Chiefs defense smells blood in Giants’ broken offensive line

The Kansas City Chiefs have seen two drastically different defensive performances so far. In Brazil, the unit did nothing against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. Everything the Bolts attempted seemingly worked on international soil. But against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chiefs' defense did a good job of limiting explosive plays and consistently got off the field most of the day.

The pass rush is one area where Kansas City is looking to get back to its 2023 levels. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is, of course, one of the best defensive play callers. His timing of extra blitzes and designed pressure can be among the most exotic in the entire NFL. With the depth questions the Chiefs are facing on the defensive line, Spagnuolo's magic will have to remain a focal point for Kansas City.

Matchups can sometimes be deceiving, given how they may look on paper. But overall, the Chiefs' pass rush has a prime opportunity to get rolling on Sunday night. The New York Giants have had one of the messier offensive line situations in the league over most of the last few years. Plus, the Chiefs have been able to find success when facing quarterback Russell Wilson.

Where could the Chiefs attack as a pass rush on Sunday? Kansas City may have the advantage in a couple of key aspects when rushing the passer.

Too many weak links on Giants' blocking unit

The Giants have used many resources to attempt to shore up their offensive line. Looking at the premium assets used in the draft and in free agency, New York was hoping these blocking issues would be gone by now. In the end, their best blocker, Andrew Thomas, has been unavailable more often than not. Even when he is in at left tackle, however, the rest of the group drags him down and distracts from his stellar level of play.

New York has simply dealt with having more than one weak link up front over the last few years. Center John Michael Schmitz has been extremely underwhelming as a former second-round pick. Schmitz was viewed as a physical, commanding presence coming out of Minnesota. But in the NFL, he has largely been pushed around by most of his competition.

Meanwhile, veterans like Jon Runyan and Jermaine Eluemunor were highly paid additions in free agency. Runyan and Eluemunor were desperate reaches to find average play on the blocking unit. But so far in their Giants tenure, each player has been unable to truly move the needle and improve New York’s baseline in the trenches. Combine these underperforming assets with their best blocker, dealing with constant injuries, and it has been a complete mess.

Potential area where Chiefs may attack

The health status of Thomas is still worth monitoring entering Sunday night. As he nurses a foot injury, Kansas City may have a clear area to attack with its pass rush against the Giants. The interior is where the Chiefs could exploit New York the most.

A lack of push and consistent movement from the Giants has been evident on the interior over the last two years. That has shown up in both pass blocking and run blocking alike. But when dropping back to throw, Schmitz has been displaced off his spot noticeably. The guard duo of Runyan and Greg Van Roten offers experience on the blocking unit, though that duo is average at best in terms of athleticism in space and lower-body strength.

All in all, the Chiefs should have the edge in terms of power and strength on the interior defensive line. This is due to the heavy-handed defenders and length that Kansas City has coveted in its defensive system. If they do indeed gain that advantage over the Giants on the interior, K.C. could potentially dictate the terms of the game all day long.

How Chiefs can affect a passer like Russell Wilson

The Chiefs have seen plenty of Russell Wilson over the last few years. When he was in Pittsburgh last year, Kansas City swarmed him from the start. The Chiefs are always willing to attack with extra blitzers at linebacker or defensive back. Those additional rushers from the second or third level are usually more dangerous for a quarterback like Wilson.

The Chiefs have seen plenty of Russell Wilson over the last few years. When he was in Pittsburgh last year, Kansas City swarmed him from the start. The Chiefs are always willing to attack with extra blitzers at linebacker or defensive back. Those additional rushers from the second or third level are usually more dangerous for a quarterback like Wilson.

In addition, Wilson is limited as a scrambler at this stage of his career. The Chiefs may have the strength advantage on the defensive line, but as much as anything, Kansas City clearly has the speed to outclass Wilson and the Giants' blocking unit. If the speed and strength of the Chiefs' pass rush are able to gain that early edge, K.C. has the ability to wreck things early.