Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs have more questions than answers again

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Aug 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) talks with head coach Andy Reid during a time out during the first half of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

After a 1-5 start to 2015, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to turn their season around, rattling off 11 straight victories.

After an off season that saw only one prominent free agent leave (Sean Smith) while other prominent players were retained (Jaye Howard, Tamba Hali, Eric Berry) and the addition of Mitch Schwartz, things were looking up, and people were talking Lombardi Trophy. Now, as a team sits at 2-2, despite having been outplayed in conservatively 11 of the 16 quarters they have played, one has to wonder. How did we arrive at this point, again?

A reshaped defensive backfield, once thought to be a strength, has been a huge liability for the team, especially highlights the curious and disastrous selection of Kei’Varae Russell. While Marcus Peters has been an interception machine thus far through four games, he’s also had issues of allowing receivers to get behind him. In today’s NFL, that’s a reality teams and fans simply will have to live with. However, past that, there appears to be very little at the cornerback position, as is exhibited by the face that Steelers wide receivers are still running open through the secondary.

Currently, through four games, the Chiefs defense ranks 18th in points per game at 23, 20th in the league in yards per game at 370, 11th in the league in yards passing at 240.5 and 28th in yards rushing at 129.5.

Aug 10, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton watches drills at Kansas City Chiefs training camp presented by Mosaic Life Care at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Those numbers highlight a greatly concerning trend. The Chiefs defense, again, which was supposed to be the foundation of this team and allow it to win a bunch of games, is simply not getting the job done. In fact, not only are they not getting the job done, they are getting smoked. While we pat ourselves on the back for the eight turnovers this team forced against the Jets, keep in mind, the Jets were able to drive the ball. They just continued to throw the ball at either Derrick Johnson or Marcus Peters. If this team wants to avoid a season of mediocrity, this defense must change, and quickly.

Four years into a regime masterminded by Andy Reid, the offense is unimaginative and mostly ineffective. This is now a powerful offense capable of putting up a bunch of points, and rarely is it capable of long sustained drives. There is no deep passing, perhaps because the wide receivers are not getting open down the field, the offensive line (which this regime has remade and retooled) can’t sustain the blocks or perhaps Alex Smith is unwilling or unable to throw the ball deep. The running game, based to some degree perhaps on the issues with the passing game, has been ineffective, perhaps highlighting the absence of Jamal Charles.

Currently, the Chiefs rank 20th in the league in points per game at 20.8, 23rd in the league in yards per game at 338.5, 19th in the league at 248.2 and 23rd in the league rushing at 90.2.

Hopefully everyone looks at those numbers for a moment, realizing just how awful this offense has been. Much like the fact the Chiefs defense has faced limited elite opposition offensively, the defenses this offense has faced fall into the same category. A point of reference, the Steelers do not have a good defense, and they effectively blanked the Chiefs offense on Sunday night.

Oct 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) talk on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 43-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The most disturbing or troubling aspect of the Chiefs, is that quite simply, they don’t appear to be good enough to win, and do so consistently. As the numbers show, they are simply average, or below.

The question iswhat and how do the Chiefs turn around their season? I have no idea. Obviously this team needs to run the ball better. This is a team that loves screen passes far too much. When Cris Collinsworth is talking about your love of all thing screen pass, you can rest assured the rest of the league knows that as well.

Defensively, the front seven -outside of Derrick Johnson – has to step up. Tamba Hali is looking, at least when asked to play significant snaps, like the aging and declining player many viewed him to be at the end of last season. Surprising also is how bad the defensive line has performed. It should be noted the line has not performed or looked good at any point of this year, and that includes training camp and preseason games. They simply have not be up to the task. In the defensive backfield, knowing assignments and staying in coverage would be a welcome change.

With the bye week, hopefully we see some things turn around and see some changes. With high-powered offenses Oakland and New Orleans looming, the Chiefs have the opportunity to make up some ground, or bury their season early. We’ll see what happens.