After a strong start to the year, much of the 2022 NFL season has been tough on the Chiefs' defense. The unit ranks 18th in points per game allowed and 25th in defensive DVOA, and are coming off a came in which they almost gave up a four-score lead. Despite some issues in the running back and wide receiver rooms, the offense has remained one of the NFL's elite units for most of the season – but can the defense tighten things up enough to make a deep run this winter? On Tuesday's episode of Cody and Gold, The Athletic's Nate Taylor chatted about what he thinks they can do to improve over the last month.
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"They have a chance," Taylor said. "They have a chance to be good. I've done some thinking about this, and it really comes down to three things. To me, everything else is a wash ... Chris [Jones] is number one. He will always be number one. Don't forget that, ladies and gentlemen. Number two is, they need turnovers now. The secondary is what it is – I'm not sure how much the rookies can improve between now and six weeks, basically. But you know that they're competent and functional, and they're not going to get beat embarrassingly ... Third, which is easy, which has nothing to do with coaches. It comes down to want, it comes down to technique, it comes down to remembering the down and distance, and just overall awareness. Play back, ride to the football, make a tackle."
You can listen to Taylor's entire interview in the embedded player below:
