Defensive adjustments will be crucial for Chiefs' success vs. Ravens in AFC Championship Game
The Kansas City Chiefs are playing the best defense that they have played in a very long time.They finished the regular season ranked second in total and scoring defense, second in sacks, and fourth in pass defense. The Chiefs' defense kept its dominance rolling into the wild-card round of the postseason, smothering the high-powered Miami Dolphins defense. […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are playing the best defense that they have played in a very long time.
They finished the regular season ranked second in total and scoring defense, second in sacks, and fourth in pass defense. The Chiefs' defense kept its dominance rolling into the wild-card round of the postseason, smothering the high-powered Miami Dolphins defense. The Buffalo Bills had some early success against Kansas City's defense in the divisional round, but the Chiefs clamped down in the second half, allowing just seven points.
Second-half success has been a theme for the Chiefs defense this season. It starts with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who has been credited for making incredible halftime adjustments. One of the leaders of K.C.'s defense and signal caller Nick Bolton explained to reporters on Thursday what makes Spagnuolo a great coordinator.
“(He’s) not afraid of change. Bolton said, "He’ll change what we’ve been going through all week in the first quarter, second quarter, fourth quarter. He has this thing he says a lot, he says, ‘It’s not about who’s right, it’s about getting it right.’ So, that’s kind of the mindset we have. Throughout the game, if we feel like there’s something better that will work or can benefit us a little bit more, in the second half, we will make that adjustment. We’ll execute the game plan and find a way to keep people off the board.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who goes up against Spagnuolo's defense every week in practice, is also impressed with Spagnuolo's ability to make in-game adjustments.
“He’s done a great job his entire time here." Mahomes told reporters, "He’s really done a great job everywhere he’s been. He always coaches the defense up, and he gets guys going in the right direction. He has a track record as one of the best defensive coordinators of all time with the Super Bowls he’s won in that defensive coordinator spot. This year I think has really magnified it with how they’ve really carried us to get to this point and done a great job of being able to make in-game adjustments –that’s a huge thing and he's really good at making those adjustments, coming out and finishing the game the right way. I said it in training camp, and I’ve said it all year long, I’m glad I don’t have to go up against those guys.”
Mahomes isn't wrong about Spagnuolo being one of the best defensive coordinators of all time. Spagnuolo is a three-time Super Bowl champion as a defensive coordinator and one of the best blitz designers the game has ever seen. Now people are recognizing his ability to make huge halftime adjustments and slam the door shut on opposing offenses in the second half.
The Chiefs' defense has allowed a total of just 29 second-half points over its last seven games, an average of four points per game. It will be crucial for that trend to continue this week against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. The Ravens turned up the heat on the Houston Texans in the second half of last week's divisional playoff round, scoring 24 unanswered points.
Baltimore's offense tends to wear defenses down in the second half with its physical rushing attack. K.C.'s defense will have to be up to the challenge to match the Ravens' physicality and tackle well for four quarters. If the Chiefs are going to win this game, they will need another masterpiece from Spagnuolo, especially late in the game.
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