Kansas City Chiefs 2015 Profiles: Dontari Poe

The Kansas City Chiefs pass defense is so good that it’s almost unfair. I mean, they have one of the best edge rushing duos in the league in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, a true shutdown corner in Sean Smith, three really good safeties (including an elite one), Derrick Johnson at inside linebacker, and a top-notch three-man front that features Dontari Poe in the middle.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Which Chiefs Are Among the NFL’s Most Important Players?

Poe is one of the beastliest players in the league, and it’s scary to think that a 6’3″, 346-pound monster is capable of recording six sacks in a single season. I mean, if you thought his haul of 4.5 in 2013 was impressive, Poe certainly kicked it up a notch even without the benefit of having Mike DeVito helping him out last season.

More from Kansas City Chiefs

That said, Poe’s productivity against the run did fall a bit last year, most likely due to the circumstances around him that were the result of injuries to Johnson and DeVito, as his defensive stops fell from 38 to 31, per Pro Football Focus. Still, Poe continued to show why he’s one of the best nose tackles in the game by recording 46 tackles to go with those aforementioned six sacks, and it’s hard to find a more disruptive nose in the game.

There’s no doubt that Poe was better in 2013 than he was in 2014, but, again, I have a strong feeling that his noticeably- but not considerably- less effective work in the running game had to do with the situation around him. However, he wasn’t as efficient as a pass rusher despite the uptick in sacks, because he recorded nine less pressures in 2014, which basically means that he was merely “really good” at rushing the passer as a nose in 2014 instead of being “outstanding” like he was in 2013.

What’s promising about Poe’s numbers last season is the fact that he piled up a high amount of sacks, and that shows that he’ll be able to finish off plays at a higher rate in his fourth season in the league. Since it’s unrealistic to expect two more season-ending injuries in Week 1 to important players, we can also realistically state that Dontari Poe is an easy bounce-back candidate in the run defense department.

I mean, the Chiefs run defense as a whole is due for a return to form in 2015, because there’s just no way they allow a third-worst 4.7 yards per carry for a second straight season. Johnson and DeVito are back, so the Chiefs will be better off in the run defense department, even if Eric Berry isn’t able to play in 2015 (we’re still awaiting his status).

Of course, the caveat here is that the Chiefs run defense was only marginally better in their playoff season of 2013, as they did allow 4.5 yards per carry. That said, 4.5 is noticeably better than 4.7, and there’s no doubt that Poe stands to benefit from other impact players on the Chiefs defense returning to health and form.

Dec 7, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe (92) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Chiefs 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Whenever I think about Poe as a player, what jumps out to me is how much he plays. Not only is he arguably the NFL’s premier nose tackle who possesses truly unique athletic traits, but he’s also special due to his ability to stay on the field. After logging a whopping 1,004 snaps in his breakout season of 2013, Poe followed that up with 966 hard-fought snaps last season. The Chiefs defensive lineman with the second-most snaps was Jaye Howard, who appeared on the field 765 times in 2014.

It’s crazy to think that the Kansas City Chiefs have a fourth-year nose tackle who has a combined 10.5 sacks in the past two seasons with 97 tackles thrown in for good measure and will be just 25 when the 2015 regular season opens up. Poe, who had just two games without a single hurry, is one of the Chiefs best and most consistent players, and he is one of the few nose tackles who can be aptly described as “exciting”. His insane strength and ability to knife through the heart of an offense make him invaluable, especially with Houston and Hali busy terrorizing quarterback off the edge.

Out of Poe’s 966 snaps last year, 553 of them came when rushing the passer. That number tells you all you need to know about how rare of a breed Poe is in this league, because he’s the nose tackle who never comes off the field and, contrary to what is expected from the position, the nose tackle who racks up stats and makes his name from rushing the passer.

Next: Is Jamaal Charles The Chiefs Best MVP Shot?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Kansas City Chiefs