The Kansas City Chiefs have begun the season at 2-0. A couple of primetime home victories have set Kansas City up for a nice push going into its early bye week.
K.C.'s offense was once again exciting, with over 500 total yards against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the defense was not as sharp throughout the battle with the Colts. Jonathan Taylor ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, he had multiple chunk gains that allowed Indianapolis to extend drives when it appeared to be in a precarious position.
The Chiefs' defense still made the stops it needed to in specific situations to get the win. But based on the results against the Colts' offense, there are some questions looming for certain players. Especially at the second level of the defense, one clear difference stood out next to Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill.
Jack Cochrane's increased role
Jack Cochrane received a heavy defensive workload. The longtime special teamer still saw almost the exact same number of special teams snaps in Week 2 (25) as he did in Week 1 (23). But on defense, Cochrane registered only five reps against the Denver Broncos.
That number climbed to 26 defensive snaps for Cochrane against Indianapolis, good enough for 40 percent of the team's defensive snaps on the evening. All in all, Cochrane left a lot to be desired in the elevated spot.
Taylor was able to cruise untouched on a few runs that were washed to the outside. And it was not just a Cochrane-only issue against the pass. Yet, he was unable to read and react quickly enough to provide much resistance against routes. Daniel Jones was able to dump it off easily on short-to-intermediate throws.
Why the Chiefs need a safer bet alongside Bolton, Tranquill
How big of an issue is the Chiefs' third linebacker spot? Jeffrey Bassa is the only other linebacker on the active roster, with Cooper McDonald on injured reserve. Kansas City hardly lets him see the field at all on defense. It begs the question: Are we going to see the Chiefs look to quietly fill that third linebacker spot via an outside move? Sure, it likely would not mean adding a star-level name to the mix. Kansas City could certainly search other teams' practice squads to create competition.
The Chiefs are also getting ready to see a do-it-all running back in De'Von Achane. Miami does not possess much experience at the offensive skill positions. On the other hand, Achane is just as dangerous as a pass catcher as he is a runner. That makes the Dolphins want to put the ball in the hands of a player they trust. If Cochrane gets more run once again, improved reactions and angles will be necessary when taking on Achane.
Kansas City is also a more physical team than it was at the end of last season. We saw the Chiefs truly mix and match some defensive fronts against Denver. But against the Colts, it was more base defense up front. The Chiefs have to neutralize the run and plays that reach the second level in order to make things less stressful.
Add us as a preferred source on Google