KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Following their bye week, the Kansas City Chiefs returned to the training facility Tuesday, their first day in preparation for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo shared earlier this month that his first meeting with his players on Tuesday often includes him reminding them of where they must improve.
"We like to have constructive criticism," Spagnuolo said then. "The good thing about this group is they're all pretty accountable. Even if I'm standing there and pointing something out, I see a lot of heads are shaking, [saying], 'Yeah, you're right.'"
This week, one of the main areas for the Chiefs defense to address is the unit's lack of a single sack over the past month.
The Chiefs, who are undefeated at 4-0, are hoping that statistical trend ends Sunday against a Chargers team that has struggled to properly protect quarterback Justin Herbert. One reason the Chargers are 0-5 is because Herbert has been sacked at least twice in every game. Without right tackle Joe Alt (neck), left tackle Rashawn Slater (right ankle), left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) and backup guard Trevor Penning (concussion), Herbert was sacked five times last week in the Chargers' loss to the Denver Broncos.
Entering this week, the Chiefs ranked 27th in pass rush win rate, generating pressure by beating the opponent's pass protection within 2.5 seconds just 45% of the time. The concern for the Chiefs after their most recent game, a comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders, is that quarterback Kirk Cousins, who they pressured on just 34.6% of his pass drops, was the least mobile passer they have faced so far this season.
"We've done a good job of keeping the quarterback busy back there, though, with pressure, which is important," coach Andy Reid said Monday. "Hands down, we want to have sacks. But the pressure on the quarterback ends up being an important thing, and I think our guys have been generating that."
In the Chiefs' overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Daniel Jones was able to defeat pressure with quick completions, most of which occurred in the middle of the field. Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis, who was sacked nine times in two games prior to facing the Chiefs, used his legs to escape pressure from pass rushers such as Chris Jones, George Karlaftis and rookie R Mason Thomas.
Against the Raiders, Jones was quick to give his assessment of why Cousins wasn't sacked.
"In order to win, you can't beat yourself," Jones said. "I think a lot of times we've made costly penalties that put us back."
Late in the fourth quarter, Cousins was in the process of trying to get the Raiders to rally from an 11-point deficit. Just before the two-minute warning, Cousins was swarmed in the backfield by Karlaftis, Thomas and defensive end Ashton Gillotte. The problem, however, was that the sack was nullified by a holding penalty from nickel cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.
Cousins was then able to finish the drive with a touchdown, the byproduct of him barely evading Thomas, who attempted a strip-sack. But Cousins was able to scramble out of the pocket and throw a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brock Bowers. While the Raiders celebrated, Thomas displayed his disappointment by putting both of his hands on his helmet.
"We're motivated and we're all trying to work all together," Karlaftis said after the game. "We weren't happy with the results of last year and our numbers aren't there yet, but we're trying to affect the quarterback and have an impact on the game.
"Up front, we felt like we had some MOBPs -- missed opportunities [and] big plays. We'll get better as the season goes on."
Last season, the Chiefs' ineffective pass rush was one of their biggest issues. The defense recorded just 35 sacks, the fifth fewest in the league. Entering Sunday's game against the Chargers, the Chiefs have just three sacks, which is tied with the Dolphins for the league's fewest.
"I think our D-line did a good job of finding ways to make some pressures," linebacker Nick Bolton said after the game. "We've got to finish. We can take some of those points off the board."
Through four games, opponents have used similar tactics to thwart the Chiefs' defensive line. Jones has been double teamed on most clear passing downs. Karlaftis, who is known for his strength and tenacity, leads the Chiefs with 10 quarterback hits despite not having a sack.
Spagnuolo wants his pass rushers to be better on first- and second-down snaps, which should lead to more advantageous rushing situations on third down. The Raiders, though, were able to keep Cousins' jersey clean in the first half by utilizing play-action passes on those early downs. Cousins completed nine of his 13 play-action passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
"You create movement for the quarterback and get him open spaces for him to throw the ball," Jones said of the Raiders' play-action passes. "You bring the linebackers down and you've got to respect the run game. It opens up areas for the tight ends to get the ball. They did it a lot earlier in the game, and they were very successful with it. We had to adjust in the second half because they were operating under it so well."
Of course, the Chiefs know much of their pass rush will be determined by how much their rookies, Thomas and defensive tackle Peter Woods, can contribute as the season progresses. This past offseason, the Chiefs wanted to provide better support to Jones and Karlaftis. Woods and Thomas then became the Chiefs' first pair of defensive linemen selected in the first and second rounds of the same draft since 2002.
Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, a second-year player, is also expected to return to the pass rush rotation later this season after recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee.
Above all, Jones is not worried. He emphasized how close the Chiefs were to sacking Cousins. He also expects the Chiefs will have plenty of opportunities to redeem themselves by hitting, wrapping up and bringing the quarterback down the turf. Those opportunities, the Chiefs hope, start to occur Sunday against Herbert and the Chargers.
"I think we don't waver from what we've been doing," Jones said. "We've done a lot of good and put a lot of good [plays] on film. A win is more important than a sack -- and sacks will come if we continue to do what we do."