Arrowhead Pride
This game was fun.
Without the Baltimore Ravens’ opening drive — and the 71-yard garbage-time touchdown by running back Justice Hill — the Kansas City Chiefs played a darn-near perfect game on Sunday.
Head coach Andy Reid had the offense humming like a well-oiled machine — and for the second straight week, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo rolled out a game plan that completely neutralized nearly everything the opposing offense wanted to accomplish. The result was a resounding victory, as Kansas City dismantled the Ravens 37-20 to claim its first home win of the season at Arrowhead.
Here are five things we learned.
When the Chiefs opened the season with a frustrating 0-2 start, many wondered whether the return of wide receiver Xavier Worthy would really make that big a difference, given the level of disorder Kansas City had shown early.
Well… yes, he does.
It’s not just because Worthy is a young, talented, all-around wide receiver, or that he is one of the fastest players in the NFL. It’s because he adds an element to this offense that was sorely missing before.
Sure… the Chiefs didn’t play perfectly. But a dynamic player like Worthy brings an element that covers a multitude of sins and puts pressure on an opposing defense in such a way that it splits at the seams, opening space for others to operate.
This was the first time that the offense Kansas City envisioned for 2025 was finally on the field.
Just imagine what it will look like when Rashee Rice returns from his suspension.
The improved play of the defense over the last two weeks cannot be overstated. It may sound simple, but the Chiefs’ ability to take away what the opposing offense wants to do has been the key to their success.
You might be asking, “Isn’t that the objective of any defense?”
Yes… it is. But it’s a lot easier said than done.
Every defense would love to erase Malik Nabers from the game plan, as Kansas City did in Week 3 against the New York Giants, or to limit Baltimore star running back Derrick Henry to just eight carries and fewer than 50 rushing yards. Every team wants to neutralize quarterback Lamar Jackson’s legs and ability to scramble for a first down.
It’s just that not many do.
Coming into Sunday’s matchup, the Ravens were averaging 37 points per game. The Chiefs held them to just 13 through 58 minutes of this 60-minute game.
When you’ve had as much success as Spagnuolo has had in his career, there’s a tendency to say, “We’re going to play our style of football and impose our will.” But that’s not how he has been operating. Every week, Kansas City’s defense is winning in different ways.
Last week, the Chiefs rolled zone coverage against Nabers. This week, Spagnuolo put a linebacker spy on Jackson. It will be exciting to see what he draws...
