After 16 video games of ups and downs, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs turned of their finest defensive efficiency of the season in Saturday’s regular-season finale 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Chiefs defensive deal with Chris Jones turned in a monster sport, registering 2.5 sacks on Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Jones tied a career-high with 15.5 sacks on the season.
The Chiefs totaled 6.0 sacks on Stidham and compelled two turnovers. Greater than half of the fourth quarter had expired earlier than the Raiders discovered the tip zone, making the ultimate rating seem nearer than the sport actually was.
Talking after the sport, the face of the Chiefs protection credited his teammates who do the soiled work opening lanes for him — and he continued to reward what defensive position coach Joe Cullen completed in his first season in Kansas Metropolis.
“My supporting solid — what these guys have been in a position to do for me liberating me open,” credited Jones. “And Joe Cullen — bringing him in for me as a mentor for me and a D-line coach — has fully reworked my sport, whether or not it’s the run or the go rush. I’m very grateful.”
Jones’ dominant season has been a tide that raises all ships. The Chiefs completed the common season with 55 complete sacks — after solely registering 31 in 2021.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid joined his star go rusher in appreciation for what Cullen has introduced whereas noting Jones’ spectacular strategy final offseason.
“He labored tremendously exhausting within the offseason, and never that he hasn’t been, nevertheless it actually labored exhausting at it,” Reid claimed of Jones. “I feel he and Joe Cullen hit it off — and that’s they’ve a pleasant little factor occurring there, chemistry-wise. I feel that was a plus.
“Joe’s a grasp technician, particularly within the go rush sport… I’m certain Chris would let you know that he gave him a few little issues he may use, and Chris did the remainder.”
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Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton’s 16 tackles on Saturday introduced him to 180 on the season — narrowly edging legend Derrick Johnson’s 179 in 2011 for a crew report. The second-year professional is aware of that he and fellow linebacker Willie Homosexual Jr. have simpler jobs for the eye the celebrity instructions.
“[Jones] is aware of who he’s,” Bolton declared. “He is available in each single day and tries to present his finest — and that’s the one factor we are able to ask for. He performs three-tech, performs finish, performs the go, holds off double groups, [and] he retains the linebackers clear.
“It’s been a profit for me for certain — and likewise for Willie and the opposite guys and likewise the [defensive] linemen. We at all times know that Chris goes to get the slide, so our again facet normally can get one-on-ones. It helps the again facet generate strain — that’s good for our protection as properly.”
Whereas the Chiefs (lastly) turned in a dominant defensive efficiency, the true work begins in two weeks when Kansas Metropolis will host a Divisional Spherical playoff sport. The defensive leaders stay unhappy with Saturday’s effort.
“We dropped a number of interceptions,” Jones noticed. “We let two to 3 quarterback runs get out previous six to eight yards — we will be higher in that space. However I feel we performed fairly good [for] the final week of the season.”
Bolton is aware of that his facet should play even stronger if matched towards the Buffalo Payments or Cincinnati Bengals — high groups who handed the Chiefs two of the three losses this season.
“These video games we didn’t deal with very properly,” Bolton recalled. “And I didn’t deal with that good at the moment. So simply cleansing that up. I really feel like these yards after catch from the playmakers on these two groups, particularly — these can catch the ball and get vertical and make performs. So we’ve simply received to deal with properly within the playoffs to have an opportunity.”
When the Bengals upset the Chiefs within the AFC Championship final season, Jones missed a number of key alternatives towards quarterback Joe Burrow. He is able to start a brand new postseason chapter.
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“Final 12 months caught with me,” Jones admitted. “I had two important performs that I ought to have made that I missed. And we all know how the sport went. This 12 months, we’re desirous to get after it — after the bye week, in fact.”
Despite much-criticized video games earlier within the sport, Jones expects the defensive momentum to proceed — notably for his defensive position room.
“Main into the playoffs,” he defined, “it’s not about the way you begin — it’s the way you end. I feel we completed in a very good thoughts body — [a] good place as a D-line total.”
