The Chiefs' fatal flaw of the 2024 NFL season may have already been revealed during their 2-0 start
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of nine NFL teams that remain undefeated through two weeks of play, but that doesn't mean the team isn't without flaws. There are certainly some big concerns on the offensive side of the ball. Chiefs rookie LT Kingsley Suamtaia getting benched in the fourth quarter of the Week 2 game against […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of nine NFL teams that remain undefeated through two weeks of play, but that doesn't mean the team isn't without flaws.
There are certainly some big concerns on the offensive side of the ball. Chiefs rookie LT Kingsley Suamtaia getting benched in the fourth quarter of the Week 2 game against the Bengals. The running back situation with RB Isiah Pacheco set to miss 6-8 weeks with an injury also qualifies. However, the flaw that has been most persistent through two weeks comes under DC Steve Spagnuolo's watch.
So far, the Chiefs' defense has allowed 531 total passing yards and three passing touchdowns. The big problem is that 25 catches, 276 yards, and one touchdown have been allowed to opposing tight ends. That's practically half of the team's receiving yardage allowed coming against a single position group.
The most frustrating part is that the team hasn't found many answers through two games. Take Bengals TE Mike Gesicki, for instance. Last week he caught seven receptions for 91 yards. Man coverage with Justin Reid didn't work. Zone coverage with Reid didn't work. Man coverage with Chamarri Conner didn't work. Any type of coverage with Nick Bolton hasn't worked. The same could be said of the team's coverage against Ravens TE Isaiah Likely in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
What's scary to think about is what happens when the Chiefs face some of the league's best tight ends down the line if this doesn't improve. They don't have time to wait with Kyle Pitts and the Atlanta Falcons ahead of them in Week 3 on "Sunday Night Football." They'll also face George Kittle, Brock Bowers (twice), Foster Moreau, Pat Freiermuth, Dalton Kincaid, Dalton Schultz, and more this season.
What are some potential solutions to this problem?
One thing to consider in this trend through the first two weeks: Some of this could simply be by design. The Chiefs have done a good job of taking away the primary pass-catching weapons for both Lamar Jackson (Zay Flowers) and Joe Burrow (Ja'Marr Chase). When that happens, it's other players who have to step it up. When the Chiefs face a team with a tight end who is truly a focal point for the offense, perhaps they'll prepare differently.
One strategy could be to simply change up their coverage strategy to one that might be more favorable against tight end matchups. Through two weeks of play, Cover 1 20% and Cover 4 (24%) are at the highest percentages for Kansas City per Football Insights.
There's also something to be said about personnel. For a player like Justin Reid, the situation could simply be rust. He didn't play all training camp and preseason due to injury and might still be getting his legs underneath himself. They could also stand to get some different players involved in certain personnel groupings.
Fans will point to rookie S Jaden Hicks as a potential solution. Getting him involved in dime or big nickel packages could help the Chiefs with their coverage deficiency against tight ends. There also isn't a whole lot of evidence that he'll be great in 1-on-1 coverage against a tight end. Given that he flashed in the preseason in dime packages, Christian Roland-Wallace could also be utilized in that type of role. However, trusting a rookie with something like this isn't Steve Spagnuolo's modus operandi. It'd likely take a continuation of the problem for him to make any significant personnel changes.
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