and injuries. But Week 2 was a huge “humbling experience,” as Spags put it. He told reporters, “I don’t think its lost on our guys in the defensive room that we didn’t play well.” When they got together on Tuesday, there was a clear feeling that “no, that’s not what we’re looking for.” With three crucial AFC games up next, this unit better figure out which defense they really are.
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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