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Alex Smith and Andy Reid bring Chiefs the bye week blues

By Ryan Tracy

Aug 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) talks with head coach Andy Reid during a time out during the first half of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) talks with head coach Andy Reid during a time out during the first half of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James (81) celebrates a touchdown in front of Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker (38) during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James (81) celebrates a touchdown in front of Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker (38) during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports /

Coverage Confusion

The Pittsburgh crash was even more negative than the New York pick-fest was positive. What had looked like an elite secondary against a hapless Ryan Fitzpatrick one week before, looked like a train wreck in progress against Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers quarterback capitalized on over-aggressive secondary and it got ugly.

Yes, the corners were young, inexperienced and toasted by the Steelers receivers’ speed. The more surprising fact was that the safety play was atrocious as well. Eric Berry still looks out of place as deep safety. Dan Sorensen is still a liability in coverage. Even Ron Parker, whose play has been top notch in three of four games, was pulled out of position in Pittsburgh.

The common thread could be communication. Two plays stand out in my eyes that explain that the communication is not there for this defense. Whether its player-player talk on the field or Bob Sutton and Al Harris getting the correct calls to the players. They cannot fix their pass defense without fixing the communication.

Here, the deep safeties, Berry and Parker, drop as though the call is Cover 3. The problem is that the two underneath defenders drop into short zones as though they are playing Cover 2. It left one deep third unmanned and Berry let the receiver cross his zone without challenging the route.

Here, Ron Parker is already at a disadvantage in coverage. Brown is faster than Parker. Ford is set to drop into coverage (don’t even get me started on that) and the two are not coordinating. Brown wisely uses Ford as a screen and gains a step the shallow cross. If Ford and Parker are on the same page, Ford jams the receiver and destroys the plays timing, while giving Parker a chance to get in his hip pocket.

Stat of the Week

Twelve. Yes, the Kansas City chiefs gave up 12 chunk plays to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those are plays of 15 yards or more. They eat up yardage as well as a defense’s confidence and the Steelers had a ton of them.

Kansas City had a season high seven of there own. the problem is that against Pittsburgh they were unable to keep up. Ending up -5 in chunk plays is the type of deficit this team is not built to overcome.

AFC West Power Rankings

Chiefs Flip flop with Oakland after week 4 in the AFC West. If the teams played today on a neutral field, this is how its plays out at this point in the season.

I’ll be back next week with my first quarter Chiefs Things I Think column. What do you think Addicts…

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