The Kansas City Chiefs avenged their Christmas Day loss on Sunday by defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 27-20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The storied rivalry between these two franchises may run deep, but in recent history, it has been lopsided in Kansas City’s favor. The Kansas City Chiefs showcased just that by continuing to remain undefeated in that stadium and remain the NFL’s last undefeated team at 7-0.
Unlike in previous weeks, the defense did not have to have its best performance of this 13-game winning streak but came up with timely stops at different points of the game. Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s squad although may have put together their most complete performance of the season.
Kansas City’s defense managed to come up with a stop when they needed one, finishing the game with a total of five sacks and a late-game goal line stand, that flipped the momentum back into their favor and allowed their offense to close out the game. Here are the Chiefs’ Week 8 defensive takeaways from their win over the Raiders on Sunday.
Strong Showing From the Linebackers
Kansas City’s linebackers made a statement on Sunday, spearheading the team’s defensive effort. To no one’s surprise, Nick Bolton led the way. He finished the day with a team-high nine total tackles, continuing his streak as the team’s top tackler this season. Bolton’s ability to read plays and react quickly has allowed him to be in the right stops time after time and put a stop to drives. This is even more true, in the Kansas City Chiefs run defense where Bolton earned himself the highest grade according to Pro Football Focus grade of 83.5 for his run defense.
Next to Bolton, is Drue Tranquill who arguably had his best performance of the season on Sunday. Tranquill finished the day with six total tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack. According to PFF, he was the Kansas City Chiefs’ highest-rated defensive player with a score of 85.3, including a team-high 76.4 coverage rating, his season’s best as well.
Rounding out the linebacker contributions is Leo Chenal who had himself a solid day with four tackles and one sack. His reliability and consistent play in supporting the run defense and being the spy for opposing quarterbacks perfectly round out the Chiefs’ linebacking trio. Collectively, these linebackers displayed a balanced attack, disrupting the Raiders’ offensive plays and setting a strong defensive standard for the rest of the defense to follow.
Defensive Line Delivers Pressure
Moving on to the Chiefs’ defensive line which was also relentless in this game. All game long the front four, whoever it may have been, made it difficult for Gardner Minshew and the Raiders offense to find a consistent rhythm offensively. Defensive End George Karlaftis recorded a game-altering sack in the third quarter, which forced the Raiders to have to settle for a field goal and prevented them from tying the game. Karlaftis also tallied four tackles, including one for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass defense. Karlaftis has continued to improve with each game in his ability to pressure both the passer and the running game.
Then there is veteran Defensive Tackle Chris Jones, who is the leader of the defensive line. Jones finished the day with three tackles, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit, Jones has he does week in and week out and was a constant disruptor for the Raiders’ offensive line. His PFF grade of 79.3, which was the second-highest on the defense this week reflects his consistent impact, despite him being double-team every single play he still managed to find ways to limit the Raiders’ ability to establish a ground game. Alongside Jones, Malik Herring contributed three tackles and a sack, while Tershawn Wharton added two tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit.
The defensive line’s biggest moment of the game came during a goal-line stand late in the third quarter. Facing a third-and-goal at the one-yard line, the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive front pushed Raiders Running Back Alexander Mattison back, resulting in a two-yard loss. This crucial stop, followed by a sack from Karlaftis and Wharton on fourth down, denied Las Vegas a touchdown and preserved Kansas City’s lead.
Turnovers Sealed the Game
Not only did Kansas City’s defense stop drives, they also created game-changing turnovers. In the fourth quarter, Defensive Tackle Mike Pennel delivered a key play by forcing a fumble on Minshew, who was scrambling under pressure. Then Drue Tranquill recovered the fumble and gave the Kansas City Chiefs offense excellent field position at the Raiders’ 38-yard line. This turnover led to a field goal that stretched the Chiefs’ lead, and ultimately put the game out of reach for the Raiders.
Each defensive unit contributed to the Kansas City Chiefs takeaway tally. In addition to Pennel’s forced fumble, Karlaftis and Wharton’s combined sack on Minshew exemplified the Kansas City Chiefs’ teamwork and timing in the pass rush. Throughout the game, the Kansas City Chiefs maintained constant pressure, which eventually led to breakdowns in the Raiders’ offense. Pennel’s day ended with one tackle, a sack, a quarterback hit, and the forced fumble that tilted momentum further in Kansas City’s favor.
Kansas City’s defense might have not had its most dominant showing, but they came through when their offense needed them most and delivered clutch plays down the stretch that turned the tide and protected the Kansas City Chiefs slim lead. The Raiders managed just 33 rushing yards on 24 attempts, with Kansas City’s rush defense locking down any ground game attempts. With each possible game-changing play, the Kansas City Chiefs defense continued to prove itself as one of the most resilient units in the league.
Final Thoughts
With Week 8 now in the books, this performance is just another in the large sample size that has been growing as the Kansas City Chiefs continue to stack wins with each week. This past week was another step in the right direction for the offense, but as they continue to find their footing, Spagnuolo’s unit will continue to provide stability for this team. While not perfect, the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive execution demonstrated its versatility, and readiness to step up under pressure.
As Kansas City looks ahead, this defensive performance serves as another benchmark for what they are capable of. With playmakers like Bolton, Tranquill, Karlaftis, Jones, and others on this defense. The Chiefs are well-equipped to maintain this level of defensive prowess. Their Week 8 showing against the Raiders proved that when it matters most, Kansas City’s defense is up to the task.
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