Tag: Defense

Unveiling the top defender of the Boston Celtics

If you need one key stop in the biggest of moments, who do you have on the court to win the game with defense? 

The Boston Celtics have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the players they can put on the court to bring the clamps on the defensive end of the court. But if you need one key stop in the biggest of moments, who do you have on the court to win the game with defense? 

This iteration of the team has several former All-Defensive talents on the roster, and likely multiple honorees for this current season, once concluded. From Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis to Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, few teams in the league can turn off the water like the Celtics can.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “First to the Floor” podcast, Jake Issenberg, Ben Vallis, and Wayne Spooney, took a closer look at Boston’s best defenders ahead of the postseason. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Chiefs DB Justin Reid: New hip-drop tackle ban is ‘horrible’

Kansas City #Chiefs safety Justin Reid took to Twitter to describe the NFL’s new hip-drop tackle rule as “horrible”

This week, the NFL’s annual meeting in Florida has been underway, with coaches and front office personnel addressing many concerns around the league. The assessment of the previous season, mixed with proposals to make specific rule changes, has been highlighted at this year’s meeting.

On Monday, the league shocked many by banning hip-drop tackles on defense. The tackle was considered dangerous and caused multiple injuries. It involved wrapping the runner with both arms, tossing him off the ground, and then falling on the back of the ball carrier’s lower legs.

The tackle will be penalized during games, and it has caused an uproar among fans, players, and spectators. Chiefs safety Justin Reid commented on a video via his X account, sharing his frustration with the new ruling.

Reid has proven himself to be one of the better tackling defensive backs in the league and already sees the problem with this ruling.

The veteran safety will be forced to adjust his tackling, but his mentality to make a play won’t change. The league is in for a new era of changes over the next few years.

Report: Chiefs to re-sign veteran DL Mike Pennel

The Kansas City #Chiefs are expected to re-sign veteran defensive lineman Mike Pennel.

The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to re-sign veteran defensive lineman Mike Pennel, keeping him on the roster for the team’s title defense campaign in 2024.

Confirmation of the signing came from Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com, who credited linebacker Drue Tranquill for initially reporting the signing in a press conference held by Kansas City earlier in the day.

Pennel, a former Scottsdale Community College Fighting Artichoke, was a key member of the Chiefs’ front four in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He has made a name for himself as a gritty role player since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and may have earned a more significant role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense after his excellent playoff campaign last season.

While this might not be the flashiest signing of the day, it should prove to be a crucial one as the Chiefs look toward defending their newly won championship in hopes of securing a third consecutive Super Bowl victory.

Is San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama already the best defender in the NBA?

Just how good is the French big man on defense?

Is San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama already the best defender in the NBA? The 7-foot-4 forward has gone from something of a mess on that end of the floor as most rookies tend to be when they enter the league to one of if not the best defenders in the Association.

Just how good is the French big man on defense? All-Defensive First Team level? Defensive Player of the Year good? Or are we simply a prisoner of the Wembanyama hype train rolling over much of the NBA media in recent weeks? The answer may be somewhere between those extremes.

Hosts of the Ringer “Group Chat” podcast Justin Verrier, Wosny Lambre, and J. Kyle Mann recently weighed in on Wemby’s defensive prowess in his rookie season on a recent episode.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear where each came down on where Wembanyama is in the milieu of the league’s best defenders.

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Andy Reid on Chiefs’ defense in 2023: ‘The one consistent part of our team’

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid lauded Steve Spagnuolo and Kansas City’s defense in a recent interview.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid made an appearance on the Fox Sports show Speak on Thursday to talk about his team’s 2023 season.

The 65-year-old head coach explained how the Chiefs’ defense was able to carry Kansas City throughout the season and was a crucial part of the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl campaigns.

“That was the one consistent part of our team,” Reid began. “Steve Spagnuolo does a great job with the defense, as do his guys. You can go right down the line with the coaches, the players — you saw this last year, you saw a bunch of young guys coming into the secondary, you saw the veteran players on defense help teach these young guys and show them the way.”

Reid alluded to the veteran players’ leadership and how those lessons taught during last season’s training sped up the development of the young players, leading to Kansas City possessing one of the best defenses in the NFL.

“By the time we got to the playoffs, all of a sudden our defense was doing a great job,” Reid continued. “Defensively, I knew coming into training camp, I could tell by the coverages, the jams, they were tighter. Whether it was zone or man the guys were growing up. You had this feeling, ‘We are going to be really good on defense.'”

The Super Bowl was a microcosm of the entire season, as Kansas City’s defense kept the Chiefs within striking distance, while the offense gradually figured things out.

WATCH: Chiefs DB Nazeeh Johnson works out after recovering from season-ending injury

Nazeeh Johnson was seen working out this week after recovering from a season-ending injury that held him out of the #Chiefs’ 2023 campaign.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson isn’t a household name in Western Missouri yet but may get his chance to earn a key role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense next season after sitting out in 2023 due to an injury he sustained in training camp.

Johnson was a seventh-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022 and made minor contributions in Kansas City’s run to Super Bowl LVII last year.

A video of Johnson working out circulated on Twitter this week, sparking hope in some fans that he may be able to make a full comeback next season.

While Johnson may face an uphill battle to earn a starting spot on the Chiefs’ elite defense, Spagnuolo isn’t been shy about rotating players in and out of his lineups, so meaningful action may not be out of the question for the former Marshall product.

If he moves as well in the preseason as he did in this video, fans around the country may get acquainted with the up-and-coming defensive back sooner than some might expect.

Chiefs DL Chris Jones earned fifth-best PFF grade among interior defenders in 2023

#Chiefs DL Chris Jones earned a PFF grade in the top-five of all interior defenders in the NFL for the 2023 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs are entering the 2024 offseason in an enviable position. As back-to-back champions, the team secured dynasty status with their win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII and will seek to keep as much talent on its payroll as possible heading into their next title defense campaign.

One key player that the Chiefs can’t afford to lose is veteran defensive lineman Chris Jones, who earned the fifth-best Pro Football Focus grade among all interior defenders for his efforts in 2023.

Jones has been a key cog in Kansas City’s defense since joining the Chiefs as a second-round draft pick in 2016. His ability to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines is unparalleled, and without his presence on Kansas City’s front-four, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his hands full trying to generate a pass rush next season.

The Chiefs used their franchise tag on Jones last year, and may have to resort to using it again if general manager Brett Veach can’t work out a long-term deal for the star lineman in the coming months.

Chiefs pick up option on DT Chris Jones’ contract. Will franchise tag be next?

Chiefs pick up a procedural option on DT Chris Jones’ contract. What comes next?

The Kansas City Chiefs offseason is underway with a flurry of moves already handled by general manager Brett Beach. The start of free agency looms with several players from the Super Bowl-winning roster in jeopardy of moving to a different team.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs have picked up an option on Chris Jones’ contract that gives them the right to use the franchise tag on him. The All-Pro can still enter free agency if he and the Chiefs don’t reach a deal.

“Sources: The Chiefs have picked up the option on All-Pro DT Chris Jones’ contract, retaining the right to franchise tag him and paying him $4.25M he earned in incentives.” posted Rapoport on his X account. “It was more timing than anything, as Jones was due the money, regardless. If not tagged, he’ll be free.”

Jones went through a battle last offseason regarding his contract, holding out through training camp and Week 1 of the regular season. When he returned, he was one of the best defensive linemen in football, earning first-team All-Pro honors. His 10.5 sacks were a catalyst for the Chiefs’ defense becoming one of the best units in the league.

Jones will demand a significant pay raise this offseason. He was vocal about staying in Kansas City during Wednesday’s parade, and negotiations with the front office over the next few weeks could make it a reality.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on Patrick Mahomes: ‘I’m trying to get him to play defense too’

#Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo revealed his scheme to get Patrick Mahomes to play for his defense in 2024.

Steve Spagnuolo signed a contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs this week after the team’s historic win in Super Bowl LVIII.

The veteran defensive coordinator has turned into a Chiefs legend since joining the team in 2019, and has earned his stripes as one of the NFL’s top assistant coaches.

After finding success with his unit in 2023, Spagnuolo told Pat McAfee this week that he wants to try something new: Get quarterback Patrick Mahomes to play on his defense.

“Patrick is a team guy,” Spagnuolo explained. “He’s all about winning, he’s all about team. When you’re on the other side of the ball that makes you feel tremendously good… You watch Patrick Mahomes operate day to day, he walks by my office every day on the way to the quarterback meeting room, or whether he’s on the field, it’s always about making all the other guys better.”

When McAfee asked if Mahomes’ experience growing up around professional locker rooms with his father might help him be a great teammate, Spagnuolo made his pitch.

“I’ll tell you, what I’ve been trying, I’ve been trying to see if he can be the first two-way player,” Spagnuolo said with a smirk. “We can get him out there to play safety, get him out there to play corner… I don’t think coach Reid is going to go for it, but how about that, right?”

It remains to be seen if Reid will take Spagnuolo seriously in this regard, but one thing is certain; the coordinator and quarterback are prepared to do everything necessary to secure Kansas City a three-peat, even if it means Mahomes takes on an ironman role.

Leo Chenal led Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII with 92.0 PFF grade

Second-year linebacker Leo Chenal was the #Chiefs’ top graded player in Super Bowl LVIII, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Kansas City Chiefs relied on their depth to win Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers, and one second-year linebacker stood out above the rest to Pro Football Focus when their analysts took a look at the film from the game.

Leo Chenal, who served the Chiefs well all season, played the best game of his life on the NFL’s biggest stage, earning a 92.0 grade from PFF for his efforts against the 49ers.

Chenal’s outstanding performance proved to be the difference for Kansas City in their effort to win a third Super Bowl ring. The budding young linebacker helped force a fumble on the game’s third drive and blocked an extra point late in the contest that helped the Chiefs push the game to overtime.

While he didn’t earn MVP honors for his amazing showing against San Francisco, Chenal’s incredible play won’t soon be forgotten by Kansas City’s fans, who will forever remember him as a difference-maker in a legendary Super Bowl.