Kansas City’s Pass Rush Is Alive and Well
Sep 21, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defense tackle Dontari Poe (92) leaps over Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) after sacking Tannehill during the first half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Branden Albert entered Sun Life Stadium as PFF’s No. 1 tackle. He couldn’t say the same when he left. (For the record: He’s now No. 2, but that didn’t sound dramatic enough.)
Tamba Hali victimized his longtime teammate for a sack and quarterback hurry.
On the opposite end of the line, his Kid n’ Play cohort, Justin “Hulk smash!” Houston, humbled first-round pick Ja’Wuan James. Throughout the first weeks, the rookie allowed a combined one quarterback hit and four hurries. Houston tallied a sack, hit and three hurries before the final whistle.
Meanwhile, No. 23 overall pick Dee Ford has doubled his snaps in each of the first three weeks. Despite a meager 12 plays, the pass-rushing pianist recorded two hurries, resulting in a pair of misfires from Ryan Tannehill.
Dontari Poe returned to vintage “340-pound Dancing Bear” form, registering 1.5 sacks and a blocked pass. Overall, cornerback Chris Owens’ assist bumped the unit’s sack total to four.
Schematically speaking, Andy Reid has proven that he can, to an extent, conceal any offensive blemishes. He masked shoddy blocking in Week 2 by implementing “ghost” motion, turning A.J. Jenkins into a lateral decoy. A week later, he bombarded Miami with a number of three-tight end sets. Both decisions sprung a handful of highlights.
For Bob Sutton, it’s not that easy. The pass rush is the lifeblood of the defense. If it evaporates and a 44-point offensive effort can’t notch a playoff win, then it’s time to resupply and double down, which is exactly what John Dorsey did.
In Week 3, Tannehill’s pocket looked like he played drums on a beehive. PFF’s ratings currently slot New England at No. 31 in pass blocking.
Bring your dancing shoes, Golden Boy.
Statistics provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).