The Kansas City Chiefs are currently gearing up for their Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoon. Week 1 performance left Chiefs fans desiring more from both the offense and defense. However, the defense stuck out more due to the lack of communication in the back end and the inability to get pressure up front.
That said, Chiefs rookie edge rusher Ashton Gillotte was one of the only defensive lineman who stood out in week 1. Still, Gillotte didn't see many snaps. On Thursday, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo addressed this. According to Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports, Spagnuolo said that rookie DE Ashton Gillotte earned more playing time in Week 1 and would've played more that week had it not been for his elbow injury.
Chiefs Rookie DE Ashton Gillotte Expected to See More Playing Time in Week 2
Spagnuolo's comments should excite Chiefs Kingdom. Last week, Gillotte finished the game with a 25% pass rush win rate, the best of any Chiefs edge rusher, on four pass rush snaps. On the rep Gillotte won, he recorded a quarterback hurry. This helped him earn a 65.1 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus.
Though it's a small sample size, the 22-year-old showed flashes during training camp and the preseason. Thus, his ability to continue the momentum in his first regular-season game is noteworthy
Gillotte will need to show up on Sunday if the Chiefs want any chance of beating the Eagles. In Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys were unable to get any pressure on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Despite the Cowboys' back end holding up nicely, Hurts hurt them with his legs by rushing for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
When these two teams meet in the Super Bowl in February, Kansas City had no answer for Hurts. The dual-threat quarterback rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown while adding 221 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Spagnuolo giving Gillotte more playing time should hopefully help mitigate the damage Hurts can do in the air and on the ground. The rookie's 4.65-second speed will help track down Hurts on runs and collapse the pocket on pass plays. If this comes to fruition, the Chiefs should be in a great spot to get revenge for their Super Bowl loss.