The defensive coordinator is making NFL history with the Kansas City Chiefs – and forming the best defense of the second half

Dominik Kaiser, Christian Koch and Rainer Nachtwey report from the Super Bowl

It was the scene of the AFC Championship Game. Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed knocks the ball out of Baltimore’s Zay Flowers’ arm just before the end zone as he leaps into it.

Fumble. Touchback. Possession Kansas City Chiefs instead of touchdown Baltimore Ravens.

A turnaround has taken place for the Kansas City Chiefs. It is no longer the offense that carries the Super Bowl champion, but rather the defense has taken over this task.

With an average of 17.3 points allowed, the Chiefs ranked second in the regular season. And the figures are even better when it comes to the second half alone. No team conceded fewer points.

This is especially true heading into the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

0 points conceded against the Miami Dolphins, 7 against the Buffalo Bills, 3 against the Ravens. The sixth, fourth and second best offense of the regular season.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is responsible for this. The now 64-year-old has been in charge since 2019.

And no matter who you ask – the starting safety or the backup lineman – they all react the same.

First the smile, then the hymn of praise

Steve Spagnuolo as a father figure

“There is no better coach. He’s a father figure for us. He’s strict when he needs to be strict, but he loves us.”

“Anybody on this defense, on this team, would run through a wall for him.”

Coach Spags, as Spagnuolo is known in the NFL, has an impressive track record and has made NFL history in the process. Super Bowl Champion XLII with the New York Giants, destroying the New England Patriots’ perfect season and twice champion with the Chiefs in his debut season in 2019 and the previous year.

No defensive coordinator has ever won the Super Bowl with two different clubs.

He was only unsuccessful in his only head coaching stint with the St. Louis Rams in the three seasons following his triumph with the Giants.

Coach Spags focuses on cohesion

But what makes Coach Spags’ defenses so successful?

“You can’t play good defense without cohesion. No matter what level”, “The guy next to you has to know that you’re doing your job and you have to know that he’s doing his job. That’s how it all comes together.”

Spaguolo has created this cohesion with the Chiefs. Whether in 2020 or now.

“We have a similar camaraderie then and now,” defensive tackle Pennel compares the two teams. The word “brotherhood” often makes the rounds among the Chiefs.

Spagnuolo prefers to use other words. “Brotherhood is a good word for it, but I’m talking more about team chemistry and cohesion, which is the most important thing. But I guess that’s the same thing. “

Spagnuolo goes blitz for blitz

The defensive coordinator has had to rebuild his defense time and again in recent years. Key members of the championship-winning team left the team and he implemented a new system.

Coach Spags has plenty of flashes: Linebacker, safety or corner blitzes. No team chooses so many different strategies.

He often uses three safeties deep and a nickelback, a system with six defensive backs, four linemen and only one linebacker. He rotates a lot among the defensive backs.

What stands out with Spagnuolo are his actions during the game

“The coaches make great adjustments and changes at halftime. Sometimes we start too slow and sluggish, we don’t pay attention to the basics. Then in the second half we find our game again. Coach Spags does a great job of that,” says Chenal.

Spagnuolo knows how he can and must approach his boys. And the players now know what the coach demands. That makes the defense even stronger.

This and the experience of winning the title last year, even though many of the players on defense are in their second, third NFL or rookie year.

“Some of the guys have the advantage of having been there last year. Nevertheless, they are very young but have the experience from last year. And that’s why I hope it will help us for the upcoming game,” says Spagnuolo.

Two MVP candidates await Chiefs defense

There are two of the five nominees for the MVP award, running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy. They are joined by wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayiuk, tight end George Kittle and O-lineman of Trent Williams’ caliber.

“I don’t know if we can stop those guys. They have so many weapons. You can’t focus on one, so you have to do your job the best you can as a collective, as a group of eleven players and maybe get one more tick out of it,” Spagnuolo shows great respect for the opponent.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, however, is counting on his defense – especially Coach Spags.

“The more important the game becomes, the bigger the challenge, the better he performs,” says the superstar, praising his defensive coordinator and sending words of warning to the 49ers. “I wouldn’t want to play against Coach Spags’ defense. “