Another look at our Defense (and what we need to do to fix it).

We all know how bad we've gotten.  We've read the Historical posts here, or here, We've analyzed, bemoaned, condemned, heed, hawed, decried, and sobbed.  We've thrown things at the TV, and swore up and down as we realized that was actually the family heirloom statuette that Aunt Millie just gave to us, and now not only is it busted but so is the TV.  Which means we have to jump online, and hope beyond hope that we can find some (ahem) less than legal site streaming the game.   Only to watch out beloved Chiefs screw the pooch again.  We have condoled one another, and drank our Kool Aid (and if you have somehow been in a cave, look up my man Porkchop and you'll figure it out, or search out my other main man Krayfish, and get your reality check).   

But what I haven't seen a lot of (asides from in the comments), is what we really need to fix up our pathetic Defense.  And I'm not talking about a play maker - that one mythical being that will right the sinking ship.  No I'm talking numbers.  I'm talking about what our D needs to do, to become, in order to get our Team back to their rightful position; on top of the AFC West and the Division. 

So with that in mind, fearless readers, jump with me to check out how our teams D has done under three different coaches, and what we need to do to get back where we belong.

Ok, so here's what I did.  I looked back at the past 3 major coaches to have left their mark on our fair organization.  And for the sake of full disclosure - I used www.pro-football-reference.com as my source.  And yes, that also means I left out Gunther. 

I compared Passing Yards Allowed, Running Yards Allowed, Total Yards/Game, and the Take away/Give away.  I also have bolded each year we had a playoff appearance and Italicized the Divisional Wins.  My table was a lot prettier in Word but the formatting didn't work when I posted it.  Sad.

Year    P Y/G    R Y/G        Total  AVG     +/-
1990    229        103            331            +26
1991    221        111            332            +11
1992    183        112            295            +18
1993    211        101            312            +10
1994    219        108            327            +12
1995    223        83              306            +12
1996    233        104            337            +3
1997    226        101            327            +14
1998    203        117            320            +1
                                                    321

2001    212        134            346            -7
2002    274        129            403            +16
2003    257        147            404            +19
2004    278        115            393            -6
2005    241        98              339            +8
                                                   377

2006    220        120            340            +4
2007    204        130            334            -11
2008    238        158            396            +5
                                                  357

2009    234        163            397            +1

The first thing that sticks out to me is the Take away/Give away margin.  Look at it under Marty's reign - In any of our playoff runs we were NEVER in single digits. EVER.   7 our of 9 years we had double digit take aways and 7 out of 9 years we were in the playoffs.  We NEVER averaged allowing anyone to run on us for more than 112 yrds/game per season, nor to throw on us more than 229years/game/season.  

Now compare those numbers with Vermeil's tenure: not only was our D exponentially worse but in the one Playoff run we had, even with the extra 80 yards/game allowed (as compared to the average) the takeaway/give away was, gasp, in the double digits.   

 Rule number 1; GET OUR DEFENSE INTO THE DOUBLE DIGITS IN  TAKEAWAY / GIVEAWAY.

Now compare with Herms teams.  His average yards/game that we allowed was actually better than Vermeils but his +/- was way worse.  And I will venture to argue that the year Herm's team got into the playoffs, all the chips fell as they needed to, the odds of which were astronomical (Denver had to lose to San Francisco, Cincinnati had to lose to Pittsburgh, and New England had to win as well!).  All of which did happen.  And as much as I was jumping in and out of my seat cuz that was a straight out of a Rocky come from behind, turn of events; we snuck in that year, we didn't earn it, and our record reflected that.  As did the following years worth of records (9 - 7 in 05, 9 wins in the following 3 years!). 

To be honest, Vermeil's D is not what I want to get back to either.  He had a helluvan Offense.  But letting other teams average 377 yards/game is not acceptable.  And with a D like that we only made it to 1 playoff appearance in 5 years. 

And if we look at this years Defense?  Well I realize we have been having a heated debate back and forth on AP about whether or not our D is worse than in years past.  And strictly going by the numbers, I hate to break it, but we are.  Worse.  Way worse.  20 yards/game worse than Vermeil's Average.  80 yards/ game worse than Marty's. So,

Rule number 2; LIMIT YOUR OPPONENTS TO LESS THAN 320 YARS /GAME.

No more games where we give up 200 yards of rushing (Oh my God, 286? Are you kidding me?) !  No more games where we give up 300 or 400 yards passing!  No more.  I don't want anymore 1 and dones.  Period.  What I want is a D that had attitude.  I want a D that pulverizes.  If the saying that Offense wins Games but Defense wins Championships is true.  Then to make that happen, we need a D that averages less than 320 yards/game allowed and has a double digit turnover margin.

Alright AP'ers have at it.  What do you think?