The Kansas City Chiefs should be much better against the run. Our own MNChiefsfan had a nice piece on this recently looking at the various reasons why.
We can now add another reason why: Roy Miller. The Chiefs new defensive lineman spoke to the media this week and said, “I’m one of the best run stoppers in the league.”
The Chiefs are gearing up to stop the run this season. That sounds a little odd to say in 2017 when it’s a passing league but they’re not shoring up the run defense at the expense of their pass defense. They already have one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
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The Chiefs ranked 26th against the run last year. With Derrick Johnson (and Justin Houston) out, the run defense problem was really magnified. I have nightmares of Le’Veon Bell gashing the Chiefs defense in January.
Fast forward to August and DJ and Justin Houston are back. Roy Miller has been signed. And new NT Bennie Logan looks as advertised in the run defense department.
“I don’t know if I would have said this when it happened but I think Bennie Logan might be an upgrade over Dontari Poe,” the KC Star’s Terez Paylor said. “I really do. Bennie Logan, the knock on Bennie is he’s not a great pass rusher but I saw him on a one on one pass rushing drill today. He lined up as a three technique and beat the guard to the quarterback with a rip move. Just with speed and a rip move. So, I was like, huh. He’s not just a bull rush guy. Then in the goal line stuff, he’s hard to move. I think he has a chance to be really good.”
Bold prediction that shouldn’t be that bold: This is a top 15 run defense.