Just How Good is the Chiefs Defense?

Laddie Morse

We know the Kansas City Chiefs offense will one day rise again to the level they have been at the last several years. The real question is… how good is the Chiefs defense and how good can they become?

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So far, the Bears have given up 65 points to the Packers (38) and the Bucs (27). That should mean the Chiefs offense has a chance of showing out this weekend against a very weak Bears defense. sportsnaut.com ranks the Bears defense as the 31st best (worst?) defense in the NFL. sportsnaut.com also has the Jets ranked 3rd best in the league right now but say this about their defense:

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“The only way the New York Jets are making the playoffs this year is if one of the best NFL defenses plays like it every single week. All things considered, it’s hard to ask for a lot more from [HC] Robert Saleh’s defense when the offense can’t stay on the field. We saw the Jets’ defense lose some of its edge after spending so much time out there. It’s something to monitor depending on the opponent.”

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The same website currently ranks the Chiefs defense at #11. However, here’s what they said about the K.C. D:

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“It’s just different with Chris Jones on the field. The Kansas City Chiefs defense compiled four sacks, seven quarterback hits and four tackles for loss on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thanks to that consistent pressure and some outstanding coverage versus Calvin Ridley, Trevor Lawrence finished with a 68.8 QB rating, 5.3 yards per attempt and a 53% completion rate. The Chiefs’ defense should dominate Justin Fields and the Bears’ offense in Week 3.”

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When the Chiefs defense gets Charles Omenihu back in week 7 against the L.A. Chargers, watch out! While I think the Chiefs defense deserves to be ranked in the top ten right now, they could go much higher by years end if they keep up their current pace. Someone agrees with me:

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Nick Wright always has good things to say about the Chiefs. However, he goes on to claim they’ll end up with a top five ranked D:

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DT Derrick Nnadi

I was excited when the Chiefs drafted Derrick Nnadi (back in 2018) and that was just about the last time… until this season. Nnadi has played much better this year than in years past.

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I had high hopes for NT Danny Shelton, but that was mostly because I saw Derrick Nnadi as a flop. This year he has not been that. At all.

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Here’s the sack on Lawrence back in January that Jared Sapp was referring to (0:07):

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We’ll have to pay close attention to Nnadi’s play in the coming weeks to see if it’s just a bump up he has when we play the Jags, or not.

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Chris Jones

DT Chris Jones picked up right where he left off in the playoffs of the 2022 season.

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It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that every time Chris Jones is on the field, he makes a ginormous difference in the Chiefs defense. Take a look at this play Chris Jones DOES NOT make, but… he ends up forcing QB Trevor Lawrence up and into the waiting arms of George Karlaftis and Mike Danna (0:08):

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This is exactly the kind of play CJ makes all the time, but it won’t show up on any stats sheet. Stone Cold is either making plays like that, or he’s actually sacking the opposing QB (0:11):

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The Linebacker Difference

The addition of Drue Tranquill has made more of a difference this year than I thought it would, particularly this early in the season. Nate Christensen at ArrowheadPride wrote a piece called, “The state of the Chiefs’ linebacker room after two weeks of play” in which he said:

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“… Tranquill, he’s seeing snaps in multiple packages. He’s only played three Dime snaps so far, but he’s rotating in with both Gay and Bolton in the Nickel and base packages. When they signed Tranquill, I thought it was mainly to replace Gay’s snaps, but he’s eaten into some of Bolton’s early on as well. I’ll be intrigued to see if his Dime reps go up moving forward.”

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Tranquill has also shown the speed he was known for (0:09):

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DE George Karlaftis

GK had 6.0 sacks in 2022, his rookie season, with the bulk of those coming in the last half of that year. I was hoping he’d pick right up where he left off last year and it looks like that’s what’s happened.

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Karlaftis has 1.5 sacks this season and 11 (eleven) tackles this year with 7 (seven) of those coming in Week One against the Lions (0:23).

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DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah

FAU, as he is known by, has had a good start to his career. With Chris Jones returning this past weekend, CJ has more snaps, with 51, than FAU has had in 2 (two) games, with 35. Still FAU has a half a sack (0.5) and has played well whenever he’s been in the game, including 1 (one) Forced Fumble, two (2) QB Hits and 4 (four) tackles. IOW, things are looking up for the rookie and the Chiefs D (0:05).

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The Cornerbacks

The CBs include Trent McDuffie, L’Jarius Sneed, Jaylen Watson, and Joshua Williams. the second year CBs have grown instead of taking a step backwards and that makes this defense a top defense in the league. You can have excellent play up front with the DL and the LBs but if your DBs can’t cover, you’re in trouble. The Chiefs CBs are strong and this doesn’t yet include the play of rookies Chamarri Conner or Nic Jones, both of whom look like they can contribute in positive ways.

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The Safeties

Justin Reid and Bryon Cook have been steady and Mike Edwards had performed well whenever he’s been in the game. Edwards has 37 defensive snaps in the first two game and he also has 18 Special Teams snaps as well. No Interceptions yet, but this game coming up may yield several.

Bear DC No More

The Bears will be going into the game against K.C. without their Defensive Coordinator: Alan Williams.

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“The FBI raided Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams home due to some very serious allegations, league sources tell. The sting found some extremely sensitive ‘content’, and Williams will most likely never coach again for Chicago or any #NFL team, “for the rest of his life,” a source familiar with the situation says.”

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HC Matt Eberflus  will take over the Defensive play calling duties for the Bears for now. Chicago may be better off considering their 0-and-2 start while giving up 65 points. Brad Biggs, a longtime Bears reporter said of the situation:

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“Lot of speculation about the status of Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams. I can tell you for the last 3 days we’ve been operating under the belief that his absence has not been related to health or a family matter.”

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Whatever you think of the Bears, the Chiefs will be coming into the game in Arrowhead flying high off a victory, a game they should have won, and did.

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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