Nine sacks in two games.
If you're Chris Jones, George Karlaftis or one of Kansas City's young pass rushers, that number probably gets your attention.
Miami quarterback Malik Willis has already been sacked nine times this season as the Dolphins have stumbled to an 0–2 start. NFL.com notes that Miami has surrendered a 43.1% pressure rate and a league-high 15.3% sack rate through two games. NFL
That looks like an obvious opportunity for the Chiefs.
It is.
It could also become a trap.
Because Malik Willis isn't a quarterback Kansas City should attack recklessly.
Chris Jones spent part of his Thursday media availability discussing the importance of containing Miami's mobile quarterback rather than simply charging upfield looking for sacks. Kansas City Chiefs
That distinction could become one of the most important defensive details Sunday.
Pressure Is Great Until the Quarterback Escapes It
There is nothing defensive linemen enjoy more than seeing a quarterback hold the football.
Willis has done that too often through Miami's first two games.
But he's also athletic enough to punish a pass rush that loses discipline.
Miami's own highlight reel from Week 2 included Willis escaping pressure to his left before firing a 23-yard completion to Malik Washington. Miami Dolphins
That's the danger.
A defensive end wins too far upfield.
Willis steps inside.
A defensive tackle abandons his rush lane because he sees a sack opportunity.
Willis escapes through the opening.
The Chiefs can technically win the pass rush and still lose the play.
That's why sacks aren't the only measurement that matters Sunday.
Sometimes the best rush against an athletic quarterback is the one that gives him nowhere to go.
Chris Jones Can Make Everybody Else's Job Easier
Jones is especially important in this matchup because pressure from the middle changes a mobile quarterback's escape options.
Edge rushers naturally create paths inside when they attack the outside shoulder of offensive tackles.
If Jones collapses the middle at the same time, Willis suddenly has fewer directions available.
That's when George Karlaftis, Ashton Gillotte, R Mason Thomas and the rest of the Chiefs' pass rush can close the pocket rather than chase the quarterback around it.
Kansas City needs coordinated pressure.
Not four defenders independently trying to win a sack race.
That sounds simple.
It isn't.
A quarterback who can scramble forces defenders to make decisions while moving at full speed.
Rush or contain?
Attack or retrace?
Follow the quarterback or maintain responsibility for a running back leaking into the flat?
Those moments are where discipline becomes more important than athleticism.
Miami's Problems Are Real
This isn't just a case of Willis making life difficult for himself.
The Dolphins have struggled protecting him.
Miami surrendered five sacks in its opener and four more against San Francisco. Willis has also acknowledged that there were situations where he could have helped himself by getting rid of the football sooner. NFL
That's an inviting matchup for Kansas City.
Especially after the Chiefs failed to record a sack against Indianapolis.
The defensive line should see an opportunity.
I just don't want that opportunity turning into impatience.
A defense that becomes obsessed with sacks can create exactly the kind of broken-play environment an athletic quarterback wants.
Keep Willis inside the pocket.
Collapse it around him.
Then finish.
This Is a Good Test for Kansas City's Young Rushers
We've already seen encouraging flashes from R Mason Thomas.
Ashton Gillotte is continuing to develop.
Kansas City wants more sources of pressure so Chris Jones doesn't have to manufacture everything himself.
Sunday provides an interesting lesson for those younger defenders.
NFL pass rushing isn't simply about beating the man across from you.
Sometimes you have to understand how your rush affects the three defenders next to you.
If Thomas flies around the edge, somebody must control the escape lane he creates.
If Jones penetrates inside, the edge defenders have to anticipate where Willis will move.
Everybody's rush becomes connected.
That is the difference between pressure and chaos.
Steve Spagnuolo wants pressure.
My Take
Nine sacks allowed jumps off the page.
My first reaction is probably the same as every Chiefs fan's:
Go get him.
Then you remember who Malik Willis is.
This isn't a stationary quarterback who is going to stand exactly where the defensive line expects him to stand.
If the Chiefs get greedy, Willis has enough athletic ability to turn what looks like a sack into a 15-yard scramble or an improvised completion.
That's why I think this game could tell us something about Kansas City's pass rush beyond the sack total.
Can the young guys rush with discipline?
Can the defensive line squeeze the pocket instead of creating escape lanes?
Can Chris Jones force Willis toward another defender instead of trying to make every play himself?
Kansas City absolutely should pressure him.
Miami's protection problems are too significant to ignore.
But the goal isn't to collect the prettiest sack statistics.
The goal is to make Malik Willis uncomfortable without giving him somewhere comfortable to escape.
If the Chiefs do that, the sacks should take care of themselves.
Sources
Kansas City Chiefs — Chris Jones Press Conference, September 24
KMBC 9 — Chris Jones discusses containing Malik Willis
NFL.com — Week 3 defensive matchup and Miami pressure statistics
