Andy Reid Opens up About Progress of Potential Chiefs X-Factor
There were many reasons why the Kansas City Chiefs dropped their season opener, but poor pass defense was at the very top of the list. Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt’s secondary struggled immensely against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The result was a brutal 27-21 loss to a division rival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Could help be on the way? One addition is possible, but not in the way you might think.
Getting cornerback Kristian Fulton more involved might be Kansas City’s best shot. What are the odds of that happening?
Andy Reid Gives (Mostly) Positive Update on Kristian Fulton’s Progress
Head coach Andy Reid seems cautiously optimistic. Speaking to the media on Monday, Reid assessed where the Chiefs’ offseason pickup is at.
“Yeah, he’s been working in and working out, which is a good thing,” Reid said. “We’ll just use him as we go here. How much bigger of a load he gets? I can’t tell you that, but he has been working and he gets better every day, so [he’s] more comfortable every day. It’s not only getting back physically, but also with the defensive part of it.”
It’s been a long road for Fulton, who’s struggled with injuries throughout his career. The former Charger inked a two-year pact with Kansas City back in March, only to miss a chunk of the offseason program with a knee injury. He recovered in time to come off the physically unable to perform list for real games, yet he still isn’t out of the woods.
Fulton played all of 15 snaps in Week 1. That was good for 23% of those available, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Several Chiefs defenders — including Trent McDuffie, Chamarri Conner and Jaylen Watson — out-snapped him in the secondary. That’s important because of where the defense struggled.
If Fulton’s workload eventually increases, it’d give Spagnuolo and Co. more flexibility to put someone like McDuffie back in the slot. In turn, that raises both the floor and ceiling of the secondary. Despite being a boundary piece by trade, Fulton rounding into form can have a ripple effect on the entire defense.
Contextualizing Week 1 Struggles of Chiefs’ Pass Defense
It wasn’t just a ho-hum game for the Kansas City defense. It was a downright terrible one against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Herbert feasted all night long, going 25-for-34 passing with 318 yards and 3 touchdowns. He posted a 131.7 passer rating and led Los Angeles to a scorching 0.44 EPA/play on passing efforts, per rbsdm.com. On late-down passes, that figure spiked to 1.07 with a 90% success rate.
The variety of ways in which the Chargers found success was also puzzling. A trio of wide receivers managed to thrive on Friday. Quentin Johnston led the way, hauling in 5 passes for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ladd McConkey wasn’t a slouch, either, recording 6 catches for 74 yards. Veteran Keenan Allen showed he still has something left in the tank, leading the team with 7 catches and adding 68 yards and a score.
Things simply must improve ahead of Week 2’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. A regular-season rematch of February’s Super Bowl LIX figures to bring an even more daunting challenge.
Ravens rookie standout could quietly solve team's biggest problem
After their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, one of the Baltimore Ravens’ most glaring issues is their pass rush. The unit sacked Josh Allen just once, and despite numerous pressures, they failed to get home each time. Much of that can be attributed to their inability to contain the quarterback, which ultimately proved to be a backbreaker on Sunday night.
In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, they are likely to avoid the same issue, as Joe Flacco, at age 40, may not be able to navigate the pocket as well as he used to. However, it is a great opportunity for the defensive front to find a rhythm heading into the rest of the 2025 campaign. The player who can change it all may just be an under-the-radar rookie who is quickly finding his footing in the NFL.
2025 sixth-round selection Aeneas Peebles made an impact against the Bills in Week 1. While he did not fill up the stat sheet with any sacks, he made Allen feel uncomfortable in the pocket at times. The unit as a whole must be more disciplined when getting after the quarterback, and Peebles can be a massive contributor in that area, rushing the passer from the interior.
Aeneas Peebles could quietly solve Baltimore's biggest problem
In Week 1, Peebles played just 12 snaps. He was impressive in those chances, though. On nine pass rush opportunities, he generated two hurries and also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). That helped earn him a 62.2 PFF grade, including a 68.9 pass rush grade.
It can be tough for rookies to carve out substantial roles in Baltimore, especially late-round selections like Peebles. He is already starting to be a factor in Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s group, though. Although he had just a 54.3 run defense grade on Sunday, per PFF, the Ravens know what they have in the 24-year-old: a potential game-wrecker on passing downs.
Against the Browns, Peebles will be matched up against one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL. Center Ethan Pocic and guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio have long been above-average to elite players at their respective positions. Peebles’ work will be cut out for him. If the game ends up being a blowout like many expect, then the rookie defensive tackle should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself. However, you can never underrate a division rival.
With the current state of Baltimore’s pass rush, Peebles could ultimately be a game-changer. If his penetration can push quarterbacks back deep in the pocket, it should let the trio at outside linebacker, Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh, and Mike Green, feast coming off the edge.
The Ravens have a deep interior defensive line, but with what Peebles showed against an elite offensive line in Week 1, it would be coaching malpractice if he does not see more snaps in the coming weeks.
