There’s no hiding the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs are struggling. They are 5-4 after 10 weeks, 3rd in the AFC West, and 8th in the AFC. While no one is counting them out, the head coach, Andy Reid, understands that his coaches need to work double time, or he might need new coaches.

That’s why the battle became two-way. His defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, is named as one of the front-runners for the vacant New York Giants’ head coach position. Reid needs to keep him in as his offense is already struggling, while the defense has often kept them in the game.

The entire team came together in the Week 6 game against the Detroit Lions, which they won 30–17. But in the Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills, both units failed as they lost 21–28. Let’s look at the offense first.

With 245 carries, 1,091 rushing yards, and 11 TDs, they are 11th in the league in scoring through the run game. They fall even further in the rankings in carries and yards. That puts the job of running backs coach Todd Pinkston in danger. Overall, they are 9th in receiving touchdowns (17) and 8th in total touchdowns (28).

The Kansas City Chiefs have stayed on top of their rivals because of their defense. And Andy Reid knows this. They allow just 17.7 points per game, while scoring 26.1 themselves. That’s nearly a nine-point cushion every week. They’ve limited opponents to only 159 total points and 18 touchdowns, compared to the Chiefs’ 235 points and 28 touchdowns. Their defense controls the game right from the first down.

Opponents have managed only 154 total first downs, while the Chiefs have earned 205. The Chiefs stop the run and close the passing lanes, giving up just 104.6 rushing yards per game and 187.2 passing yards per game. That’s a huge edge when you face top quarterbacks in the AFC. They also win on critical downs.

The Chiefs’ defense holds teams to just 40.82% on third downs and a stunning 23.53% on fourth downs. That’s where games are won — when your defense forces punts instead of giving up drives. Their pass rush has also been relentless. They’ve sacked opposing quarterbacks 20 times for 78 yards lost, while Patrick Mahomes has only gone down 17 times.

In short, Kansas City isn’t just winning because of Mahomes’ magic alone. Holding teams under 18 points a game in today’s NFL says it all. The Chiefs’ defense is the real backbone of their dominance. But their DC has shown a hunger for bigger roles.

Andy Reid’s coach could leave

After going down with a 2-8 record in 10 games, the Giants fired their HC, Brian Daboll. This has opened the door for Spagnuolo to fulfill his desire to become a head coach again. He has shown willingness whenever this question pops up.

“Listen, yeah, the answer is yes. But right now, it’s all about Denver (Broncos). I hadn’t even thought about that road until you just mentioned it. I’ll let all of that take care of itself,” he had said in an interview before the season-ending game against the Broncos last year.

Spagnuolo already knows what it means to lead a team. He served as head coach of the Rams from 2009 to 2011. He went 7–9 in 2010 after a tough first season, but finished with a 10–38 record overall. The results weren’t great, but the experience shaped him into one of the most respected defensive coaches in the league.

Even before that, he became famous with the Giants. As defensive coordinator under Tom Coughlin, Andy Reid’s defensive coordinator built the game plan that beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (2007). Years later, in 2017, Spagnuolo took over as interim head coach for the Giants, finishing 1–3 after Ben McAdoo’s firing.

So, the Giants’ owner, John Mara, knows him already. Now, the pressure is on Andy Reid to keep his coach close! They can also make him the head coach in case Reid decides to hang up his shoes.