FanShot

Crennel's defense is chief reason for Kansas City's turnaround

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"The loss of safety Eric Berry robbed the Chiefs of their most important defender. Crennel took full advantage of the second-year man's athleticism and versatility. Berry would cover receivers and tight ends in the slot, but also creep near the line of scrimmage to become an extra defender in the running game. His ability to seamlessly switch roles was a vital part of the Chiefs' game plan and it took several weeks for the defensive architect to figure out how to compensate for the loss. Crennel inserted veteran safety Jon McGraw into the starting lineup and he has responded in a big way. As the hybrid safety in the back end, he floats between the deep middle and box area based on the opponent's tendencies. Although he lacks the athleticism and explosiveness of Berry, his savvy allows him to deliver big plays." In other words, while McGraw is no Berry, he's still not the terrible player that many on AP want to insinuate that he is.