Stop Chargers’ McConkey? Here’s Spagnuolo’s quirky way to get the message across
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs defense targets McConkey as Chargers’ top threat in season opener.
- Spagnuolo deploys full-unit awareness to neutralize Herbert-McConkey pairing.
- New cornerback Fulton helps strengthen coverage against slot-heavy McConkey.
The Chiefs’ defense knows it will have its hands full with second-year receiver Ladd McConkey when Kansas City takes the field against the Los Angeles Chargers in the season opener at São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday night.
In fact, the Chiefs are so zoned in on McConkey that he was the first slide shown in KC defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s preliminary game-plan briefing last week.
“I just put up, ‘All 22 have to be aware of where number 15 is,’ and I asked the guys if they knew what I meant by 22,” said Spagnuolo. “I was talking about 22 eyeballs, because the 11 guys — everyone, D-line included — need to know where he is. We feel that strongly about the way he can affect the game, so that’s gonna be a major, major focus.”
The Chiefs caught their first glimpse of McConkey as a rookie in Week 4 of last season, when they visited Los Angeles for a game now infamously known for marking the end of wide receiver Rashee Rice’s 2024 campaign.
After a fumble by running back Carson Steele on the Chiefs’ initial drive, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert dumped it to McConkey in the flat, and the second-rounder took it up the right sideline for a quick five yards. At second-and-8 later in the drive, McConkey came back to the line of scrimmage to haul in a ball before turning around linebacker Drue Tranquil and gaining another 15.
Herbert capped the Chargers’ opening drive with a pinpoint pass to McConkey, who dove behind two defenders while still managing to drag his toes in for what would be L.A.’s only touchdown of the game in a 17-10 Chiefs victory. McConkey finished with a team-leading five catches for 67 yards and the lone score.
“Over the things that I’ve seen, I really like how he plays,” cornerback Trent McDuffie said after recently reviewing the film. “His space separation out of the breaks, really good routes, and you can just tell his timing with Justin Herbert over the course of the year really got better and better, so he’s a really good receiver. And I think he’s gonna be a really good challenge for us on the back end to kind of go out there and see what we’re about.”
By the time the Chiefs and Chargers met up again in Week 14, McConkey had transitioned from a mere rookie to watch to a true household name, coming in with 58 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns. In the leadup to the rematch, Kansas City’s entire focus had reportedly shifted to stopping him from ruining the game.
Unfortunately for McConkey, he could not push through shoulder and knee issues and was a late scratch for the contest — an obvious relief point for KC in what would play out as a 19-17 victory for the Chiefs.
Given the challenge with McConkey now healthy, Spagnuolo is using everything at his disposal to prepare to curb the Herbert-McConkey connection. This offseason, cornerback Kristian Fulton came over to the Chiefs from the Chargers, and he was more than willing to share his insight now that he’s shed his powder-blue.
“We need to know where (McConkey) is at every play,” Fulton said, “because he’s their number one guy, go-to guy.
“We know he’s going to be the main target for Justin, but overall (he’s) just a great player. Made a name for himself last year, and obviously they’re going to find ways to get him the ball. We’ve just got to be aware of situationally where he is and pointing him out.”
Fulton’s role stands to extend beyond just calling out tendencies. The Chiefs acquired him so he and Jaylen Watson can manage the outside, allowing McDuffie to dedicate more attention to McConkey, who spent roughly 65% of his snaps in the slot last season.
McConkey is far from Kansas City’s only problem, given the rookie additions of running back Omarion Hampton in the first round and receiver Tre Harris in the second. Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston has high expectations on him in his third season, and notorious Chiefs killer Keenan Allen recently returned following a stint with Chicago.
All that considered, the Chiefs’ defensive strategy remains straightforward: stop McConkey and win the football game. Per Spagnuolo, that will take all 22.
Twenty-two eyeballs.
