Four weeks in and the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves 2-2, a start nobody saw coming after strong showings in the preseason.
Their re-built offensive line has played admirably so far, showing promise after substantial investments in the unit in the offseason. The defense, however, has largely failed the team after tough matchups exposed every possible weakness in their game.
Among the chief culprits in Kansas City’s slow start has been a hot-and-cold defensive line that was supposed to be a strong point of the defense this season. Though second-year defensive end Mike Danna has looked solid as Frank Clark recovers from a hamstring injury, the unit still hasn’t hit its stride.
Head coach Andy Reid commented on the line’s struggles to create pressure, citing playing run-first teams in each of the first three games as a factor. He also pointed out that Clark is an All-Pro talent, and said that the last two quarters against Philadelphia were a reason to hope the unit would improve.
“I think that [playing] three-run [first] teams is a factor to it and that’s probably added to the numbers there,” Reid said of the line’s lack of pressure. “You start getting guys back in here and I think you add Frank [Clark] in the equation. Frank was an All-Pro and you’re missing that element, but I think once we get everyone back in there going and kind of in the flow, I think it will pick up a little bit. Second half, I thought it was better. When you look at it, the first half wasn’t quite as good as the second half.”
While certainly not a glowing review of what his defenders have accomplished, Reid’s comments speak to his signature bashfulness in discussing team performance or what his staff “really thinks” about the product on the field. The fact that he addressed the defensive line at all is an indication that the team knows their production isn’t where it needs to be, and his expectations of Frank Clark’s return are well-founded if he can find the same traction he did in 2019.
Kansas City fans are desperate for a defensive renaissance to keep some of the pressure off Patrick Mahomes, and it seems the coaches are privy to the high expectations. Expect some shuffling along the defensive line in the coming weeks, and for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to work some magic to keep the defense from complete collapse.
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