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From the FanPosts  -Joel

This isn't a "sky is falling" post.  It is just highlighting that Clancy Pendergast's defense has been horrendous, and we shouldn't allow perception to obfuscate the numbers nor allow Pendergast to hide behind the dismal offense.

The Chiefs defense is worse than last year, or equally as bad at best.  

Why do I say this? Let's look at the yards allowed each week:

Week 1:  Ravens -  501 yards allowed

Week 2:  Raiders - 166 yards allowed

Week 3:  Eagles* - 420 yards allowed 

Week 4:  Giants -   429 yards allowed

*McNabb and Westbrook did not play

While obviously terrible individually, they amount to 1,516 yards allowed in total. 

Now let's look at the rancid 2008 Chiefs' first 4 games, over whom we are supposedly improved:

Week 1:  Patriots* - 338 yards allowed

Week 2:  Raiders -  355 yards allowed

Week 3:  Falcons -  378 yards allowed

Week 4:  Broncos - 446 yards allowed

*Brady was knocked out of the game early in the 1st quarter

The historically awful 2008 Chiefs had given up 1,517 yards total.  1 entire yard worse than this year.

The natural counterarguments have been: 

1. "But, the offense is leaving the defense on the field too long.  They are exhausted." 

2. "We've been playing against playoff teams."

3. "It's a new scheme and it takes time to adjust."

Rebuttals after the jump.

Point 1 Rebuttal:

The supposedly "new, disciplined, and well conditioned" 2009 defense is getting defeated in the first half...before they have been worn down and become exhausted.

Through the first 4 weeks of 2009, the yards allowed by the Chiefs defense in the first half = 818 yards total

Through the first 4 weeks of 2008, the yards allowed by the Chiefs defense in the first half = 728 yards total

As for the argument that it is because the offense is so much worse than last year:

2009 Chiefs offensive yards gained in the first half through Week 4 = 379 yards total

2008 Chiefs offensive yards gained in the first half through Week 4 = 448 yards total

This year's Chiefs first half offense is only 69 yards less productive than last year's first half offense, yet the 2009 1st half defense is allowing 90 more yards in the first half. The defense is not getting off the field in the first half, before they are supposedly exhausted.  They are being defeated in the first half.

Another way of looking at it is that the 2009 1st half Chiefs defense is allowing 2.15 yards to every 1 yard the Chiefs 1st half offense gains.  The oh-so horrible 2008 Chiefs defense only allowed 1.65 yards to every 1 yard the Chiefs 1st half offense gained.

Point 2 Rebuttal:

Yes, we have played very good teams that were in the playoffs with the exception of the Raiders.  The Eagles played without their star QB and without their superstar RB, and the game was over before the half..they still dropped 420 yards on us.  The Giants dropped 429 yards and Eli Manning left due to injury 2 minutes into the 4th Quarter.

It can be argued that we played playoff teams in the first 4 weeks of last year, with the exception of the Raiders, again.  The post 18-1 Patriots with Cassel leading them to 11-5, the playoff Falcons, the 8-8 Broncos who would have been in the playoffs if not for their own absolutely horrible defense...which leads me to

Point 3 Rebuttal:

Denver is in the same new 3-4 scheme with less personnel that fit it.  They were as horrible as we were on defense last year, yet they are the #1 Defense in the NFL in this wacky 3-4 scheme.

To repeat: The already terrible Denver Broncos defense switching to a 3-4, who were widely criticized by all of the national media for not having the personnel to run a 3-4, are the #1 Defense in the NFL. 

Apparently, it doesn't take that long to not be terrible in the 3-4.

[EDIT:  I meant to mention that the low amount of yards given up to the Raiders this year is the only thing not making the 2009 numbers even worse, but considering we gave up so many to them in the numbers last year, I considered it a wash.]