Chiefs Defense: 3 POINTS!

Chiefs Defense: 3 POINTS!

by Laddie Morse | January 1, 2019

It’s absolutely understandable that you could have missed one of the best performances that went completely obscured by the fact that our quarterback, one Patrick Lavon Mahomes II, had thrown for 50 touchdowns and 5,000 yards in one season… all the while, Travis Kelce was setting a single season reception record for tight ends right in front of our eyes… plus, plus, Tyreek Hill was blatantly going about setting a world record for Chiefs WRs: receiving yards in a single season. In the meantime… the performance being referred to herewith, was slipping completely, utterly, and thoroughly through the cracks and going unnoticed by nearly all the Who’s down in Whoville. Except, you know who. What performance you ask? The Chiefs Defense: 3 Points!

One field goal. That’s it. That’s all the Oakland Raiders offense was able to muster up against the Kansas City Chiefs defense on Sunday. Let me say that another way… 3 points was all the Raiders and their monster offensive line… their Gruden Grinder attack… could come up with against one of the “worst” defenses in the league. These same Raiders had averaged 23.3 points per game for the past six weeks before the Chiefs made mincemeat out of them. In fact, the NFL’s best defense (the Chicago Bears) in terms of points allowed, have not given up so few points in any game they’ve played this season, including Preseason games. What the Chiefs defense accomplished on Sunday was memorable.

The question now is, was that because of the Raiders ineptness or the Chiefs adeptness? For the most part, the answer lies with the Chiefs defense and being able to capitalize on their capabilities. 

The biggest reason the Chiefs defense was able to stop the Raiders was… the Chiefs defense was able to stop the Raiders. What? Say WHAT?!  Aside from the four turnovers the Chiefs defense was able to create, they also ended most all of the Raiders drives and forced them to punt four times as well. That’s a lot of stops — and you have to say that line like the lady librarian in the Capital One Commercial who shouts, “THAT’S A LOT OF MILES.” For the Chiefs, it’s appropriate here to say: THAT’S A LOT OF STOPS. 

Some may think I’m making a big deal over stopping a team with the 23rd ranked offense in the NFL but, you mustn’t forget that these same Raiders scored 33 points off of this defense just four weeks ago. 

So, let’s take a look at how the Chiefs got their stops… when they weren’t turning them over.

• 1.  3 plays, nine yards, PUNT,
• 2.  7 plays, 34 yards, PUNT,
• 3.  7 plays, 11 yards, PUNT,
• 4.  5 plays, 19 yards, PUNT,
• 5.  3 plays, 19 yards, END of GAME.

While the Raiders appeared to move the ball at will during the first half, most of those drives ended in a turnover. Once this Chiefs defense gets a lead, they seem to play better… or differently.

Although Raiders QB Derek Carr was 24-of-33 passing, which is a 72.7 passing percentage (and that’s 10 points better than his career average), the defense held him to zero TDs and had 2 INTs… so he ended up with a 60.8 rating. Pressure bothered Carr most of the day. Carr fumbled the ball twice but only one of those was lost… to Justin Houston (who had 1.5 sacks). Carr ended up with 185 yards through the air but the two INTs he threw to the Chiefs, Safety Daniel Sorensen and ILB Reggie Ragland, produced 121 yards for the Chiefs. Sorensen’s INT resulted in a pick-6.

The Chiefs defense should be given some well deserved credit for this victory over the Raiders. Without the turnovers in the first half, the Raiders appeared to be well on their way to matching the Chiefs offense, touchdown-for-touchdown.

This performance by the Chiefs defense helped them climb out of the NFL cellar. The Bengals defense finished the regular season giving up 75 more yards than the Chiefs. While the Chiefs need to work most on their run stopping, they finished as the 27th ranked pass defense. Up from last place… and trending in the right direction going into the playoffs! Always a good sign.

Then of course, there’s the issue of penalties. The Chiefs had four penalties in this game… but guess how many were on the defense?

In an article he wrote for the KCStar called, “Chiefs’ Defense Gets High Marks for Dominating Performance Against Raiders,” Lynn Worthy gave the Chiefs rushing defense a “B+” and said,

“[Raiders RB] Doug Martin reached the 100-yard mark and the Raiders averaged 4.4 yards per carry. However, the Chiefs didn’t allow a rushing touchdown, and they did not give up explosive runs.”

Worthy also gave a grade to the Chiefs passing defense of an “A” and added,

“The Chiefs intercepted two passes, returned one for a touchdown and recorded a strip-sack — all in the first half. They also didn’t allow a completion of more than 13 yards in the entire game.”

The Kansas City Chiefs Defense tied the Pittsburgh Steelers for the National Football League lead in sacks with 52. That bodes well heading into the playoffs. It means… there is no team in the playoffs that is able to put more pressure on the QB… and… no team with a QB as good as Patrick Mahomes (although, “good” should never be an adjective that describes Mr. Mahomes… superb is more like it). You have to like the Chiefs odds, especially if they can get Safety Eric Berry back at 100% in two weeks, and a return of WR Sammy Watkins could only improve the offense as well.

Being realistic, the Chiefs 2018 defense “can be” a real nightmare at times. However, I like how Terez Paylor sums up the Mahomes mystique being the counter-balance to the Chiefs defensive woes:

22 Years ago, I used to be a fan of the Chiefs defense and I couldn’t wait until they took the field: Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, James Hasty, Dale Carter, Dan Saleaumua, Joe Phillips, Tracy Simien, and the list goes on…. In 2018 (now 2019, and btw, Happy New Year to one and all), it’s the offense I can’t wait to see. However, when the Chiefs pass-rush is going good, it’s a sight to behold. Here’s hoping they can turn that pressure up for three more games. Now that we know that “3 points’ is a possibility, wouldn’t it be great to see some more of that, and less of whatever they called that other crud.

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