What will Chiefs’ defense throw at Bills? With Spagnuolo, anything is possible
Mike Edwards cradled the interception ball in his left arm, standing in front of his locker as the Disciples’ dance song, “Daylight,” reverberated off the walls.
This was minutes after last week’s Chiefs’ 26-7 home playoff victory against the Miami Dolphins, and the Kansas City Chiefs safety couldn’t help but smile when asked about his second-quarter pick.
And also the crazy route he took to get it.
“Trying to disguise a little bit, trying to mess with the quarterback,” Edwards said. “The play kind of throws the quarterback off a lot, so we’ve got to keep doing that.”
Many football experts were already buzzing about what the Chiefs had just done. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, for instance, posted a video of the play on social media, showing each player’s movements represented with a dot.
The creative part was easy to see when displayed this way. Edwards (No. 21) and teammate Chamarri Conner (No. 27) rotated clock-wise like they were playing “Ring Around the Rosie” before the snap to confuse Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa.
“Finally had an opportunity to put it in the game,” Conner said this week, “so it was great.”
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says the team labels this type of movement a “Toggle.” In essence, the Chiefs changed the pre-snap picture twice on the Dolphins; they started by showing a two-high safety look, then rotated to show one guy deep and one shallow, then looped back to a two-high look at the snap.
A few seconds later, Tagovailoa sailed a pass, with Edwards cradling it deep in the secondary for the turnover.
“That was a pretty deal, man,” Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal said, after rewatching the movement in film sessions this week. “Just as a football fan, being able to see that, is really good disguise on their part.”
And it also brings up a significant point as the Chiefs prepare to play the Buffalo Bills in a Divisional Round road playoff game Sunday.
Spagnuolo — at this moment in the season — isn’t afraid to do exotic things to mess with the opposing offenses.
“It’s great to see,” Chiefs defensive lineman Mike Danna said. “Spags is a wizard, man.”
The KC defensive coordinator says he feels emboldened to dial up some crazy, given the personnel he has.
There have been times in the past, Spagnuolo said, when his players haven’t been as open to things outside their comfort zone. They might prefer to stick only with base coverages, or to execute those specialties the team practices most.
That’s not the vibe of this current Chiefs defense, however. Spagnuolo said the defense had many guys — like Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Justin Reid — with high football IQs who also embraced off-the-wall calls.
“Nick doesn’t want vanilla (defense). Drue doesn’t want vanilla. Justin Reid, those guys want to be challenged mentally,” Spagnuolo said. “They want to challenge the opponent’s offense.”
And that could be a vital factor Sunday in a game where KC enters as a 2 1/2-point underdog.
Spagnuolo said coach Andy Reid had already emphasized in a team meeting this week that it was essential for all three phases — offense, defense and special teams — to have some wrinkles ready to go.
It makes sense, considering the opponent. Buffalo and KC are plenty familiar with each other after having played earlier this season and also five other times since 2020.
Chenal said Spagnuolo’s creative calls aren’t something pulled out of nowhere. These are all pieces the Chiefs installed at some point this season, even if they haven’t always been used in a game.
In a defensive meeting early or midweek, then, Spagnuolo alerts players that they will pull from that chapter of plays as the team caters its game plan to this week’s opponent.
“So just trying to hone in on those details,” Chenal said, “that we might have not practiced for two months now.”
Spagnuolo tried another unexpected move last week that mostly went unnoticed.
On the Dolphins’ first third down of the game, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones faked going upfield before dropping back into coverage.
The play was blown dead because of a false start, but it wasn’t something Miami should’ve expected. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones had dropped back in coverage just two plays all season before that, with the last time coming in Week 7.
Chenal said that sort of call takes more than conviction from a defensive coordinator. It also takes support from team-first players, who know they are potentially putting themselves in an uncomfortable situation.
“Everybody’s eager to do something that they’re not used to doing,” Chenal said. “He (Jones) was ready.”
It begs the question: What will Spagnuolo have cooked up for the Bills this weekend? He at least mentioned this week that in addition to “Toggles,” the Chiefs also have “Spins” and “Twists” they can go to with their secondary.
And that’s not even talking about blitzes, where the Chiefs have ranked among the NFL’s best this season.
“He knows how to get after a quarterback, and we’re gonna do that on Sunday,” Danna said. “It’s gonna be exciting.”
