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How Steve Spagnuolo’s defense could look with Kansas City Chiefs

By Grant Tuttle

GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 16: Head coach Steve Spagnuolo of the St. Louis Rams looks on from the sidelines against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 16, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers beat the Rams 24-3. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 16: Head coach Steve Spagnuolo of the St. Louis Rams looks on from the sidelines against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 16, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers beat the Rams 24-3. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 11: Head Coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles shakes hands with Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo of the St. Louis Rams after a game at the Edward Jones Dome on September 11, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles defeated the Rams 31-15. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 11: Head Coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles shakes hands with Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo of the St. Louis Rams after a game at the Edward Jones Dome on September 11, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles defeated the Rams 31-15. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images) /

Final Reflection and Facts

To me, Steve Spagnuolo was a good choice. Maybe not to the same extent that it could have been with Rex Ryan or Jack Del Rio, but a solid choice that we should have all seen coming. Spags is from the Andy Reid tree and they worked together in Philadelphia. He should have been believed the front runner from the moment that Sutton was fired. It simply makes too much sense. Spagnuolo will use players to their strength and demand respect. I believe he can get the best out of his players.

While you may hear a group of people on Twitter calling this a bad move, consider their options. They were late in the game because they made the AFC title game. The great candidates were already hired for the most part. The best options available were the former head coaches. The Chiefs got one of them and you should be happy about it. I have heard a lot of people complain about his statistics. So, let’s dive in:

As a defensive coordinator Spag’s defenses looked like this:

2007:

7th yards allowed, 17th points allowed, 22nd in takeaways, 8th against the run, 11th against the pass.

Best players: Michael Stahan, Osi Umenyiora, Antonio Pierce, Mathias Kiwanuka

Perhaps the most storied season of Steve Spagnuolo’s career was 2007. Eli Manning and the underdog Giants defeated the previously unbeaten Patriots in the Super Bowl. Spagnuolo’s defense was tasked with stopping an offense highlighted by Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker. They were up to that task and held Tom Brady to a mere 266 yards on 48 attempts and sacked him five times.

2008:

5th yards allowed, 5th points allowed, 20th in takeaways, 8th against the run, 8th against the pass

Best Players: Mathias Kiwanuka DE, Justin Tuck DE, LB Antonio Pierce, Corey Webster CB

This team got off to a hot start and finished the season 12-4. Spagnuolo’s defense was pretty consistent throughout the year; Allowing just two teams to score 30+ points on them all season. Justin Tuck led the team with 12 sacks as the team ultimately came up short in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. They lost to the Andy Reid-led Philadelphia Eagles, 23-11. Spagnuolo would be hired as the St. Louis Rams head coach the following year.

2012:

32nd yards allowed, 31st points allowed, 12th in takeaways, 32nd against the run, 31st against the pass

Best players: Cameron Jordan DE, Curtis Lofton LB, Roman Harper S, Malcolm Jenkins CB

These players are pretty good, but this season was Bountygate which featured a suspended head coach in Sean Payton. The Saints were not in a good position to succeed as their defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was also suspended. Spagnuolo was placed in as the DC in a pinch and nothing went well for the Saints that season.

2015:

32nd yards allowed, 30th points allowed, 6 in takeaways, 24th against the run, 32nd against the pass

Best Players: Landon Collins S, Jonathan Casillas LB, Jasper Brinkley LB, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie CB,

The defensive backfield was not bad and Landon Collins was a rookie. The rest of the defense was void of real actual talent. Their sack leader, Robert Ayers, finished with 9 while no one else had any more than three. Spagnuolo was coaching a defense that lacked a lot of athleticism and ability and it showed.

2016:

10th yards allowed, 2nd points allowed, 11th takeaways, 3rd against the run, 23rd against the pass

Best Players: Landon Collins S, Damon Harrison DT, Olivier Vernon EDGE, Janoris Jenkins CB, Jason Pierre-Paul DE

This was the season before the demise of the Giants and Ben McAdoo. The Giants went 11-5 and the outlook going forward was mostly positive. Unfortunately, the team collapsed the following year and Spagnuolo had to take over as the teams interim head coach. Spagnuolo’s defense was very good in 2016, but he had very talented players.

Final Analysis:

I believe that Steve Spagnuolo is a better coach than some of these numbers indicate. If he is given talent, especially in the front seven, he will succeed. I expect Spagnuolo’s first year in Kansas City to take a lot of people by surprise.

Next. The Chiefs QB plan will be hard for teams to mimic. dark

After sitting out of the NFL for a season, he will be refreshed and ready to take over a new defense. I believe he will have new plans and will implement them in order to put defenders in the best position to succeed. The Chiefs are trusting Spagnuolo to just make the defense a serviceable one. I believe that at the very least, he can do that.

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