Steve Spagnuolo tried to throw a changeup on a Christmas night third-and-6.
Bo Nix didn’t hesitate.
The Broncos this season saw more zone coverage from opposing defenses than any team in the NFL, according to Sumer Sports data.
The undermanned Chiefs delivered a heavy diet in Week 17.
“We saw a ton of zone coverage, soft zone,” Denver coach Sean Payton said after. “They were going to force us to rope-a-dope a little bit.”
Kansas City did just that and kept the Broncos close throughout the game.
On this third down, though, Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ veteran defensive coordinator, brought pressure and played man coverage behind it.