Through the Kansas City Chiefs' first five games of the 2026 season, Steve Spagnuolo's defense had given up an impressive 16.6 points per game but had been a middling pass defense as well as having trouble getting off the field on third down.
The first half versus the Seattle Seahawks could not have gone worse for KC, remaining scoreless, and if not for a Nohl Williams interception in the end zone, they would be down 17-zip. The biggest storyline of the game, defensively for the Chiefs, has been the lack of any kind of ability to slow down Seattle's true one and only threat, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
His two big catches down the left sideline came when matched up man-to-man versus rookie corner Mansoor Delane. But in all honesty, I'm not sure if Delane could have played any better coverage on either play. He was stuck on JSN like glue, and Darnold delivered two perfect balls, and the best receiver in the league did the rest.
On plays like that, you just tip your cap. Smith-Njigba's other four catches all came from the slot; three of them matched up on veteran corner L'Jarius Sneed. It became apparent that the Seahawks were targeting Sneed from the slot, as Cooper Kupp also recorded a catch. It might finally force Spagnuolo to address an ongoing issue with one of his beloved players.
The beloved two-time Super Bowl champion is no longer who he once was
Before tonight's first half, Sneed, in five games, had been targeted a heavy amount (38 times). And he has given up 29 receptions for 258 yards and one touchdown, the majority of it from the slot. He's allowed an over 102 QB rating when targeted this year, more in line with his dreadful numbers those two years in Tennessee, and a far cry from his peak years in KC in 2022 and '23.
Spagnuolo cannot continue to play Sneed nearly every snap, especially from the slot, where he has just been cooked. Kansas City has had problems covering the slot going back two years now, and Chamarri Conner cannot possibly be the guy they turn to.
Whether it be Chris Roland-Wallace, who has been flashing all year in limited play, rookie Jadon Canady, or maybe even a safety in Jaden Hicks, the Chiefs need to find a better option than Sneed. At least to begin to take some snaps off his plate, when he is clearly not the athlete he once was after multiple knee ailments.
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