As they have over the last couple of years, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing good defense this season.
The Chiefs rank fifth in the NFL in total defense and third against the run. They have also surrendered the least amount of rushing yards to the running back position than any other team in the league. However, there is one key area in which they’ve lacked compared to seasons past – and that’s sacking the quarterback.
Kansas City’s defense has recorded just 19 sacks through 10 games so far in 2024, which ranks 28th in the NFL. For comparison, it ranked second in 2023 and 2022 with 57 and 55 respectively. When asked if he was frustrated with the low sack numbers, coach Andy Reid didn’t seem overly concerned.
“Yeah, you know, I don’t have the numbers for you right in front of myself,” Reid said. “Last night (vs. Buffalo Bills) probably wasn’t as much as we’d like there, but the other games, I thought we had done pretty well with that, as far as at least with hurries for the quarterback. You know, I was pretty happy with that.”
One of the Chiefs’ biggest struggles during their 30-21 loss to the Bills in Week 11 was not being able to record a single sack on quarterback Josh Allen. Defensive linemen Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, who co-led K.C. in sacks last year with 10.5 a piece, are both behind that pace this season.
The Chiefs’ defense has done a decent job of applying pressure to quarterbacks, but more of those pressures have to result in sacks. Even when it got some pressure on Allen last week, he was able to stand tall in the pocket and complete some big time passes that went for first downs.
As we know by now, a big part of Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system is blitzing. When offenses are holding up against the blitz, it leaves K.C.’s secondary vulnerable. If opposing offenses start consistently hitting big passing plays down the field, it’s going to be tough for the Chiefs’ offense – which has struggled this season – to keep up.
