For the first time in the Andy Reid era, the sky is falling in Western Missouri. The Kansas City Chiefs are on the outside of the playoff picture and will enter Week 14 at 6-6, four games out of first place in the AFC West.
The problem, clearly, isn’t quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In a year where the margins have grown slimmer and luck has left the building, it has been his supporting cast that has let him down. That is headlined by a defense that ranks 21st in EPA/Play and success rate.
Steve Spagnuolo Reveals Key to Kansas City Chiefs’ Struggling Defense
Ahead of Kansas City’s do-or-die clash with the Houston Texans, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo opened up about the weaknesses of his unit.
“There’s obvious ones that we think about… It’s either not a good call, or they make a good play, or somebody is not in the right position… third down overall needs to be better in my opinion,” Spagnuolo said, via Charles Goldman.
The Chiefs’ defensive struggles have opened the door for upsets, and three contests of at least 28 points (against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys) have all resulted in losses.
This is a new reality for Kansas City, and one that threatens its dynasty. The duo of Reid and Spagnuolo gave the Chiefs schematic advantages on both sides of the ball. But as Reid’s offense has stagnated on the ground, defenses have followed in Spagnuolo’s aggressive footsteps. Subsequently, offenses are better prepared for his pressure packages, particularly on third downs.
This year, when the Chiefs blitz, they are…
31st in yds/play
28th in pressure rate
31st in sack rateFrom 2022-2024, they ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd in those metrics. pic.twitter.com/LMpqVmCOLH
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) December 4, 2025
“They’ve gone from being one of the best and most effective blitzing defenses to one of the worst, by a pretty significant margin,” Mina Kimes said. “So when people talk about the Chiefs, and they’re like, ‘Who’s different, what’s going on?’ That’s it.”
Former Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel agrees, suggesting that being aggressive without the necessary sacks has led to explosive plays. That was on full display against Dallas, where four different receivers saw catches of at least 17 yards, including 51- and 39-yard gains from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, respectively. On the ground, Malik Davis gashed Kansas City for a 43-yard score.
“Problem isn’t Spags blitzing, it’s the fact they aren’t getting home & teams are hitting big plays vs their blitz,” Daniel added.
Without an offense firing on all cylinders, the Chiefs lack the consistent firepower to compensate for a mediocre defense, which ranks 14th in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric.
MORE: Travis Kelce Just Earned a Shot at NFL’s Top Off-Field Honor
Kansas City’s biggest issue is still sequencing. An elite offense and an average defense is supposed to end with more wins than losses, and the team’s one-possession record has turned around. That’s bad luck, perhaps something the Chiefs had coming after seven consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game.
Ultimately, Kansas City’s back is against the wall. With crucial games with the Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos looming, something has to change if the Chiefs are going to make a late-January run.
