Chiefs Should Be Working on Their Run Defense During the Bye
by Chris Thorman on Nov 1, 2009 5:20 PM CST
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintRushing Defense
| Left End | Left Tackle | Left Guard | Up the Middle | Right Guard | Right Tackle | Right End | ||||||
| Plays: 27 | Plays: 16 | Plays: 9 | Plays: 82 | Plays: 19 | Plays: 16 | Plays: 27 | ||||||
| NFL Rank: 5 | NFL Rank: 24 | NFL Rank: 26 | NFL Rank: 1 | NFL Rank: 13 | NFL Rank: 24 | NFL Rank: 10 | ||||||
| Avg Gain: 7.41 | Avg Gain: 3.81 | Avg Gain: 4.22 | Avg Gain: 4.50 | Avg Gain: 5.58 | Avg Gain: 3.13 | Avg Gain: 4.59 | ||||||
| NFL Rank: 29 | NFL Rank: 18 | NFL Rank: 17 | NFL Rank: 23 | NFL Rank: 29 | NFL Rank: 7 | NFL Rank: 16 |
How has the Kansas City Chiefs switch to the 3-4 been so far for the run defense?
Greatly improved over last year's historic lows but still sitting in the lower third of the NFL.
Above are the ranks for the Chiefs' run defense in plays run at them by direction and amount of yards given up by direction.
For those that are chart impaired, here are a few notes:
- Opponents run up the middle against the Chiefs more than any other team
- Opponents also do pretty well rushing up the middle against us - 4.5 yards a carry
- Opponents hammer the left side of the line against the Chiefs almost more than anyone else
- Opponents average over 7 yards/carry running to that left side too
To help you visualize the line better and to spark some more conversation, here's how the Chiefs defensive line and linebackers line up:
- LE Tyson Jackson
- NT Ron Edwards
- RE Glenn Dorsey
- LOLB Mike Vrabel
- LILB Demorrio Williams
- RILB Corey Mays
- ROLB Tamba Hali
Have at it AP readers. Where are the strengths/weakness on this line? And exactly how good do you think this defense is?
Compare the chart above with the line up below and let us know what you see.
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that confuses me
I thought jackson would be on the other side LE, looking at it it gets flipped, so running to the left runs at our RE, running to the right runs at our LE…guess not.
Now I'm confused
Maybe you’re right.
Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006
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by Chris Thorman on Nov 1, 2009 5:40 PM CST up reply actions
Just took out that TJ mention just in case
Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006
Please read our community rules, netiquette rules and our technical overview before commenting.
by Chris Thorman on Nov 1, 2009 5:41 PM CST up reply actions
I agree
the way the chart is, it looks its from the offenses POV considering we’re talking about "teams rush to the Left Tackle, Left Guard, etc. So defensively, that would be the RIGHT side..and that would be Glen Dorsey/Tamba Hali’s side.
honestly...
I believe the run defense is MUCH better than the numbers indicate.
I’ve seen them stuff the run a LOT this season.
the numbers look bad because of a handfull of BIG plays (i.e. Portis’s 78 yd, Offfensive-holding assisted run
I know, you don’t get to exclude any plays, and “numbers don’t lie” blah, blah, blah
But, I think the run defense is much improved, and will evolve into a major strength of this team
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
of course, they HAVE to figure out how to cut out those big plays going forward
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
I wouldn't go as far to say much better
At least not right now. I think we’ve got some decent players for the 3-4. We should be playing better than we are.
Founded Arrowhead Pride 7/26/2006
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by Chris Thorman on Nov 1, 2009 5:42 PM CST up reply actions
Thing is,
Jackson and Dorsey are in their Rookie and Sophomore years. Historically, they play a position that typically takes 2-3 seasons to really start to become an impact player.
That, combined with the fact that Hali, DJ, Demarrio, and I believe Ron Edwards too, playing in a 3-4 defense for the first time in their careers, leads me to believe that we’re on the right track. Most teams suffer in the first year under the 3-4 right? Denver is a rare exception.
Denver is an exception...except for this week.
by Kristospherein on Nov 1, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions
Lol
Yeah..the defense looked bad this week.. but theyre still the best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed. Theyre also the 2nd best defense in points allowed. To have that kind of success with all the distractions Denver had this past offseason, AND transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4, is extremely rare. To be honest, I cant think of any other team who had a good 1st year in the 3-4.
obviously, Chris
Obviously, you wouldn’t “go so far as to say much better”
thus, your post
:)
I figured that’d cause some arguments… but, from my eye, on the majority of plays and drives… they look solid. they just seem to have a breakdown on a couple plays a game
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
A few big plays can skew some numbers, i would agree.
Don't forget to be an AP-vangelist...Tell A Friend...
Well considering that we are going up against Maurice Jones Drew who...
just rushed for 177 yards today on 8 carries, i’d say we should be working on our rushing D.
It's not their run defense
That’s the problem. Fix the offense and trust me the run defense will greatly improve. The defense is not the problem.
by raiderhater77 on Nov 1, 2009 6:21 PM CST via mobile reply actions
totally agree with this
BUT, it would be nice if we learned how to frickin’ tackle. How embarrassing is it to give Miles Austin two huge pass plays only because we haven’t learned how to tackle (amongst many other pitiful similar plays). Fundamentals, gentlemen. Fundamentals.
Air Cassel - approved for takeoff
Miles Austin is no fluke
And he has proved it every week since he joined the Dallas line up. We were just unlucky enough to witness his debut. He has led the Cowgirls in receiving every week.
But you are right about the tackling, too many missed tackles.
I'm not a smart man
When you're as inept
As the chiefs are offense every team will run all over you.
by raiderhater77 on Nov 1, 2009 6:54 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Best part about this week,
no one ran all over us, no one threw for 500 yards.
Oh, we are on the bye week, that explains our stellar week.
Seems to me to indicate lack of a NT.
And isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of how well Dorsey and Jackson are honoring the middle.
And yes, the right side of the graphic is Jackson’s side.
No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.
Kind of what I was thinking.
Big reason that many say that you need a stud NT to have a good 3-4 Defense.
The point of the DLinemen in a 3-4 in a run is to take on blockers and stuff the holes when possible
So wouldn’t it lie more on the LBs shoulders to be in position to help stop the run. Personally, I think this shows how poor our ILBs are against the run.
Have the Chiefs considered moving Larry Johnson to nose tackle or end
Maybe those 2.3 yards a rush he gets can equate to 2.3 yards up the field toward the QB
We are better than last year
Look at the goal line stops we had so far this year. we are just a couple of players away from being a good defense. our offense is where we need the most help.
by Charles # 1 chiefs fan on Nov 2, 2009 9:02 AM CST reply actions
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