‘We didn’t play well’: Chiefs defense looking for bounce-back performance against Dolphins
The Kansas City Chiefs are 2-0, but don’t expect defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to tell you everything was fine on Sunday night.
Kansas City allowed 30 points and 329 yards in Sunday’s overtime win over Indianapolis.
That’s after holding Denver to 10 points, 176 yards and just nine first downs in the opener.
“We’re probably not as good as we were in the first week and hopefully not as bad as we were in the second,” Spagnuolo said Thursday.
The difference between the two games went beyond the final score. The Colts were able to grind away on the Chiefs a bit, picking up 24 first downs and finishing 5-of-12 on third down.
Spagnuolo said the defense knew exactly what the film was going to show.
“I don’t think it’s lost on our guys in the defensive room that we didn’t play well,” he said. “I don’t think we’re going to get clouded by the fact that we ended up winning.”
There were positives from Sunday’s overtime win against the Colts.
Cornerback Kristian Fulton intercepted Daniel Jones in the first quarter, and the Chiefs came up with a stop in overtime after a 48-yard Indianapolis completion was initially ruled a fumble before being overturned.
Still, Spagnuolo said there was a qualifier attached to the win.
“I think there was a feeling in there that, ‘No, that’s not what we’re looking for,’ yeah, we won the game, but there was a big ‘but’ there. It was a good win, ‘but,’ for us anyway.”
Defensive line coach Joe Cullen saw some things he liked up front, particularly against the run.
“We’re stout, we’re physical and we grind,” Cullen said.
The pass rush is another area the Chiefs want to finish more consistently. Kansas City has three sacks through two games.
“We’ve had some consistent pressure, and it’s not always going to be a sack,” Cullen said.
But when the quarterback holds onto the football?
“You’ve got to get home.”