A Rocky Start With Glimpses of Offensive Life: Josh V’s First Two Games Leading the Chiefs
When Josh V accepted the job as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he didn’t walk into a rebuild—he walked into a full-scale rescue mission. His debut against the Raiders showed just how steep the climb would be. From the outset, the team appeared lost, struggling to establish even the basics. Special teams unraveled with multiple fumbles that stalled any early momentum, the punter lacked the leg strength to shift field position, and the secondary fell apart as miscommunication left receivers wide open. Layered on top of it all were injuries across the roster that crippled consistency and overall performance.
Game two, however, brought something the Chiefs desperately needed: signs of life. Even though the matchup still ended in a huge loss, the offense finally showed a spark. Under Josh V’s adjustments, both the run and pass game began to click. By the third quarter, the Chiefs had managed to surge to a 41-point mark—something almost unthinkable after the previous week’s collapse. The defense held strong early as well, shutting down the run and controlling the pace. But the fourth quarter exposed lingering weaknesses, as Puka Nacua tore apart the soft spots in the middle of the field, turning the late game into another frustrating reminder of how far the team still has to go.
Yet despite the score, the difference was clear: this team finally looked coached. With Josh V’s experience now directly steering every phase—offense, defense, and special teams—the Chiefs are beginning the slow shift from disorganized to disciplined. The early results may be messy, but the roots of a turnaround are there. For the first time in a long time, Kansas City has a leader capable of rebuilding not just the roster, but the culture.
Josh V on Pressure, Accountability, and Rebuilding the Secondary
In his early-season interview, Josh V didn’t mince words about the magnitude of the challenge he inherited. With the Chiefs coming off a string of losses and a defense struggling to hold itself together, he was asked directly what his key points of focus would be moving forward. His answer came in two parts: handling pressure and controlling the backfield.
Josh acknowledged the pressure head-on, describing it as both inevitable and necessary. “Pressure is part of this job,” he said. “But pressure also defines teams. You either let it collapse you, or you turn it into fuel.” For Josh, the Chiefs need to be the latter. He emphasized that the players must learn not only to withstand pressure late in games but also to execute under it—communicating sharper, responding quicker, and maintaining discipline even when momentum shifts.
But the heart of his interview centered on the secondary—an area he believes must transform if the Chiefs want to compete. “We have to control the backfield,” he stated firmly. “Our communication, our spacing, our discipline—it has to improve. That’s where games are being won or lost right now.”
Josh then highlighted the two players he sees as the anchors of that turnaround: Trent McDuffie and Caleb Downs.
He described McDuffie as the “tone-setter,” someone whose instincts and field awareness can stabilize the perimeter. “Trent reads plays faster than most corners in this league,” Josh explained. “When he’s locked in, the entire unit plays with more confidence.”
Downs, meanwhile, is the rising commander on the back end. Despite being young, his football IQ and vocal leadership stood out to Josh immediately. “Caleb is the future of this defense,” he said. “He’s decisive, he’s physical, and he sees the field the way a top safety should. When he talks, the secondary listens.”
Josh made it clear that while pressure will always be part of the job, having leaders like McDuffie and Downs gives the Chiefs the foundation needed to reclaim control of the backfield. The rest of the defense must rise to match them—but for the first time in a long stretch, the direction is defined and the standard has been set.
Preparing for Week 6: Developing a Young Roster Through Discipline, Detail, and Reps
As the Chiefs head into Week 6, Josh V has shifted the team’s energy toward development—especially with a roster leaning heavily on young talent. After two chaotic outings, the focus this week is on getting the younger players comfortable in key spots, building confidence through repetition, and tightening the fundamentals that have slipped in early games.
Josh emphasized that Week 6 practices are being dedicated to slowing things down, teaching step-by-step, and making sure each player understands not just his job, but how his assignment fits into the larger defensive and offensive structure. The mantra for the week is simple: detail creates consistency.
In the film room, the Chiefs’ staff is hammering three major points:
- Alignment and spacing in the secondary, especially the middle-of-the-field vulnerabilities exposed the week before. Players are studying how late rotations and miscommunication created lanes for explosive plays.
- Offensive timing, reviewing how the run game and passing schemes clicked when everyone executed their assignments—and how small breakdowns stalled drives.
- Situational pressure, dissecting moments where momentum shifted and teaching players how to respond mentally before the next snap.
On the practice field, the pace has increased but the structure remains teaching-heavy. Sessions are featuring:
- Repetition sets for defensive backs, focusing on route recognition, leverage, and closing angles to prevent the kind of breakdowns that surfaced in the fourth quarter.
- Run-fit drills for linebackers and safeties, honing downhill decision-making and gap control.
- Offensive rhythm periods, where young receivers, tight ends, and linemen work to sync up the timing that sparked early success in the previous week.
- Situational scrimmages, placing the young roster in late-game scenarios to train their response under pressure.
Josh V has been clear: the Chiefs’ growth starts now. With Week 6 approaching, practices are no longer just about preparing for the next opponent—they’re about shaping a team that learns, adjusts, and fights with maturity. The youth is there, the talent is there, and under Josh’s guidance, the goal is to turn potential into production.
