David, the baffles are there to help lift the grass for better cutting, the chute deflector was added for safety to help prevent a rock, stick, acorn, walnut, whatever, from becoming a projectile. It won't actually stop it but it will lessen the chance it'll get much distance as it'll be deflected down. Problem is it does the same for the grass and causes plugging issues which could cause a different hazzard...someone not thinking about the blades and they reach in to unplug the discharge chute........