The Kansas City Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Tuesday. The Chiefs ranked 31st in the league in yards allowed per game. The Chiefs allowed 524 yards in their 37-31 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Sutton has been KC’s defensive coordinator since 2013, when the Chiefs brought in Andy Reid as their head coach.
The Chiefs did lead the league with 52 quarterback sacks, but were also 31st in total defense as the offense finished first. Under Bob Sutton, the Chiefs had finished in the top seven in scoring defense in each of Sutton’s first four seasons before dropping off to 15th in 2017 and 24th this season.
Loyal listeners to the podcast will recall me claiming the Chiefs needed defensive help prior to the 2017 draft. Then GM Brett Veach went heavy on upgrading the offense prior to this season. There was a heavy imbalance in the roster and the stats prove that.