Spagnuolo defense perfect complement to elite offense
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rarely does Tom Brady allow his mind to wander back to the Super Bowl following the 2007 season.
Steve Spagnuolo is a big reason why.
The Patriots had rolled to the ch am pion ship game in search of perfection, and their star quarter back had been the embodiment of their success. Brady had dominated defenses all year, including the one Spagnuolo coordinated for the New York Giants in their regular- season finale, and few thought anything would be different in the big game.
Well, the Giants wound up sacking him five times. Spags' game plan held Brady to 266 yards passing, his second fewest of the season, and the Patriots to a season-low point total, allowing New York to triumph 17-14 in Arizona.
“That game,” Brady said Monday, “is one of my least favorite football memories.”
He hopes he can reflect on Sunday with a bit more joy.
Brady will once again lead his offense against Spa gnuolo' s defense, only this time it will be his Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the defending champion Chiefs in the Super Bowl. It also will be a rematch of a game earlier this season, when once more Spagnuolo kept Brady off balance as Kansas City coasted to a 27-24 victory in Tampa Bay.
“Spags runs a great scheme and I think he really caters to the strength of his players,” said Brady, who finished with 345 yards passi ng, three touchdowns and two interceptions in Week 12 though most of those numbers, including a pair of TD passes, came in the closing minutes with the game mostly out of reach.
“I think his scheme has evolved and I've played him several times over the last 13,14 years ,” Brady continued. “He's a tremendous coach and everybody seems to love to play for him. It' s a tough game. I know he'll have those guys ready.”
That's precisely why he was hired.
The Chiefs had gone just about as far as Bob Sutton could take them when they reached the AFC title game a couple of years ago. They had built a dynamic offense around Patrick Mahomes and were solid on special teams, but their defense languished well behind they finished 24 thin points and 31st among 32 teams in yards allowed.
It was never more evident than in that conference championship game against coincidentally enough Brady and the Patriots. He threw for 348 yards, his offense held the ball an astounding 44 minutes, and after winning the overtime coin flip they never gave Mahomes and Co. a chance with the ball in marching for the winning touchdown.
Sutton was fired. Spagnuolo was hired.
The difference was immediate.
With his new 4-3 scheme and a seemingly unending package of blitzes, Spagnuolo's defense climbed to seventh in points and 17th in yards last season. It was a big reason why the Chiefs were able to return to the Super Bowl for the first time in five decades, and the job they did against San Francisco was a big reason why the yul timately won the title.
“As a player,” Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark said ,“all you want is a coach like Coach Spags, a players' coach someone who understands you and wants to put you in the best position so you can help your team win football games.”