Against Chargers, Chiefs’ Charles Omenihu immediately made an impact

Defensive finish Charles Omenihu has returned to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs following a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s private conduct coverage — at a time when the workforce’s schedule is starting to ramp up with extra playoff-worthy opponents.

Throughout his first sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Omenihu instantly made an affect, taking part in 51% of the workforce’s defensive snaps and producing 4 pressures, two sacks, one QB hit and one batted go, per Professional Soccer Focus.

Let’s check out how he did it.

Run protection

When Omenihu was with the San Francisco 49ers, he wasn’t normally tasked with defending in opposition to the run; he was primarily used as a go rusher in third-down sub-packages. This allowed him to pin his ears again and rush the passer.

The Chiefs, in distinction, rotate their defensive ends onto the sector for a complete collection quite than in particular conditions. This implies Omenihu will play in opposition to the run extra usually — and his early returns in that function have been sturdy.

On this play, the Chargers are operating Dart, a run idea much like an influence run. The distinction is that it makes use of a pulling sort out as an alternative of a pulling guard.

Omenihu is taking part in because the sturdy facet defensive finish — that’s, on the tight finish’s facet of the sector — so his fundamental duty is to spill inside one hole and clog it. (This helps maintain the linebackers free as they get excessive of the offense’s climbing blockers). Omenihu does this nicely, holding his hole whilst he falls to his knees.

Size as a run defender

Omenihu’s standout trait is his size. He has 36-inch arms (98th percentile) and an 85 1/2-inch wingspan (97th percentile). He makes use of this size in opposition to the run.

Right here we see Omenihu setting the entrance edge. As soon as he reads the sort out reaching in the direction of him, Omenihu flashes his arms to pin the sort out’s inside shoulder. Omenihu then has his pads beneath the sort out with nice extension, which retains the sort out from shifting him from his spot. He tracks the ball nicely and retains his exterior shoulder clear, forming a brick wall because the operating again is pressured to chop away from the blocking.

Batting passes

In 2023, Kansas Metropolis has been emphasizing batted passes as an additional solution to cease passing performs; George Karlaftis and Chris Jones are each ranked among the many prime 10 defensive linemen for batted passes. Including Omenihu — and his pterodactyl arms — will assist the Chiefs bat down much more throws.

Right here we see his first deflection, the place he flashes his extraordinary size and coordination to trace the ball and drive an interception.

To counter Kansas Metropolis’s means to bat down passes, offenses will probably be pressured to be extra aggressive with their go units — which is able to create alternatives for pass-rushing techniques like swim or pull strikes to achieve success.

Dashing from defensive sort out

As a participant, Omenihu’s greatest trait is speeding the go from the inside — and in opposition to the Chargers, that confirmed up instantly.

On this play — solely his second third-down rep — Omenihu collects a sack.

He stunts into the A-gap, which matches him up in opposition to the middle. He begins with a bull rush, flashing his arms to get extension into the push. The middle (in opposition to whom Omenihu has a giant size benefit) is pressured to lunge ahead to maintain on his ft. Omenihu acknowledges this, countering with a superb pull transfer that units up a swim transfer to beat the offensive lineman.

Taking part in off Chris Jones

Omenihu has terrific stability to associate with his unbelievable size and energy, which helps him squeeze by means of tiny gaps — one thing that larger gamers (like him) usually battle to do. Now that he’s obtainable to hurry the passer from inside, the Chiefs get extra alternatives to align Jones exterior — the place he’s been destroying the opposition.

That is the factor that has excited me essentially the most about Omenihu’s signing: the chemistry he may construct with Jones. That confirmed up instantly on Sunday.

Right here we see Jones create a straightforward sack for his new teammate.

The correct sort out fails to get depth in his go set, preserving his inside hand as much as take care of the stunt the Chiefs are operating. I’m unsure whether or not it’s the guard or sort out who’s accountable for the miscommunication, however each of them can’t be on the identical depth. Omenihu takes benefit of the area Jones creates and easily turns inside for the sack.

As a go rusher, Jones creates an amazing quantity of gravity, which Omenihu will usually be capable of use to his benefit. With the 2 of them taking part in inside-out, offensive linemen can have a number of problem calling protections.

Kansas Metropolis may also be capable of create good matchups for them through the use of completely different alignments that may dictate how the offensive line slides. It will result in two-on-two conditions with Jones and Omenihu on the again facet — one thing no offense needs to see.

The underside line

The Chiefs haven’t had a participant like Omenihu since Tanoh Kpassagnon. Mike Danna does provide some inside pass-rushing means, but it surely’s in a distinct type than Omenihu presents. From the inside, the newcomer’s loopy size and stability permit him to knock offensive linemen backward — after which use his size benefit on pull strikes to get round them.

The identification of Kansas Metropolis’s protection is its versatility; it might modify to counter any type of offense it’s going to face. Omenihu will increase this versatility. If an additional run defender is required, Omenhiu provides worth as a defensive finish. He can even benefit from smaller, shorter offensive linemen within the inside. His synergy with Jones already appears to be like unbelievable — and provides one other layer to an already excellent protection.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defenses have usually needed to commerce away construction with a view to play quick — however in 2023, that’s now not the case. That’s the factor I most respect concerning the Kansas Metropolis protection: it isn’t profitable in unsustainable methods. As a substitute, it’s profitable by taking part in quick whereas sustaining its construction.

As Omenihu will get extra built-in into the scheme, I believe the protection may get even higher.