Believe it or not, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are well on their way to lifting the Super Bowl for a third consecutive time. What’s been surprising about this year’s campaign, however, is how Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce haven’t put up the same numbers they had in the past two years. So, who exactly is keeping the team afloat—and doing so quite impressively, with a 14-1 record?
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According to former Tennessee Titans star Taylor Lewan, it’s defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Lewan believes the KC Chiefs are Super Bowl-bound due to the brilliance of their DC and the solidarity he has built within the defense. While Spags hasn’t quite replicated his heroics from last season, the Chiefs are still balling, allowing just 18.5 points and 307.2 yards per game.
Spags’ coaching has helped the Kansas City Chiefs become the 5th best defense of the league in these metrics — an achievement that has gone severely under the radar. In Lewan’s eyes, “Attack wins you games, and defense wins you tournaments,” and that’s what Spagnuolo’s unit has been able to pull off.
“Spags right now is the MVP of the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s a big reason why they have a huge opportunity to three-peat and the record is the way it is,” Lewan said on the latest episode of Bussin’ with the Boys.
What’s been most impressive about Spagnuolo’s work, so far, is his ability to get results, despite the injury woes in KC. Unlike last year, when Andy Reid’s team embodied the definition of a perfect squad, this year’s Chiefs are a young group assuming responsibilities prematurely.
After L’Jarius Sneed’s trade to the Titans this year, the onus was on Jaylen Watson to lead the defense. But as has been the theme of the season, Jaylen fractured his ankle, ruling him out for the entirety of the 2024 season.
Despite the setbacks, Spagnuolo has been using youngsters like Nazeeh Johnson to keep the Chiefs’ defense afloat. While this has likely led to a lot of one-score games that Andy Reid & Co. wouldn’t have preferred, the fact that the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl race given their current situation speaks volumes about Spags’ work.
That said, pass rushing is still an issue. If things don’t improve soon, as noted in the Bussin with the Boys podcast, a team adept in turnovers like the Steelers can easily expose the defending champs’ weaknesses.
Maybe this is a reason why the Chiefs are rumored to sign D.J. Reed in the upcoming free agency window to address the issues moving forward into next season.
