Kansas City Chiefs: How transition to 4-3 affects future of Chiefs defense

3-4 defensive scheme weaknesses

In order for this scheme to be able to stop the run, the defense needs a dominant nose tackle who can take on multiple offensive linemen and plug up the middle. The Chiefs somewhat had that with Dontari Poe when Sutton first arrived.

Poe was really strong and athletic enough to not give ground and penetrate the middle of the offensive back field. This allowed Derrick Johnson and other guys like Akeem Jordan and Josh Mauga to move freely and make tackles in space.

The Chiefs lost Poe to free agency after the 2016 season and have never been able to replace that ability.

The 3-4 scheme is predicated on having extraordinary athletes that can play at a high level. While the Chiefs have been very strong at outside linebacker with Justin Houston and Dee Ford, they’ve been seriously susceptible against the run, particularly up the middle.

The two inside linebackers Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland, who were brought in to replace the legendary Derrick Johnson, are playing way out of position and it showed time and time again last season. Teams gashed the Chiefs by running it right up the middle and down their throats.

Without a strong nose tackle, and the Chiefs horrendous effort in tackling people, teams exposed their scheme and particularly the middle linebackers.

When teams felt the need to pass, the running backs and tight ends killed the Chiefs because plain and simple, they don’t have the personnel to properly run the scheme. Yes, I know the Chiefs were able to generate sacks, but that still couldn’t prevent them from being one of the worst units in all of professional football.

Hence why they brought in a new coach and a new scheme.