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2019 Defense


onejayhawk

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Obviously, we are in pre-preseason. Not all the names have made it to the roster, still a few things are emerging. Offseason signings Tyron Mathieu  and Frank Clark are taking on leadsership roles we hoped they would. Mathieu is stepping over the void left by the 2017 Game #1 injury to Eric Berry. EB was never the same and we lost his hand on CB Marcus Peters, who proceeded to talk himself off the team. Mathieu has been vocal about his role on the team and what he expects from his teammates, see story.

Clark is even more important.Our front seven was abused in the running game and lost 30 sacks when Ford and Houston signed elsewhere.  Clark fills some of that void. Emmanual Ogbah probably starts out as the other DE. Chris Jones owns one tackle spot and there  will be competition for the other one.

LB is even more unsettled. Pencil Anthony Hitchens at MLB and go from there.

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/5/23/18637749/chiefs-defense-looks-organized-and-energetic-during-thursday-otas

https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/05/27/kansas-city-chiefs-andy-reid-on-defense-at-otas-new-defensive-staff/?utm_source=smg&utm_medium=wasabi&utm_content=recirc-most-popular

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/5/24/18638844/embracing-competition-frank-clark-and-patrick-mahomes-want-to-make-each-other-great

 

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First, there is a series of articles in Pride titled Summer of Spags. The first is an introduction and covers the secondary. The second is about the front seven. In typically thorough fashion, Craig Stout and Matt Lane lays out the base defense formations Spagnuolo used when with the Giants. The jargon is there, but he explains it in very friendly manner, using pics and gifs. REad through it an I guarantee you will learn something. Next will be the nickel packages.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/5/28/18642457/summer-of-spags-secondary-alignments-and-personnel
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/5/31/18642001/summer-of-spags-the-front-seven-in-steve-spagnuolos-4-3-scheme

DC Spagnuolo and his staff have been praising the new guys, Mathieu and Clark.  It's clear the FO wanted vocal leadership and they seem to be getting it. While there is only so much you can see in, "pajama games" the staff is impressed with both the competitiveness and the work ethic. 
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/06/01/kansas-city-chiefs-steve-spagnuolo-brendan-daly-praise-new-chiefs-defenders-tyrann-mathieu-frank-clark/

J

Edited by onejayhawk
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The next article is about the nickel, which is really the base defense in today's NFL. The most common offensive alignment is one RB, one TE, three WR. This is the defense  to fact that offensive group.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/6/5/18652533/summer-of-spags-linebacker-and-defensive-line-trends-and-tendencies-in-the-nickel

The most interesting thing is that the front four stays the same. Rotation is for freshness, not function. Linebackers change considerably. Typically, the two larger LB come out and a single fast coverage LB (eg Darron Lee or Dorian O'Daniel) comes in. In some situations, the SLB stays in and moves to the DL. 

J

 

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55 minutes ago, onejayhawk said:

Here is an article on how the players are taking to the new system. One thing they like is the simplicity. One thing about Sutton's defense is that it was difficult to pick up. 
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/06/12/kansas-city-chiefs-defenders-enjoying-simplicity-of-new-defensive-scheme/

J

This was always the reason given for why we would play or sign proven bad vets (Parker being example #1) over potentially better young players.

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8 hours ago, kempus said:

I'm excited at the prospect of our newly formed D. It's basically a completely clean slate.

Me too. There is going to be a lot of pressure on this group to be good enough to win a superbowl, because the offense is more than capable. I look forward to seeing how they handle it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a name that has been under the radar--Alex Okafor. If the name rings something of a bell, it might be his distant cousins Ekema and Jahlil Okafor of the NBA. Alex is not that tall,but he is rangy and a pass rush specialist. He seems to have put himself in the running for DE opposite Frank Clark. In any event, DC Spagnuolo has some nice things to say.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2019/06/29/kansas-city-chiefs-dc-steve-spagnuolo-says-de-alex-okafor-has-been-a-real-good-surprise/

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Here's an interesting article on CBs Kendall Fuller and Charvarius Ward. The gist is that Fuller should be better in the new system while Ward may struggle. 
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2019/7/5/20683367/two-chiefs-cornerbacks-in-need-of-expectation-adjustments

The new scheme should be a bit easier on the CBs but demand more from the safeties. It's no coincidence that one of the big FA pickups is Tyrann Mathieu and one of the top draft picks is Juan Thornhill, both smart, multi-talented safeties. It's a pity Eric Berry is gone. He would be perfect for this system. As it is, I think Thornhill is a Pro Bowler by his third season. 

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I'm just going to bring this old post to this thread.

On 1/24/2019 at 10:17 PM, kingseanjohn said:

Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator, in points allowed:

Giants: '17-27th, '16-2nd, '15-30th

Saints: '12-31st (a historically bad team, see below)

Giants: '08-5th, '07-17th

So from beginning to end: 5th, 17th, 31st, 30th, 2nd, 27th.

That's his whole career as DC. His second year was good both time at the Giants, otherwise it isn't good. But just how historically bad was that Saints team you may ask?

The Saints defense allowed 7,042 yards in 2012—shattering the Baltimore Colts' 31-year-old record of 6,793 yards.  (Chiefs gave up 6,488 yards this year)

They gave up 28.4 points per game (Chiefs 26.3)

Passing yards per game 292.6 (Chiefs 273.4)

Rushing yards per game 147.6 (Chiefs 132.1)

Everyone seems to be really excited and think the defense will be top 15 or top 20. Historically Spags' first year defense hasn't been great. I can't help but worry that we're in for a repeat of last year, if not something worse.

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