Tied for dead last in the league with eight sacks, the Kansas City Chiefs are nearing their breaking point with an ineffective pass rush that has been a liability for the team since Week 2.
Their highly-touted edge rushers Frank Clark and Chris Jones have looked like shells of the players they’ve been in recent seasons, which has ultimately doomed the Chiefs’ effort to get after the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke to reporters on Friday about the lack of finish in pursuit against the pass, telling them that injuries up front have stunted the defenses’ ability to effectively blitz.
“You never know what you’re going to get going into each season,” Spagnuolo said. “I think we talked about this before, coaches have said it, I believe in it as well as the other coaches, it takes you four games into it to figure out what you have and what you are. We’ve been doing that. Sometimes when the pieces aren’t all healthy, it takes a little bit longer.
“I was talking with Tyrann Mathieu about that this week. I mean, we might finally start to have an idea of what we are and what we can be and what we can do and what we can’t do, but again, there are still some moving pieces here. I don’t go into a season saying I know we’re going to get this. I really don’t do that, so I’m not so sure surprised is a good word.”
Whatever Spagnuolo and Mathieu talked about needs to bear fruit on Monday against New York for anyone to take Kansas City’s defense seriously. The Chiefs’ pass rushers have a huge opportunity to make a statement against an injured Giants offense and a unit that has struggled up front.
“Listen, what do you have to do? Everybody’s got to play faster,” Spagnuolo said. “Everybody’s got to play better. The coaches have got to make better calls. I don’t know that I have a complete solution about that. Everybody’s got to play better. I think that’s the best thing to say.”
Both sides of the ball will look to establish themselves as the championship-caliber units fans have become accustomed to seeing in Week 8. A loss this week could spell disaster for Kansas City’s chances to make the playoffs.
[listicle id=107828]