5 reasons Chiefs can win the Super Bowl this year

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 20: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts in the second half against the New England Patriots during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 24: Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo (R) of the New York Giants shakes hands with head coach Bruce Arians of the Arizona Cardinals following the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals won 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

2. Steve Spagnuolo

Spagnuolo is not a great head coach, but he is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. His arrival in Kansas City comes at a perfect time for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

His defensive schemes are not easy to understand, but the philosophy behind them is alarmingly simple. Spagnuolo wants to blitz the opposing offense into submission. He wants to throw pressure at quarterbacks in every possible way.

Admittedly, that will put pressure on Kansas City’s secondary to hold up in man coverage. The aforementioned Mathieu will play a big role in covering the final third in the field. Rookie safety Juan Thornhill will also have a lot asked of him. He’ll need to be an above average center fielder to prevent the pressure from blowing up in his team’s face.

The Spagnuolo hire does represent a risk for Reid, but it’s a calculated gamble that should pay off. This defense needs to become dynamic if Kansas City is going to become a unit that can rival their own offense. That’s a tall task for Spagnuolo, but he should make this unit an above average group in 2019.

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