Chiefs defense vows to fix big issue from Bills game: ‘We’ll get it right this week’
The Kansas City Chiefs put themselves in an early hole during last week’s loss against the Buffalo Bills.
And part of the reason for that was a blown coverage.
Late in the first quarter, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen found running back James Cook for a 25-yard touchdown after KC’s secondary failed to follow Cook out of the backfield.
The reason for the chaos this time? Some confusion about exactly who had whom.
“All of that was just communication,” Chiefs defensive back Joshua Williams said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re communicating to each other and making sure we’re getting our signals right. And just making sure we’re all on one accord.”
It’s probably more complicated than it appears from the outside.
For one, opposing offenses have been throwing a lot at the Chiefs, especially with six consecutive foes having a rest advantage over KC. That extra time can result in more plays specifically targeting the Chiefs’ defense, with many offenses frequently using motion just before the snap.
That modification often changes KC’s coverage rules. And while Williams estimates about half of the team’s practices are used each week going over these contingencies, there’s a big difference on Sundays that can’t be simulated during the week.
“There’s not tens of thousands of fans screaming,” Williams said. “Out there on the field, it’s loud, especially here at home.”
Further complicating things is the fact that defensive players can’t always stare at their defensive teammates to get the correct signals. Each guy has his pre-snap area where his eyes should be while reading the offense, so it’s often a matter of trying to accomplish two things at once when an offense moves late.
“On that field, things go fast. Motions go fast. It can get hard to make certain checks here and there,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said. “But if everybody’s on the same page and doing everything the right way, we should be in good shape.”
When talking specifically about Cook’s touchdown, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admitted his defense “just didn’t operate like we should have” on that instance.
Spagnuolo didn’t rule out other snaps, though, where it would be possible for teams to catch the Chiefs in an awkward defensive playcall. KC’s defense under Spagnuolo this season has been aggressive with blitzes, which occasionally has left defensive linemen dropping out to cover tight ends or quicker players in space.
“Sometimes, there are some things that we do — and I know it when I call it — that can be a little risky,” Spagnuolo said. “But it’s a risk-reward, right? There’s a lot of those that you may or may not know, that end up being really good for us, because it’s challenging for them (the offense).”
The Chiefs actually got away with another missed assignment on Buffalo’s go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. The Bills ran a bubble-and-go, with Gabriel Davis running wide open down the seam.
Facing a blitz and some pressure, however, Allen didn’t see him, instead lofting an incomplete pass down the sideline to tight end Dalton Kincaid.
When it comes to these types of back-end mishaps, Williams said he was “more than confident” that the Chiefs would have things fixed ahead of Sunday’s road game against the New England Patriots.
“That’s just discipline. We’ve done it before,” Williams said. “We’ll get it right this week. There’s no question at all.”
