KC and the D

The Chiefs made big news by blitzing the Rams last week and basicaly shutting down one of the better passing offenses in the league (though without Pace that is now debatable). People are starting to proclaim the Chiefs' D up to par with their offense. But it's a mirage. Why? Cause thery are bringing blitzes during the preseason when 1) the defense is always ahead of the offense, and 2) blitz pickups are notariously missed. But pay attention to any NFL season and you see that teams who blitz a lot have effective first halfs, then get burnt like toast in the second half. Only the very rare teams with outstanding personnel can blitz consistently in December and get away with it.

So maybe tonight the Browns struggle against a blitzing defense. So what -- if anything perhaps that will help speed up the OL and RB's process of countering the blitz, and the team will be better off when the regular season starts.

Along these same lines, the Plain Dealer perpetuates a myth today with Mary Kay Cabot's article: "If the Browns' offense has been wondering how it will fare against the Ravens' swarming defense in the opener Sept. 12, it will find out tonight in the third preseason game in Kansas City." Sounds like a good preview, but it's just not accurate. The Ravens don't normally blitz very much; they run a 3-4 with often means one LB is rushing the passer, but unless another LB or a corner is also bringing it, it's not a blitz. It's more accurate to say the Ravens excel at cleaning up in the secondary with very good linebackers and defensive backs, and the 3-4 just adds to the challenge the opposing OL faces in determining who to block. Maybe out of that there is a similarity to KC's pointlessly blitzing preseason performances, but it isn't an obvious one.