John Dorsey’s ill-timed decisions are currently crippling the Kansas City Chiefs defense

Timing is everything in the NFL. From snap counts to hitting receivers in stride to getting off the line a millisecond before everyone else in the trenches, timing is obviously important on the field. Off the field, however, it’s just as important for front office personnel to read the tea leaves correctly and plan for the future by getting the timing right on each and every personnel move.

The entire Patrick Mahomes acquisition was centered on timing. Not only was the trade itself a matter of timing—not too soon and, hopefully, not too late—as John Dorsey and company waited until the perfect moment to move up to the Buffalo Bills to get their man, but even the decision to grab a franchise quarterback was timed in relation to their present and future salary cap situation, the status of their current starter Alex Smith, the present and future quarterback market and more. Each move (or decision to not make a move) has, at its core, a consideration of timing to consider.

Taking a closer look at this year’s Kansas City Chiefs defense, one thing is clear: the timing was off in its formation. John Dorsey wasn’t off by much—a single year in a few instances, and that’s it—yet it was somehow enough to skew an entire unit’s performance. How can a few miscalculations make such a difference? Timing is everything.

Let’s take a look at three ways the Chiefs mistimed some defensive decisions and how it’s led to the team’s current slide.