K.C. Chiefs Need Climate Control

K.C. Chiefs Need Climate Control

by Laddie Morse | January 31, 2019

Perspective. You have to get it… or you don’t got it. These Kansas City Chiefs have made a priority of making sure that the offense is a potent one. Now, with not only the addition of perhaps the best draft pick in a decade for any team in the league in Patrick Mahomes, as well as the fastest man in football at wideout and the best tight end around, that offense is considered by most, the best in the National Football League. That’s Andy Reid’s baby… and he is one proud pappa. However, that offense couldn’t get him to the Super Bowl because his defense was not up to the task. In fact, that same defense was not up to the task last year… or the year before. Now, it’s enough to ask why? Many will site the DC, Bob Sutton, but the reality may indicate that Sutton didn’t have the same wonderful “appliance” to work with as did his head coach on the other side of the ball. For Sutton, opposing offenses in the playoffs had become too hot to handle. You see, the K.C Chiefs need climate control.

Okay, oaky, enough of the metaphors and symbolism. While many are looking at the “bad” defense this season and were glad that Bob Sutton was fired, his defense is the culmination of years of neglect especially when it comes to focusing on acquiring the necessary players to establish a solid run defense.

Following are a couple of graphics showing the past ten seasons of the Kansas City Chiefs draft picks:

In the year before 2009 (seen above), NT Glenn Dorsey was selected with the Chiefs first pick — 5th overall — but he turned out to be a bit of a bust and other than Dontari Poe in 2012, was the only first round pick the Chiefs made that could be interpreted as a run stopping defensive tackle addition to the team. Once Andy Reid arrived, Glenn Dorsey was off to the 49ers and Poe was inserted as the mainstay of the defensive line where he had a couple of good years… and so did the defense at stopping the run (points per game).

• 2013 – 5th in Run Defense – 19.1 ppg
• 2014 – 2nd in Run Defense – 17.6 ppg
• 2015 – 3rd in Run Defense – 17.9 ppg
• 2016 – 7th in Run Defense – 19.4 ppg
• 2017 – 15th in Run Defense – 21.2 ppg
• 2018 – 24th in Run Defense – 26.3 ppg

Of course stopping the run doesn’t all fall upon the shoulders of a NT. The addition of DT Jaye Howard (claimed off waivers from Seattle) helped against the run game too but, there’s been little focus in the draft on run stoppers, over the past 6+ years. Let’s review each players value against the run:

• 2018: 46th pick, Breeland Speaks, was drafted more with the idea of him being an ILB. Could have his hand in the dirt next year.
• 2018 : 75th pick, DT Derrick Nnadi, could be good, it’s too soon to tell.
• 2017: 59th pick, DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, is a huge question mark. Not even sure he’ll be on the team in 2019.
• 2016: 37th pick, DE Chris Jones, has excelled as a penetrating DL. Needs to step up as a true run stopper.
• 2015: 217th pick, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, was okay in 2017. Now with Tampa Bay.
• 2014: 23rd pick, ILB Dee Ford, has had one good year as an ILB. Trouble setting the edge, is a detriment to stopping the run. Gets washed out too often.
• 2013: 207th pick, DE Mike Catapano, was miscast in the 3-4. Now a Free Agent.

Consider that group: Speaks, Nnadi, Kpass, Jones, RNR, Ford and Catapano… that’s not a lot of investment in the run stopping game. It’s the reason that I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Chiefs go for a defensive tackle in the first round this year.

When you figure in the new Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, it’s kind of like a new head coach who gets to choose his QB of the future in his first year… but in this case, Spags will likely be given extra considerations in this draft. He should get to choose his new run stopping Defensive Lineman. If Reid is hiring his friend to come in a fix the D, he’ll likely give him some tools to work with, starting with several high choices in this draft.

Since Patrick Mahomes will be commanding a ginormous contract next offseason — certainly the biggest in the history of the NFL — then the notion that the Chiefs will go out and sign a whole bunch of Free Agents this offseason will most probably be limited, to save back some cap money in the piggy bank jar for next year. Don’t forget, Chris Jones and Tyreek Hill will need to be paid too, most likely this offseason.

Christian Wilkins, Dre’Mont Jones, Dexter lawrence, Zach Allen and Jerry Tillery would all be good selections in the first round. Jaylon Ferguson, Gerald WIllis, and Isaiah Buggs could each be good 2nd round choices. 

When you consider that the Chiefs were beaten by the Patriots in Arrowhead this year and stopping the run was a big problem… and… the Chiefs were beaten by the Titans in Arrowhead last year and stopping the run was a big problem… and the Chiefs were beaten by the Steelers the year before that in Arrowhead and stopping the run was a big problem………. it’s time that something be done about the hole in the bucket, dear Liza.

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