The #Chiefs are hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator, sources say. The former #Giants DC and interim HC/#Rams HC began his NFL coaching career as an #Eagles assistant under Andy Reid. Now rejoins Big Red in KC.
My biggest takeaway from last night's postgame locker room availability was that the #Chiefs defensive guys didn't see this as a "statement" performance, but just a "checkpoint" on their way to being who they thought they'd be the entire time. They know there's more work to do.
Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!:
First off NFL network showed that they were running tons of stunts and we blitzed Flacco almost half the time. Players were playing their assignments and by trying to make the play themself. Lee was benched and Sorenson and Niemann got his snaps.
Second off Hitchens said after the game that they didn’t do anything different. They just had a better mentality. He said that week that the defensive leaders aka Honey Badger gathered the defensive players and said we are too good to play like we have been. We need to change. He uplifted the team and said this starts tonight!
Thanks, so it sounds like we blitzed a ton more which is what alot of us have been wanting us to do. Hopefully we continue to do that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dirk digler:
Thanks, so it sounds like we blitzed a ton more which is what alot of us have been wanting us to do. Hopefully we continue to do that.
I have watched the all-22 for each game, except last night's obviously, and to me we clearly blitzed more, and ran way more stunts and games with the linebackers and defensive line. I know Hitchens said the calls didn't change, but I think he was clearly protecting his coach.
Originally Posted by ChiefsFanatic:
I have watched the all-22 for each game, except last night's obviously, and to me we clearly blitzed more, and ran way more stunts and games with the linebackers and defensive line. I know Hitchens said the calls didn't change, but I think he was clearly protecting his coach.
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the eye test says we were blitzing. play good coverage and make the QB beat you or make him make mistakes. [Reply]
Not going to say much here; already said my piece about Spags a couple times in the last couple weeks.
Anyone remember when there was a question if the Chiefs run D would be better or worse without Jones? Last night's performance poses that question again. I'm still on the fence about it, but we'll see going forward. Personally, I hope Jones comes back and finds a way to fit his style into this defense. I think we'd be golden up front at that point.
McClain, Nnadi (especially Nnadi), and Saunders appeared to play just about as well as they could play fundamentally speaking.
Hitchens played like his highlight reels; fast, aggressive, sure tackling. Was a great performance.
Mo Claiborne is a tough, physical CB that can and will play the run. Liked that a lot.
Frank Clark had himself a day. Though he kind of dropped off in the second half. I still think he has some nagging lower body issue. Also, late in the second half, I noticed that he was holding his arm at a funny angle between plays a couple times. But in the first half he looked pretty darned good.
This is the defense that Spags was fielding back in 2007-2008, and when he was re-hired by the Giants in 2015-2016. Fast, chaotic, blitzes from every direction, with tight coverage in the secondary.
Can they keep it up? We'll see.
But I was heartened to see that they stuffed a rush offense that burned the Packers run defense to the tune of 150+ yards just a week or two ago. [Reply]
Idk how I feel about Jones coming back tbh. I feel like sometimes he doesn’t go to his assignment and he does whatever he wants. This is why we were getting gashed. If Jones sticks to his assignment and buys in to what Spags wants we will be top 10 overall defense. But Jones has to understand that [Reply]
Originally Posted by FAX:
I have another question ...
Who was wearing #59 last night? That sure as hell wasn't the Reggie Ragland I know.
FAX
He graded out as the Chiefs best defender. Had a 90 plus rating making him elite. Dude was all over the place and only played like 25% of the snaps on defense. Basically whenever he was out there he was making plays. He’s always been good vs the run but sucked ass against the pass. Lee should not see the field for the rest of the year [Reply]
Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!:
Idk how I feel about Jones coming back tbh. I feel like sometimes he doesn’t go to his assignment and he does whatever he wants. This is why we were getting gashed. If Jones sticks to his assignment and buys in to what Spags wants we will be top 10 overall defense. But Jones has to understand that
I get that. But I don't think the interior play was all Jones' fault either. Nnadi and Xavier Williams both sometimes did things that just didn't seem smart either. It was the combination of the three doing the wrong things together that allowed RBs to just run through holes you could drive my truck through, IMO.
And I just don't think Jones is that selfish, to be honest. I think it was/is a combined effect from being young (3rd year) and inexperienced, learning a new system, not being patient, and wanting to make a play the only way he knew how.
Now he can see what the system can do if done right. He knows that his teammates on the line can make plays if they do their jobs. This might allow him to think less about making individual plays and fit into the system better.
We'll see, of course. But I'm hoping he does, because we could really use his production moving forward. [Reply]