The Kansas City Chiefs are 0-2 to start the 2025 season. That is, quite literally, unheard of during the Patrick Mahomes era. Going winless in the first two weeks is usually a death knell for a team's playoff hopes, much less their title chances. The Mahomes-led Chiefs have proven they can overcome the odds, but they first need to prove they can plug the holes in their play right now.
Much of the attention is, of course, pointed at the Chiefs' offense. After all, they're down two key starters, and their run game is basically non-existent at this point. However, their struggles on the defensive side of the ball need to be studied as well. A recent ESPN article points out how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's scheme seems to hurt the team more than it should.
“Though most of the conversation has revolved around a disappointing offense, the Chiefs look even more disjointed on defense right now,” Bill Barnwell's article points out. “Through two games, they rank 23rd in EPA per play allowed and 26th in QBR. Steve Spagnuolo is blitzing at the third-highest rate in the league, but his pressures are getting home at only the 23rd-highest rate. Blitzes that don't generate pressure are obviously a disaster; they turn the average quarterback into Josh Allen in terms of QBR.”
Spagnuolo has always been known for his creative defensive schemes. His calling card is his unique blitzing schemes that keep opposing offenses on edge. The Chiefs have always found success with Spagnuolo's schemes, helping them win two Super Bowls. However, the downside of these blitzes is that if they don't work, they leave a ton of space open for a quarterback to exploit.
It's worth noting that this is a small sample size: they've faced just two teams. The Chiefs had a similar blitz rate last year with significantly more success. Still, if they continue to struggle on these blitzes against the New York Giants in Week 3, Spagnuolo might need to reevaluate his scheme for this year.
