Chiefs D: My Cooling Off Period – PART II

by David Bell

If you missed PART I of “Chiefs D: My Cooling Off Period” please go here.

Before jumping in, let’s review my last paragraph in PART I:

The Chiefs had 3 players contributing at top form: Jones, Ford and Fuller. This is a key point. The Chiefs had counted on two other top performers to be part of that mix and thus far Eric Berry has not appeared in a game and Justin Houston has not played like the highly talented pass rusher that he was prior to 2016 before his injury. Now he is out again..

Setting the Stage

I did not believe that Steven Nelson was going to be anything but an average Outside Corner Back. He is a good player. I did not know nor even think about Berry irritating his heal during camp nor it’s lasting affect. This could not be predicted. Nor could I know that Houston would have difficulty in the first five games of the season and be unavailable for the next 3 games. I could not know that Safety Armani Watts would be lost for the season, especially when his play results were getting better and better each game he played.

By now, you can see the Chiefs have struggle to counter the injuries already on the books which would force Jordan Lucas to a starting type role along with Ron Parker. Others have written that Parker was washed up but I thought he would be a good addition and was familiar with the defense — especially beside Berry. Berry always made Parker look
good. This wasn’t to be.

The Chiefs really are in great need of Berry and Houston returning to form on the field of play:

Eric Berry’s Impact

Eric Berry playing at a high level makes secondary pass coverage far stronger. He is a game changer. Berry in the box makes run defense far better — and he can still cover straight up man-press out of the box. This makes the single high stronger whether it’s Parker or Lucas. I am discounting Murray because I think that experiment is over as of the end of 2018’s campaign. When Fuller, Nelson and Scandrick (another good addition to the mix) know they have Berry in their hip pocket, they are going to play strong defense. It also makes the single high coverage a lot more effective because he knows what happens on the Berry side of the field and doesn’t have to worry about it. That safety can make quicker decisions and not need to delay making his move on where to position himself for over the top coverage.

Berry in the box helps the ILBs — which means that Berry, not both ILBs dropping to coverage or waiting in the middle zone and not covering the edge — be more aggressive to the LoS or more quickly moving to to the flats. When that happens, the Chiefs run defense improves in aggressiveness in defending the gaps and flow. The ILBs, or at least one of them, doesn’t have to be a “DJ” equivalent.

Houston compliments Ford. One may get double teamed. The other? He is blocked by a single blocker. if he is doubled, watch out because Chris Jones or Allen Bailey will easily be able to pressure the middle mano y mano and this means that Derrick Nnadi is not going to get a double nor Xavier Williams. A third OLB can then be added to the mix — the one who showed great promise and similarity to Hali — the hand fighting of Breeland Speaks.

Is this going to be a suddenly stellar defense? Nope. At best it was destined to be a middle of the road defense. It could have been successful, vis a vis total yards allowed, or in keeping the opponent from scoring at will. It could have been far more effective in helping control owning the time of possession and in gathering in Turnovers.

We knew that additional work needed to be done after the 2018 season. It would take that second year, second free agency, and the second draft, but this time we would have a first round pick and two second rounders.

With Houston and Berry playing somewhere above average level of performance, the above scenario would likely have been the result.

Yes, we can win when the defense sets up against good offenses and stops the opposing strength of the opponent but, in 2018 the project was a wait and see project due to injuries.

Did Brett Veach and Andy Reid know what was going on with Berry? I think the answer to that is an unequivocal yes. Although, they couldn’t foresee Sorensen breaking a leg or Houston’s hamstring problems. So what they’ve done is to figure a plan to get all three players back on the field in the stretch run, handing DC Bob Sutton an almost herculean task of holding things together till that could occur.

After reflecting on my sharp critique of Bob Sutton’s defense on Sunday I am tuning it down a couple of three notches.

The Next Seven Games

Notch up a win for the books, and win #9 v the Cardinals.

Go to Mexico City and play a tossup game that ought to be fun for fans all over the NFL to watch for week 11. Week 12 is a bye.

Now timing Houston, Berry and Sorensen has got to take place — how long to hold them out and when to get them back to playing snaps and getting ready for the final 5 games.

I go back to my season constant: The Bengals game. In this game the ILBs were aggressive to the ball. It was a noteworthy game that is important. Add Houston and Berry to that defense and you “have something.” Is it going to be stellar I ask myself and answer absolutely not. Will it be successful for 2018’s needs as the Chiefs roll toward completing the 17 week season and holding on to the top cede in the AFC? I think it will and I think the Chiefs know this and have planned it out for the benefit of the team.

Factoids that came out in my research includes Gary McKenzie’s, but also examine the improvements over the last 3 games in turnovers and sacks.

One point that I want to finish on. In the last 3 games the Defense has held the opponents to 10, 23 and 21 points a 54 point 3 game total that averages less than my infamous 17.

Sure, this is a prognostication and a personal view. I chilled out and am going with this. Or I’ll eat the nails I was spitting.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne

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