Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo's superpower is Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud's kryptonite

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo has become known for creating some of the most diabolical blitzes in football during his tenure in Kansas City. That could be crucial in Week 16 when his defense faces Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Chiefs blitzed the QB at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo has become known for creating some of the most diabolical blitzes in football during his tenure in Kansas City. That could be crucial in Week 16 when his defense faces Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Chiefs blitzed the QB at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL this season (36.5%). They've generated a 45.1% pressure rate when doing blitzing, which is good for a 17.7% increase against their pressure rate when not (27.4%) blitzing the quarterback. The 17.7% increment is the third-largest positive increase in the NFL, per NGS. 

Where Spagnuolo really thrives is finding a way to generate unblocked pressures. The Chiefs have generated the second-most unblocked pressures in the NFL this season (52). But 43 of those unblocked pressures have come on blitzes, which NGS rates as the most in the NFL. This has been a superpower of Spagnuolo's for years as the Chiefs have generated unblocked pressures on blitzes at a top 5 rate in each season since 2019, when he first arrived as the team's defensive coordinator. 

This could prove instrumental in the team's success against Stroud on Sunday, who has struggled against the blitz this season, especially with some moving parts on the Texans' offensive line. 

According to NGS, Stroud has been pressured on half of his dropbacks against the blitz during the 2024 NFL season (fourth-highest). That includes an 11.5% sack rate on such dropbacks (fifth-highest). The Texans have also allowed a league-high 49 unblocked pressures, 30 of which came on blitzes (sixth-most). 

Spagnuolo is going to have a chance to go into his bag in this game against Houston and do what he loves to do most. Stroud has been sacked 45 times this season, which is the second-highest mark of any NFL quarterback. Check out this cut-up of sacks from KSHB-TV sports producer extraordinaire Nick Jacobs. 

The Chiefs can certainly apply pressure with four now that Charles Omenihu is back in the mix. Playing at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will also help achieve that goal. But the defense will also have plenty of opportunities to send some extra pressure, especially with some twists, games, and looping blitzes. That might be where they see the most success against Stroud on Saturday.

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