NEW ORLEANS — The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense tends to get most of the headlines.
Quarterbacked by a generational talent in Patrick Mahomes with a head coach in Andy Reid so committed to innovation that by at least one account he literally still draws up plays in the dirt on the fly, it’s easy to understand why.
But if the Chiefs are to emerge with a record third straight Super Bowl championship against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX, they’ll need a total team performance.
Enter the Kansas City defense, which despite being less flashy and heralded than its offensive counterpart, still brings talent as well as a clear identity to the proceedings.
That’s a reflection partly on Reid and the culture he has built in Kansas City. But on Wednesday, Reid and several players pointed to longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and his aggressive vision as being integral to their team’s success.
“Spags was able to come in (in 2019) and has done a great job with the guys,” Reid said. “I think the thing I appreciate most is watching the trust that the players have in him. That means that you’re doing a whole lot of things right.
“They trust his scheme, he’s a good teacher, they trust him as a person, knowing that he’s going to try his best to put you in the best position for your skill that he possibly can to try to highlight that.”
Star defensive end Chris Jones spoke about how their relationship has evolved, with the 65-year-old Spagnuolo moving him around more to get to the quarterback, which he loves.
“That’s my guy. He’s a spiritual muse for this team,” said Jones, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro. “I have so much love and respect for Coach Spags and also his wife. They play a huge part in the defense and the team’s success.”
Jones emphasized the family-like environment that Spagnuolo has created, wherein his wife, Maria, will regularly cook for the players.
“She’s bringing us the meatballs this week,” Jones said. “That’s pivotal to the success of the team.”
Still, beyond good vibes and meatballs, an effective coordinator also has to call the plays that allow his players to succeed. And in that realm, Spagnuolo has been pushing a lot of the right buttons of late.
His play-calling instincts came shining through in the biggest moment of the season late in the AFC Championship Game, when Spagnuolo dialed up Trent McDuffie’s number on a cornerback blitz that hurried Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen into an incompletion on fourth down.
“I love how aggressive coach Spags is. To play in a defense like that has been a lot of fun, because he’s going to utilize you in multiple ways,” McDuffie said. “It takes a little bit more discipline to really know your plays, studying to make sure you know certain situations, what we can call, knowing that he will call certain plays, and just knowing at the end of the day, he’s going to trust us to go out there and make plays.
“That gives you a lot of confidence and makes you excited to go out there and make plays for him.”
Jones, who is seeking his fourth Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs, echoed McDuffie’s appreciation for the scheme: “It keeps you on your toes as an offensive coordinator. You never know who’s dropping and who’s coming on defense.”
That creative freedom comes from not only having talented players but also having leaders in the defensive unit who can keep everyone on target.
“There’s a lot of good leadership in that locker room,” Reid said, noting that “they all bring their own personality to it.”
He listed Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton and free safety Justin Reid among the leaders who have helped to build a culture of accountability on defense and singled out Reid for his role in calling plays on the field.
“(Reid) has a good name,” Reid quipped to a round of laughs in the media room. “Justin is a smart kid and a heck of a football player. Very tough — he’ll come up and introduce himself to you aggressively. He has the aptitude to take all the stuff in that Spags throws at him and be able to make the calls back there and get people going in the right direction.”
Reid has confidence in his defensive group should the Chiefs find themselves in another close game.
“The guys, they obviously don’t give up,” Reid said. “They play four quarters.”
–David Gladow, Field Level Media
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