Chiefs' inability to defend tight ends should have Kyle Pitts ready to go for Falcons

The Kansas City Chiefs are off to a 2-0 start and sitting pretty in the AFC. While both of their first two games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have come right down to the wire, all that matters is that the Chiefs were able to come away with two victories. Kansas City now looks ahead to their next opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, and what the Chiefs will need to do to advance to 3-0. A big part of that plan should include having a plan to stop Falcons' tight end Kyle Pitts.

If one was to look at Kyle Pitts' stats on the year, it would be easy to overlook him. After two games Pitts has 6 receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown, not exactly a hot start. Even if you look back at his average per-season stats over the first three years of his career, he's only averaged 49.7 receptions for 683 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those are hardly elite numbers and some are even viewing this season as a make-or-break season for Pitts if he is going to stay in Atlanta. So why am I focusing in on Pitts being the key to the Chiefs winning this game against the Falcons?

The answer is pretty simple. The Kansas City Chiefs have been absolutely terrible at covering tight ends through their first two games. I don't mean that it's been a little bit of a problem. I don't mean that they've been below average at stopping opposing tight ends. I mean they have been shockingly bad and all-around awful at stopping opposing tight ends.

The Falcons are hosting the Chiefs on Sunday for a non-conference primetime showdown in Week 3.

I know what you're thinking. "Okay Chiefs blogger guy, I get that you're trying to make a point and get our attention, but it can't really be THAT bad."

Well, it has been that bad and I've got the numbers to prove it. Through two games the Chiefs have given up 25 receptions for 276 yards to tight ends. That's 12.5 receptions and 138 yards per game to tight ends. If they were to continue to allow those numbers over a 17-game season that would be 212.5 receptions and 2,346 yards.

Last season the Chiefs only gave up 3,001 passing yards total on the season. They're currently on pace to give up 78% of their total passing yards from last season to tight ends alone. Wait, it gets worse. Travis Kelce has been the most prolific pass-catching tight end in NFL history during his run in Kansas City. That run includes a string of seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. During that seven-year run, Kelce averaged 96.4 receptions and 1,229.6 yards per season.

Why do I point that out?

Well because if you double the average Kelce season over the most prolific run by a tight end in NFL history you get 192.8 receptions and 2,459.2 yards. So the Chiefs are currently on pace to give up two peak Travis Kelce seasons of tight end production in just one year to tight ends. That's absolutely bananas.

So while Kyle Pitts hasn't been setting the league on fire, he's certainly talented enough to exploit this kind of glaring weakness. The former fourth overall draft pick is still one of only two tight ends to have 1,000 yards receiving in their rookie year. A major injury and quarterback issues in Atlanta have held him back since, but the talent is still there.

It's also worth noting that it hasn't exactly been Hall of Fame caliber tight ends that have hurt KC so far. Isaiah Likely had 9 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown and is actually Baltimore's number two tight end. Cincinnati's Mike Gesicki is more of a career journeyman than an elite pass catcher and he had 7 receptions for 91 yards.

If there's one positive sign it's that Mark Andrews (the Ravens top tight end) only had 2 receptions for 14 yards in their matchup. He was clearly a priority in coverage so the Chiefs can slow down one tight end, but KC didn't seem to have an answer for Likely too. Against the Bengals, the Chiefs focused on wideout Ja'Marr Chase but didn't seem to have a good plan for any of their tight ends. Gesicki, Erick All, and Drew Sample combined for 14 receptions for 151 yards.

If the Chiefs go into this game and focus on Drake London, Kyle Pitts can absolutely keep this string of massive tight end production going. So Steve Spagnuolo needs to find a better solution to opposing tight ends. To make matters worse, the Falcons also have a great pass-catching running back in Bijan Robinson that they'll have to account for as well. Braden Holecek has a great piece up on the linebackers' shaky start to the season and that certainly factors into these issues.

Yes, the Chiefs are 2-0 and yes, the defense has played well enough overall to win so far, but opposing teams are now going to look to exploit this weakness until the Chiefs show they can stop it. That needs to start this week with Kyle Pitts. Kirk Cousins isn't fully healthy and is going to be looking to get the ball out quickly to short and intermediate route targets. If the Chiefs don't have a plan to stop that Pitts (and Bijan) could make it a long day for K.C.

So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do the Chiefs have a major problem covering tight ends this season or is this just a flukey two game stretch that won't continue throughout the season? Are you worried about Kyle Pitts this week or do you think the Chiefs will prioritize stopping him? I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments below.