The Best Defensive QUAD SQUADS

Somehow, the Chiefs current defense is better than the one Bob Sutton presented. That’s obvious from the Super Bowl victory standpoint alone in Steve Spagnuolo’s first year as Chiefs DC (in 2019). However, When you look back at the Pro Bowl caliber players Sutton had to work with, it’s not so clear: Chris Jones, Derrick Jonson, Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Eric Berry, Dee Ford, Dontari Poe, Marcus Peters, Kendall Fuller, plus many other high quality defenders.

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As has been the case with Steve Spagnuolo, any time a DC can get defenders to play in concert with each other, the results are much superior and that’s what he’s done for the Chiefs unit. However, much the way the offense has four of the best players playing at QB, TE, WR and RB… the defense needs four players, one from each level. K.C.needs then to be leaders and those positions include: a Defensive lineman (a pass rusher), CB (a coverage man), LB (a run stopper) and Safety (a do-it-all kind of guy). Let’s see where the Chiefs four best stand compared the the leagues best defenses.

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As is sometimes the case, when I set out to write this piece, I anticipate that the K.C. defensive foursome would not measure up to the league’s best. However, the more I get into this piece, that may just be the wrong take.

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For K.C., we’re taking about: DL – Chris Jones, CB – L’Jarius Sneed, LB – Anthony Hitchens, and Safety – Tyrann Mathieu.

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Let’s take a look at some of the league’s best Defensive QUAD SQUADS, then we’ll compare them to the Chiefs unit. Those will include: the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Washington Football Team, the Tampa Bay Bucs, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Chicago Bears.

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DE TJ Watt, ILB Devin Bush, CB Joe Haden, S Minka Fitzpatrick

Here’s a D QUAD SQUAD I may rank ahead of the K.C. four. Watt had 15 sacks last year and has been dominant from his DE position. Devin Bush played in only 5 games in 2020 because of a knee injury. He’s almost fully recovered from that and should be ready by Sept. Joe Haden just turned 32 but is still an excellent corner. Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the top 5 Safeties in the NFL, so this group gets high grades.

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DT Aaron Donald, LB Leonard Floyd, CB Jalen Ramsey, S Jordan Fuller

Any Defense that has DT Aaron Donald on it deserves to make this list. Add CB Jalen Ramsey, a top of the heap Corner, and you nearly have Yahtzee! Rush Linebacker Leonard Floyd was re-signed this offseason and his 10.5 sacks make their front 7 formidable. Jordan Fuller is their best Safety but his PFF grade last year was 63.6, even though Taylor Rapps was 67.5. It’s Fuller’s 3 INTs that sets him apart.

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ER Chase Young, LB Jon Bostic, CB William Jackson, S Landon Collins

Chase Young is thought to be a top edge rusher but only had 7.5 sacks in 2020 (just one and a half more than our oft defamed Frank Clark). However, their other DE, Montez Sweat had 9 last year and together they make one of the best pair of ERs in the league. Jon Bostic isn;t a top ten LB, but William Jackson III is ranked as the #5 best Corner by Athlon Sports. That leaves Kamren Kurl or Landon Collins as their best Safety, and neither are terrific.

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ER Jason Pierre-Paul, LB LaVonte David, CB Carlton Davis, S Antione Winfield

Jason Pierre-Paul is their best rusher and he had 9.5 sacks in 2020. It’s the combination of he and Shaquil Barrett that makes them potent in their front 7. Linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David are perhaps the best pair of LBs in the biz right now and combined for 177 tackles in 2020. Carlton Davis is their best Corner and had 4.0 INTs last year, while Antoine Winfield is a good, but isn’t rated in the top half of the league’s Safeties.

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DT Chris Jones, LB Anthony Hitchens, CB L’Jarius Sneed, S Tyrann Mathieu

Chris Jones is the Chiefs best defensive lineman and has been for years. He’s averaged nearly 11 sacks per year over the past three years. LB Anthony Hitchens came on strong at the end of 2020 and PFF gave him a rating of 50.5 last season which is barely over average. He’s the weak link in this foursome but that’s why Nick Bolton should get plenty of snaps in the middle this year. CB L’Jarius Sneed had a breakout rookie season and although his re-draft rank of of #9, he’s now recognized as a top ten CB among all corners in the league. Tyrann Mathieu is a top three Safety and has been a force — both on and off the field — since he came to K.C..

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A Review of the top QUAD SQUADs on Defense show K.C. to have a top 5 Defensive lineman, a Top Ten Corner, a Top Three Safety… and Anthony Hitchens.

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While the idea that having a top QUAD SQUAD on offense or defense can make you a very good team, it doesn’t necessarily make you a contender (not: WFT). However, having a top five QUAD SQUAD on BOTH offense and defense, should get you where you want to go: and that’s to back-to-back Super Bowls. Now, let see if they can go: back-to-back-to-back! After all, the Chiefs were just one DE penalty away from already achieving that goal (thank you, but no think, Dee Ford).

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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