Chiefs hire Steve Spagnuolo as new defensive coordinator

[TLO]

The #Chiefs are hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator, sources say. The former #Giants DC and interim HC/#Rams HC began his NFL coaching career as an #Eagles assistant under Andy Reid. Now rejoins Big Red in KC.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 24, 2019

[BleedingRed]

Seriously tho,

20+ years in the NFL and he has had a top defense how many times. He makes adjustments, but he DOESN'T adapt his scheme to his players strengths.

That is my biggest issue with Spags. His unwillingness to adjust his scheme to his players.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I'm really interested in what you guys think this tired scheme is exactly.

Same.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

I'm sorry but how many years does Spags need and how many drafts before his defense approaches top 10?

You want our defense to be top 10? And pay mahomes? And get stud OTs? And make sure our interior OL stays great? And get pass rushers? And get the experience we need in the secondary?

We need our Defense to be good enough. In more than half the games over the last 2 seasons they did more than their part to win games for us. This season they have won several games for us. Apart from buffalo last year they have mostly been solid in the playoffsand have had several big league playoff performances. We've been inconsistent this year. Guess what, that's what happens when over half of the starters has minimal playing experience.

I get if people think we can do better. I'm torn on that too. But the narrative that spags D has consistently underperformed and underachieved is hogwash. Or that he is too stuck in his own ways, nevermind that he made enormous adjustments our super bowl year which swung us a super bowl. Or that this Defense is stale even though we've had plenty of successes and showed a willingness to adjust. We have largely been more than good enough to win games when we absolutely needed it.

So yeah, he deserves scrutiny but he has more than earned the leeway to figure things out especially in a year where he has a wildly inexperienced defense.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

Seriously tho,

20+ years in the NFL and he has had a top defense how many times. He makes adjustments, but he DOESN'T adapt his scheme to his players strengths.

That is my biggest issue with Spags. His unwillingness to adjust his scheme to his players.

I'll assume you're joking or you haven't actually watched the Chiefs the past 3+ years.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

You're getting very emotional about this.



Some defensive coordinators thrive in keeping things as simple as possible, letting players play fast. An example would be Buffalo and Leslie Frazier.

The NFL has moved back towards favoring simple schemes, play fast. I do think these type of defenses will do better in the regular season right now.

Spags complexity and blitzing is harder for players to run without mistakes, I think most would agree with that.

Where Spags can be useful is playoff games because just running simple and playing fast might not be enough then.

With all the young players we have on D, I actually think we are on schedule right now.

I have more issues with the FO on this than Spags as I wanted more than 1 vet DL. And of course there were some here who claimed we couldn't add anyone else because we had so much young DL talent ready to blossom.

That line of thinking looks dead wrong right now.

This sounds mostly right. The edge rusher is something that worries me too. Usually the chiefs do a good job midseason making moves based on adjustments they need to make. Their hard work trying to find pass rushers and receivers through trade seems to indicate they know of the problem.

I think there are a few things to consider....
First, we are the hunted and it seems this off-season teams were trying to outspend us or block us from getting the talent we need. Lesson learned.

Second, I think the chiefs in many ways view this as a transition year and didn't even expect we would be successful. It's not the worst idea. The bills and chargers and Bengals are riding super cheap contracts. Otherwisw we coiodve easily traded for... Say... Brian burns. We didn't treat the midseason with code red emergency and I get that would rub some the wrong way. But there's some logic to it.

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

This sounds mostly right. The edge rusher is something that worries me too. Usually the chiefs do a good job midseason making moves based on adjustments they need to make. Their hard work trying to find pass rushers and receivers through trade seems to indicate they know of the problem.

I think there are a few things to consider....
First, we are the hunted and it seems this off-season teams were trying to outspend us or block us from getting the talent we need. Lesson learned.

Second, I think the chiefs in many ways view this as a transition year and didn't even expect we would be successful. It's not the worst idea. The bills and chargers and Bengals are riding super cheap contracts. Otherwisw we coiodve easily traded for... Say... Brian burns. We didn't treat the midseason with code red emergency and I get that would rub some the wrong way. But there's some logic to it.

Spags is the perfect coordinator to have against Josh Allen and last I checked they were one of the main teams we will have to take out for the next 3-5 years.

Last year Spags was ready to make Allen's head spin.

Daboll brilliantly told Allen in prep for KC to immediately take the checkdown anytime he was confused. If you remember how that game started, Buffalo fans were irate with how conservative their offense was.

That was brilliant coaching by Daboll to not let Allen make the big mistake as he still struggles with post-snap adjustments and Spags can really force that issue.

Once badger left we were forced to go vanilla and Buffalo opened up on us.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

Seriously tho,

20+ years in the NFL and he has had a top defense how many times. He makes adjustments, but he DOESN'T adapt his scheme to his players strengths.

That is my biggest issue with Spags. His unwillingness to adjust his scheme to his players.

What scheme would you say would be best for a defense in which your front four cannot generate pressure?

I would say you'd have to blitz a lot, but that's just me.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

What scheme would you say would be best for a defense in which your front four cannot generate pressure?

I would say you'd have to blitz a lot, but that's just me.

They were able to pressure yesterday and Russell probably had his best game of the season

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

You're getting very emotional about this.



Some defensive coordinators thrive in keeping things as simple as possible, letting players play fast. An example would be Buffalo and Leslie Frazier.

The NFL has moved back towards favoring simple schemes, play fast. I do think these type of defenses will do better in the regular season right now.

Spags complexity and blitzing is harder for players to run without mistakes, I think most would agree with that.

Where Spags can be useful is playoff games because just running simple and playing fast might not be enough then.

With all the young players we have on D, I actually think we are on schedule right now.

I have more issues with the FO on this than Spags as I wanted more than 1 vet DL. And of course there were some here who claimed we couldn't add anyone else because we had so much young DL talent ready to blossom.

That line of thinking looks dead wrong right now.

Simple how exactly?

We ran a lot of quarters first half against Cincinnati, looked like to me. Can't get much more simple than that; although like anything there are rules to that coverage that can be exploited 1)by an elite QB with time to throw and 2)an elite WR corps. Oh look at that! We got torched first half, and we got nothing pressure wise from the front four.

So second half, we ran more man and blitzed. Actually, I guess man is about the simplest defense you could dial up. Better, but scary. So I'm not sure exactly what you think we should do except 'be comfortable with shell', which is about the most generic thing anyone could possibly say in the hopes that someone else might think they know what they're talking about.

I'm not emotional at all other than being irritated by nonsensical, generic rage that 'this defense should be better, and Spags should be fired!!'

Yeah, well, I'm still waiting for anyone to offer up exactly what this magical scheme that plays to the strengths of his players better and will be successful when we can't get consistent pressure with our front four.

Because from where i'm sitting, when you have 3 lanky, fast corners and a technician like McDuffie, man coverage and sending heat is kind of your best bet-IF you're unable to generate pressure with your front four. Which we're not.

You want to sit in shell and watch opposing QB's get eight seconds in the pocket every down? I think that's a bad idea.

Spags has blitzed from everywhere (hey, did you notice that Willie Gay's pick 6 was on a blitz? It's true! That's why he was four feet from the QB! Wild!) In fact, almost all of the sacks and pressures came that way this week-even when they were credited to the defensive linemen. It was usually an overload of one side, the middle, or the other with blitzers. Sometimes it works! Sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't it looks bad.

But I've been asking all day for someone to tell me what exactly we should be doing differently except being more successful.

With three rookie corners, a rookie LB, and a rookie S3. Oh, and did I mention Chris Jones and a collection of defensive linemen that cannot win one on one?

We're playing all of these rookies in the back 7, and our line leaves us no choice but to leave them manned up, so we can blitz to get some pressure. That's the reality. It is what it is.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by New World Order

They were able to pressure yesterday and Russell probably had his best game of the season

almost all blitzes.

Even the sacks that went to d-line were mostly blitzes. Karlaftis I think was rushing 4, and was an effort sack.

Russell's yards on the ground? Well, when you're in man, your secondary is running with receivers with their back turned so it's easy for the QB to run.

In that 5 minute, 21 point run the Donks had there, we just flat didn't get to him with 4.

[MahomesMagic]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

Simple how exactly?

We ran a lot of quarters first half against Cincinnati, looked like to me. Can't get much more simple than that; although like anything there are rules to that coverage that can be exploited 1)by an elite QB with time to throw and 2)an elite WR corps. Oh look at that! We got torched first half, and we got nothing pressure wise from the front four.

So second half, we ran more man and blitzed. Actually, I guess man is about the simplest defense you could dial up. Better, but scary. So I'm not sure exactly what you think we should do except 'be comfortable with shell', which is about the most generic thing anyone could possibly say in the hopes that someone else might think they know what they're talking about.

I'm not emotional at all other than being irritated by nonsensical, generic rage that 'this defense should be better, and Spags should be fired!!'

Yeah, well, I'm still waiting for anyone to offer up exactly what this magical scheme that plays to the strengths of his players better and will be successful when we can't get consistent pressure with our front four.

Because from where i'm sitting, when you have 3 lanky, fast corners and a technician like McDuffie, man coverage and sending heat is kind of your best bet-IF you're unable to generate pressure with your front four. Which we're not.

You want to sit in shell and watch opposing QB's get eight seconds in the pocket every down? I think that's a bad idea.

Spags has blitzed from everywhere (hey, did you notice that Willie Gay's pick 6 was on a blitz? It's true! That's why he was four feet from the QB! Wild!) In fact, almost all of the sacks and pressures came that way this week-even when they were credited to the defensive linemen. It was usually an overload of one side, the middle, or the other with blitzers. Sometimes it works! Sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't it looks bad.

But I've been asking all day for someone to tell me what exactly we should be doing differently except being more successful.

With three rookie corners, a rookie LB, and a rookie S3. Oh, and did I mention Chris Jones and a collection of defensive linemen that cannot win one on one?

We're playing all of these rookies in the back 7, and our line leaves us no choice but to leave them manned up, so we can blitz to get some pressure. That's the reality. It is what it is.

You're being emotional because you just saw my user name and started fuming and yelling at me even though as far as I can tell I am basically agreeing with you.

I have not called for Spags to be fired at any point this year.

Now with regards to just yesterday, I did think that Spags would blitz too much and it would cost us because that is exactly what you don't do against Wilson.

That's why I expected the Broncos to score 20+ before the game started.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

This sounds mostly right. The edge rusher is something that worries me too. Usually the chiefs do a good job midseason making moves based on adjustments they need to make. Their hard work trying to find pass rushers and receivers through trade seems to indicate they know of the problem.

I think there are a few things to consider....
First, we are the hunted and it seems this off-season teams were trying to outspend us or block us from getting the talent we need. Lesson learned.

Second, I think the chiefs in many ways view this as a transition year and didn't even expect we would be successful. It's not the worst idea. The bills and chargers and Bengals are riding super cheap contracts. Otherwisw we coiodve easily traded for... Say... Brian burns. We didn't treat the midseason with code red emergency and I get that would rub some the wrong way. But there's some logic to it.

Where are people getting this nonsense? Was Burns traded? If not, then he clearly wasn't going to be traded "easily." I have no idea what reality some of you all are residing in.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I'd be interested in knowing what our defensive stats looked like yesterday PRIOR to the first interception (that put them back on the field in denver without much rest).

[Molitoth]

Originally Posted by MahomesMagic

Now with regards to just yesterday, I did think that Spags would blitz too much and it would cost us because that is exactly what you don't do against Wilson.

Unfortunately if you cannot get to the QB with 4, you have to send 5, and if you can't get there with 5, you have to send 6.

You could have Deion Sanders x4 in the secondary and those clones would still get burnt if you give a QB/WR that much time.

Fact is, our Dline are failing their 1x1 matchups, while other teams are getting pressure on Mahomes with 3 vs 5. It's quite pathetic.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Where are people getting this nonsense? Was Burns traded? If not, then he clearly wasn't going to be traded "easily." I have no idea what reality some of you all are residing in.

The chiefs gave enormous trade comp for Frank Clark and obj. Theres no reason to believe kc couldn't offer something aggressive or that Carolina wouldn't entertain it. We stayed disciplined this season because we don't have red fire emergency to win now at all costs. We are in a new world where we can afford to be much pickier.