2018 K.C. Chiefs: The Sack is Back!

In an offseason of massive defensive changes, fans have wondered if all that massaging of the roster could transform a bad defense into anything resembling something watchable. One of those concerns that fans of the Kansas City Chiefs have had is their pass rush, or lack thereof. Now that the smoke has cleared and the team has had a rookie mini-camp and two weeks of Organized Team Activities it looks like the pass rush will be much better this year or, in other words, THE SACK IS BACK.

Beyond all the “re-tooling” the Chiefs have done this offseason — and don’t call it “rebuilding” — it should be noted that every single player under contract is in attendance at the Chiefs OTAs this spring. Now, you might be wondering why I’d mention that and it’s because in years past a few players would always seem to stay away or workout on their own. Guys like Eric Berry and Justin Houston, to name two. Not this year. Not only has Head Coach Andy Reid kept a lid on OTA proceedings, but he’s had the support of every player that can be on the field… on the field.

While you can understand Eric Berry wanting to be back with his teammates after spending a year away in rehab during his recovery form an Achilles injury, it’s been especially intriguing to have OLB Justin Houston in-house.

The fascination has not been so much about Houston’s presence but, more for the fans who follow the variety of stories referencing his future. One writer at USA Today believed that Kansas City would cut Houston this offseason, presumably to recoup some of the $20.6M the Chiefs are scheduled to pay Houston in 2018. He thought that likely because Houston is the top money maker on the Chiefs roster this season. Over at ArrowheadAddict, another writer thought that GM, Brett Veach, chose Breeland Speaks in this draft in preparation for the team moving on from Houston.

What may be closer to reality for Justin Houston’s career is seeing his sack totals on a roller coaster ride with that ride on an upswing. I heard some KC Radio sports analysts saying recently that Houston was no longer in the “elite” club for sack artists in the NFL. 

The past three seasons — 7.5, 4.0 and 9.5 sacks — would indicate that those analysts are right. The question is, will he return to his glory days of 22.0? The answer to that is… probably not but, he’s likely to be much better than he’s been the past three seasons… and for good reason.

in 2015, the year Houston had his knee-whip injury he had 7.5 sacks in ten-and-a-half games. Because of his 22.0 sacks the year before, teams were beginning to double and triple team him and he was projected to have a lot fewer sacks but would have likely had more than 11.0. So, Justin has a surgery on his injury knee but not until that season was over… for some reason… which extended his recovery time into the next season. In 2016, Houston was back for the last 5 games and had 4.0 sacks in that time. In the meantime, his sack-mate, Tamba Hali, was nearing the end of his career and Dee Ford was not showing signs that he could put pressure on a bleeding artery if someone’s life depended on it, making it easier for teams to stop Houston… essentially because Houston was the only one they needed to worry about.

2017 was Justin Houston’s first full season back to full time duty at LOLB and although he only had 9.5 sacks, there was literally no one else on the Chiefs roster who could produce sacks or pressure the quarterback and so once again teams knew if they stopped Houston, they could stop the Chiefs sack attack. 

What Will Be Different in 2018?

First of all, Justin Huston will be more than two years fully removed from his knee problems and is as healthy and ready to go as he’s ever been. Just a couple of weeks ago, Houston said,

“I’m in great health, I finished the season with no injuries last year and I was able to just focus on myself and not an injury, so that was a plus.”

Having Justin Houston at OTAs and in great health is a huge plus for the Chiefs defense this year. It doesn’t hurt at all that his best biddy, Eric Berry, is back either. Houston was asked about OTAs too and said,

“We have a bigger goal in mind, so we don’t get too excited about this right here, This is part of the phase [referring to OTAs]. It is something we have to go through to help build to where we want to go.”

In a sense, those are exactly the kinds of things you’d expect to be hearing from veteran and team leader. However, it hasn’t always been that way. I once wrote a piece about Justin Houston and his predilection for the weed called, “Problem… We Have a Houston!” 

The byline I used for that piece was: “Justin Houston may have smoked the most expensive joint in the history of mankind” because as you recall, he dropped to the third round and he played for the first three years of his life in the NFL on his 3rd round rookie contract, millions less than what he would have gotten had he not decided to smoke a joint the week of the combine. Now, Houston has matured and although I wish some of that had rubbed off on Demetrius Harris I also think that no amount of rubbing off was going to help what ails Harris.

What I’m hoping has sunk in on Houston is his responsibility to create the kind of production commiserate with his compensation. It’s strange how both he and Eric Berry had perhaps the best seasons of their careers followed by John Dorsey handing out the biggest contracts in league history for players playing their respective positions… followed by a season in which they were hurt and had to leave the field. If there is a sport karma… let’s hope this is the year those two make noise together…. on the field.

I think there’s a good reason to believe Justin Houston will hold up his end of the bargain this year. Am I expecting 22.0 sacks? Not nearly, but there are signs that he’ll be much, much better.

The Chiefs now have an OLB Coach named Mike Smith. Smith previously was the Assistant Defensive Line Coach since 2016. Some may shrug that off and think, “That’s no big deal, an OLB coach, so what!” Justin Houston doesn’t see it that way at all,

“I think it is great just to have an outside linebackers’ coach. There’s so much we get to do now just focusing on ourselves and the little things we need to work on. I think last year, we had a lot going on. You have to coach a lot of guys inside and out.”

While it may not seem like a big deal to have a specific coach assigned to train, teach and lead the outside linebackers, it is a big deal. Look at it from the organizational meetings standpoint. When all the players have gone home and the coaches gather to meet and talk, now there is one coach dedicated to the OLBs with one voice always saying what the OLBs need, or can do. Mike Smith said recently when asked about Houston,

“That’s one of my biggest believers because he likes to line up on one side. We’ve got to get our best player on their worst offensive lineman, whoever that may be. That’s how it should be period. As a coordinator you can break it down but, as for me, you can’t get comfortable on one side, he has to be able to cross the line and that’s what we do.”

When asked if that was true for other OLBs he said, “Absolutely, as for Dee, he has one of the best “get-offs” in the league to line up on him and go tear em up.”

When the defensive coaches gathered in years past, there was no one like Mike Smith to speak up for the OLBs and give his opinion about who plays where along the D-line. Now, Smith makes sure to interject his observations.  While we’ve seen Houston line up elsewhere along the defensive line, it hasn’t happened very often but, it does makes perfect sense. Andy Reid is always talking about offensive match-ups and winning he match-up game. So, why not on defense? 

Dee Ford (who’s entering a contract year and could have his own career-year) had his best 8 game span the year Justin Houston was injured and Ford lined up in what has traditionally been Houston’s position. Now, we could see Houston vs. the OL’s worst lineman on rushing downs and Ford lined up vs. the OL’s slowest man. Winning the match-up game on the DL could mean the difference between winning and losing from week to week.

Prior to the 2018 draft, many were calling for the Chiefs to go after the best OLB they could find. They appear to have done that with Breeland Speaks. Speaks brings the ability to move up and down the line of scrimmage as well and from what I’m hearing in OTAs, his name will be called upon early and often. While Tanoh Kpassagnon doesn’t have the flexibility that Speaks brings, he has had a year to study and train and he gives Mike Smith and DC Bob Sutton another huge body to send in with the ability to get up field and dominate physically.

I’m predicting that Justin Houston will have somewhere between 13-to-16 sacks in 2018 and make life miserable for opposing QBs once again… and not just Denver QBs.