Ranking the biggest disappointments for the KC Chiefs in 2020
By Byron Smith
5. The Chiefs’ linebackers continue to struggle
The linebackers are the weakest positional group on the defensive side of the ball for the Chiefs, which is saying something when Week 4 saw them starting Rashad Fenton and an injured Charvarius Ward at corner.
With 5 missed tackles, a 75% completion rate allowed (15 completions on 20 targets),and 1 passing touchdown allowed, the linebackers haven’t exactly excelled as a group in 2020. They have only 2 sacks despite the Chiefs blitzing on 40% of defensive snaps, with no hurries and only three pressures total. This does even account for tackles that have been broken, which we can assume that Ben Niemann has many.
Speaking of Niemann, he has allowed the highest passer rating of any other player on the team at 155.8 (perfect is 158.3 for persepective), while Anthony Hitchens allows the third highest at 100.3. Niemann has allowed the second most yards receiving on the team at 121 (70 YAC due to his high missed/broken tackle percentage), despite have less than a third of the targets (9) of Fenton who has the most yards allowed at 170 on 24 targets (only allowed 13 completions).
With the secondary playing out of their mind right now, despite being beaten up/suspended, and the defensive line picking up right where they left off at the end of the 2019 season, the linebackers really need to pick it up and help round out what could be a seriously elite defense.