Categories: Kansas City ChiefsPaul Pulley

Chiefs: Regression, Yes it’s a Real Thing

Chiefs: Regression, Yes it’s a Real Thing, by Paul Pulley – If the only thing you want to hear or read about the Kansas City Chiefs is sunshine and rainbows, you might want to skip this article.

The Chiefs have lost their second consecutive game, both at home in Arrowhead Stadium, and have looked bad on the field for the fourth straight week. The offense and defense both seem to be playing worse each and every week, and discipline on the field is almost nonexistent, as penalty after penalty either kill drives for the Chiefs or extend drives for the opponent.

Is the Chiefs Problem Coaching or Personnel

We can blame coaching, play calling or scheme, but the bottom line is, the players are the ones on the field and they’re the ones who have to make plays, and they are failing miserably. The offensive line continues to be offensive. The defensive line is weak and easily controlled.

I’m not even sure why we employ linebackers, we should call them line of gain backers, as they don’t tackle until the ball carrier is past the line of gain. Players out of position and missed assignments, and don’t even get me started on tackling. Holy Cow, tackling is a lost art in Kansas City. We’ve heard coach Reid talk about how smart some of the players are, but he’s only said that about players on offense. Then we’re told that the defense is simplified so the players can just make plays, and yet they don’t seem to know where to be or what to do. Maybe the Chiefs need to invest in crayons, so, in the game planning, the players can color in their areas of responsibility.

Do We Have the Right 53?

The Offensive Line

Let’s think about this, starting with the offensive line. We have two good players in Mitchell Schwartz and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and a decent OL in Eric Fisher. All the rest, what we have seen of them, are subpar. The commonality, the three I mentioned by name were drafted or signed before Brett Veach became general manager. The offensive linemen not playing worth a darn, Andrew Wylie, Austin Reiter, and especially Cameron Erving and Ryan Hunter, were all acquired by Veach. Martinis Rankin, brought to the Chiefs in a trade by Veach earlier this year, looked pretty good Sunday. Plus we have Stefen Wisniewski, Nick Allegretti and Greg Senat, that we haven’t seen, but Senat was a 6th round draft pick in 2018, who spent his first season on the Ravens IR, before he was cut and Veach claimed him off waivers. Allegretti was selected by Veach in the 7th round of this years draft, and Wisniewski was sitting at home until Veach called him. Let’s just say I’m not very hopeful that there is a lot of help there, but again, it can’t get much worse.

The Tight Ends

Travis Kelce is one of the best tight ends in the game, but our second and third are a bad. Veach has failed to provide Kelce with any relief. Deon Yelder and Blake Bell have combined for 4 catches for 51 yards through the first 6 games. There’s no way around it folks, that’s a joke.

The Defensive Line

We have Chris Jones and Tanoh Kpassagnon left from the previous regime. Frank Clark, Alex Okafor, Emmanuel Ogbah, Derrick Nnadi, Xavier Williams, Khalen Saunders and Terrell McClain all delivered by Veach. Who is making the plays. Kpass and Jones have been ok. Nnadi, Okafor and Ogbah have done well at times, but none of them are holding up against the run, and the Chiefs pass rush is nonexistent, now that Jones is injured. Williams made some plays before he got hurt, but is now on IR and I believe Saunders was a huge reach in this years draft. McClain played several snaps Sunday and had one tackle, but I don’t even recall seeing him.

The Line of Gain Backers

The Chiefs have six of these guys wasting roster spots. The highly overpaid Anthony Hitchens; his UDFA replacement, Ben Niemann; the Jets castoff, Darron Lee; Reggie Ragland, who hardly plays: the best of the bunch, Damien Wilson; and last, I mean really last, Dorian O’Daniel, Veach’s 3rd round draft pick in 2018. O’Daniel is so bad, that he hasn’t played a snap on defense this season and wasn’t even active Sunday. All six of these out of position, can’t cover a tight end, tackle missing specialist were brought to us by none other than Brett Veach. What a clown show of a position group.

Hey, Not all is Lost

The defensive backs, with the exception of penalties, have been playing quite well. Tyrann Mathieu was an excellent signing, and I believe will only get better. Juan Thornhill, drafted this year by Veach, is playing really good ball for a rookie being thrown into the fire. Kendall Fuller and Charvarius Ward have done good work as cornerbacks. Bashaud Breeland has had some good plays, but also a lot of bad ones via committing penalties. These guys just need the front seven to step up and play some real football.

Is the Problem Coaching?

It’s true that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defenses haven’t always been spectacular. But he has, what should be excellent position coaches, especially for the front seven. Brendan Daly was the DL coach for the Patriots. Unless he was just a yes man for Belichick, his DL group should be playing better. Matt House was the DC/LB coach for the University of Kentucky. The linebackers should be playing well under his tutelage, if they are any good. Prior to the season, I thought our weak link in the defensive coaches was the DB coach, but that group is playing the best by far. So maybe the problem is, we just have the wrong personnel on defense, especially at LB. Not so coincidentally, Britt Reid is now a linebackers coach.

On to the Broncos

Excluding the 2017 season opener, because that game, while played on a Thursday, isn’t played on a short week, the Chiefs under coach Reid are 2-4 on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the hated Donkeys, after starting the season 0-4, have won their last two games, albeit against weaker opponents. On the other hand, are the Chiefs really a stronger opponent? I have to believe that, yes we are, and that the Chiefs are going to get back on track Thursday night and come home with a victory.

Paul Pulley — ArrowheadOne

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