The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team, but it’s not their offense that has been carrying them this season.
The Chiefs are averaging 25.4 points per game, which is certainly a good total (it ranks 10th in the NFL), but they have only allowed 18.4 points per game, fourth-fewest in the league. KC’s defense should not be overlooked.
“They’ve been in a lot a closer games this year,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday. “They’ve had some injuries like all of us. They’re playing really, really well on defense. What’s interesting sometimes is historically speaking, many of you’ve covered this league for a long time and if I asked you about the [Joe] Montana or the Steve Young 49ers, we all think of the offense always. Those guys had fantastic defenses, and I would say this team we’re playing has got a real good defense. We’ve got a ton of tape, obviously a divisional opponent on the road. We’re going to have to have a good week, and we’re going to have to play well.”
The Chiefs’ defense has allowed 293.6 passing yards (fifth) and 83.9 rushing yards (third) per game this season. The unit has 17 sacks and eight takeaways through eight games. KC’s defense is coached by Steve Spagnuolo, a four-time Super Bowl champion who goes way back with Payton.
“Listen, he’s a fantastic coach,” Payton said of Spagnuolo. “The late Jim Johnson, who some of you might remember, was one of our best defensive coordinators this league has seen. He was in Philadelphia and Steve cut his teeth under Jim. They’re going to apply pressure. It’s not just going to be on third down. It can be the weak linebacker in the corner. So a lot of fire zone coverage, a lot of man, and he saw it firsthand.
“Jim was someone that just really believed in stressing you in a lot of different ways. Now, that all being said, Steve’s put his spin on it. They’ve played really good technique; they’re smart; they’re near the top of the league in giving up explosives. Sometimes when you’re trying to apply pressure, you might get hit for the big play, but these guys are extremely well coached, and they’re a challenge.”
Spagnuolo landed with the Eagles one season after Payton left Philadelphia’s staff. He was later the Saints’ defensive coordinator in 2012 (when Payton served a full-season suspension for Bountygate). The veteran coach knows how to take away a team’s strengths, something Denver needs to be wary of this week.
“They do a really good job of finding your strengths and weaknesses and trying to exploit them,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “It’s something that we have to know and be aware of, especially with us having a rookie quarterback. They’re going to try and test him and just see how much film is he watching and how prepared is he going to be?
“I have no lack of faith of Bo [Nix] being prepared, this offense being prepared, this defense being prepared and everyone being prepared to go in and take care of business. We have to be on our p’s and q’s to be able to go in there and knock off the defending Super Bowl champs at home.”
Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). Playing at home, KC is considered a heavy favorite against the Broncos.
