How The Kansas City Chiefs Went From Worst Team In NFL To One Of The Best!

The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the best teams in the NFL right now. They’re also one of the best stories in football. The Chiefs made a lot of “smaller” improvements this year that eventually led to them becoming one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. They started by hiring Andy Reid as their new Head Coach. He brought along his top aide, Doug Peterson, who was also given a key role in personnel and draft strategy. This helped to streamline their processes and finally get everything working together smoothly again, which is why they were able to identify each flaw and improve from there. Let’s take a look at all of the small changes that eventually created one of the best teams in the AFC!

New Coaching Staff

The Chiefs hired Andy Reid as their new Head Coach for the 2017 season. Reid has been a head coach in the NFL for the past 20 years, leading nine different clubs to the playoffs. Under Reid’s guidance, the Chiefs have made the playoffs in each of his 14 seasons as a head coach. Reid’s only losing season as a head coach was in 2008, when he coached the Philadelphia Eagles. In his 14 seasons as a head coach, Reid has a record of 142-67, which is a winning percentage of 66.7%. Reid has been a successful head coach throughout his career, and brought this experience to the Chiefs as they looked for new ways to improve their season.

New Offensive Scheme

The Chiefs made a few key changes to try and help to improve their pass rush. They abandoned their traditional shotgun-based offense and instead ran a West Coast offense under the direction of former NFL head coach and current Chiefs assistant, Tony Sparano. Sparano used the West Coast offense when he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs used the West Coast offense while they were under the direction of Matt Cassel, the team’s former starting quarterback. Cassel seems to be the right man for this change. He’s been a successful NFL quarterback in the past and showed he can get the ball to his receivers in the right way. He needs to improve his decision making and timing, but he has the ability to create plays with his arm if he can just get the ball out of his hands faster.

Better Defenses

The Chiefs made some key changes to help to improve their defense. They brought in former New York Giants defensive coordinator and now Chiefs Defensive Coordinator, Bob Sutton. Sutton has been known for his aggressive defenses throughout his career. He was a great fit for the Chiefs, who have always been known for their aggressive defenses. The Chiefs also brought in a new Defensive Assistant in Justin Brant, who had spent the last few seasons coaching with the Denver Broncos, where he was able to work with Defensive Line Coach, Gary Gibbs. Gibbs’ unit was great, and he was able to bring that coaching style with him to the Chiefs. The Chiefs made some changes to their defensive personnel, which helped to create better matchups in key situations. They cut corners such as Terrance Mitchell, who had struggled at the beginning of the season and were able to bring in a more experienced player in Daniel Sorensen. They also were able to release corner Phillip Gaines, who had been struggling since his first few years in the NFL. These moves helped to free up more cap space and create better matchups across the board.

The Draft

The Chiefs had one of the best drafts in recent memory, where they were able to fill a lot of their needs. They were able to draft a lot of key players at the key positions, who had shown promise in the draft process. They were able to draft the best pass rusher in the draft, Marcus Davenport. The Chiefs also drafted the best tight end in the draft, Missouri’s, Emanuel Hall. They were able to draft the best center in the draft, which helped to solidify their offensive line for years to come. The Chiefs were able to draft the best nickel cornerback in the draft in Memphis’, KeiVarae Russell. They were also able to draft the best kick returner in the draft in return specialist, Tyreek Hill. Lastly, they were able to draft the best special team’s player in the draft in punter, Steven Nelson.

Adding Veterans In Free Agency

The Chiefs were able to add some key veterans to help to improve their team. They brought on former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard, Zach Fulton. Fulton was a key player for the Chiefs last season, when they were able to make some key improvements to their offensive line. The Chiefs were also able to bring back former Kansas City Chief’s wide receiver, Albert Wilson. Wilson was a key player for the Chiefs last season, who was able to play both as a receiver and a punt returner. Wilson was able to help to keep some of the Chiefs’ young receivers from getting too many plays on the field. The Chiefs also brought on linebacker, B.J. Goodson, who has experience playing for the New York Giants. Goodson was a key player for the Giants after they signed him in free agency. He was able to help to bring some stability to the middle of the Giants’ defense, who was missing a key player after the season ended.

Bottomline

The Chiefs made some key changes to improve their season. They abandoned their traditional shotgun based offense and ran a West Coast offense under the direction of former NFL head coach, Tony Sparano. The Chiefs also made some key changes to their defenses and were able to bring in former New York Giants defensive coordinator and now Chiefs Defensive Coordinator, Bob Sutton. The Chiefs were also able to draft some key players at key positions, who were able to help to improve their team. The Chiefs were finally able to make some key improvements, which helped to create one of the best teams in the AFC.