Reviewing the Chiefs defense: Overcoming injuries on the line, strong in secondary
Here’s a look back at how the Chiefs defensive position groups and special teams contributed to the team’s 8-1 record in the first half of the 2020 regular season:
DEFENSE
Notable league rankings, via NFL GSIS and Sportradar:
- Total yards (net) allowed per game: 13th (354.1)
- Net passing yards allowed per game: 6th (215.7)
- Total passing touchdowns allowed: T-5th (11)
- Rushing yards allowed per game: 28th (138.4)
- Total rushing touchdowns allowed: T-18th (9)
- Sacks: T-16th (19.0)
- Interceptions: T-5th (9)
- Total takeaways: T-4th (14)
- Opponent third-down pct.: 9th (39.3)
- Total first downs allowed: T-11th (195)
- Points allowed per game: 6th (20.3)
- Big plays allowed (20-plus yards): 15th (31)
DEFENSIVE LINE
Like their teammates on the offensive side, the Chiefs defensive line experienced the injury bug.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones missed a game with a groin injury; defensive end Alex Okafor is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury; defensive tackle Khalen Saunders landed on injured reserve with an elbow injury before returning in Week 7; and rookie defensive end Mike Danna spent time on injured reserve with a hamstring injury before returning in Week 8.
The defensive line, however, has a gem in undrafted rookie defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, who has appeared in all nine games. Wharton has produced 20 tackles, a sack, a quarterback and a forced fumble in his rotational role alongside Jones, Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel.
Jones’ five sacks and 17 quarterback hits lead the team, while defensive end Frank Clark is second with four sacks and nine quarterback hits.
Defensive end Demone Harris has been a healthy inactive in eight of the nine games.
LINEBACKERS
The Chiefs opened the season with Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson and Ben Niemann as the starting unit in the defensive scheme’s 4-3 base.
Wilson paces the linebacker corps with 54 tackles, while Hitchens is second with 53 tackles.
Rookie Willie Gay Jr., the Chiefs’ second-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, cracked the starting rotation ahead of Niemann in Week 4, but has since returned to rotating with Niemann, depending on defensive subpackage.
Gay’s time will eventually come and he has flashed his athleticism and speed, especially against the pass. The rookie linebacker’s two passes defensed leads the linebacker group and he has a sack.
Dorian O’Daniel primary contributions continue on special teams, where his 194 snaps are tied with safety Armani Watts as the most for the Chiefs.
Darius Harris, who is on the 53-player roster, has been a healthy inactive this season.
CORNERBACKS
The Chiefs opened the season with cornerbacks Charvarius Ward, Rashad Fenton and rookie L’Jarius Sneed holding down the position group while Bashaud Breeland served a four-game suspension.
Ward, however, suffered a fractured hand in Week 1 and missed a game, while Sneed suffered a shoulder injury in Week 3 before landing on injured reserve. Despite all the missed games, Sneed’s two interceptions are tied for the team lead.
The Chiefs remain one of the league’s top pass defenses and entered the bye week ranked sixth in the league.
Fenton’s five passes defensed leads the defense. Ward has been inconsistent this season by uncharacteristically allowing big plays, but he is tied for the second-most passes defensed on the team with four.
Breeland returned from suspension in Week 5 and has an interception to go along with 21 tackles and two passes defensed.
Antonio Hamilton and rookie BoPete Keyes are core special teams contributors.
SAFETIES
Of the Chiefs’ nine interceptions, five come from the backend of coverage, where safeties Tyrann Mathieu (2), Daniel Sorensen (2) and Juan Thornhill (1) patrol.
Mathieu, whose 593 defensive snaps leads the team, remains the heart and soul of the defense, and his four passes defensed are tied with Ward for the second-most on the team. Mathieu’s 42 tackles are also the fourth-most on the team.
Sorensen has come up big in 2020, the final year of his contract, and he leads the Chiefs defense with 57 tackles on 489 snaps, which are the fourth-most on the team. He also has a pick-six, which he recorded on a 50-yard return in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs also continue to utilize Sorensen as a core contributor on special teams, where he has logged 105 snaps.
Thornhill finally has his legs under his after returning from last season’s ACL injury and his 538 defensive snaps are the second-highest on the team behind Mathieu. The second-year safety has 24 tackles, an interception and two passes defensed through nine games.
Armani Watts and Tedric Thompson round out the safety group. Watts sees most of his action on special teams, where he is tied with Dorian O’Daniel for a team-high 194 snaps. Thompson saw spot duty on defense (93 snaps) and special teams (43).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Notable league rankings, via NFL GSIS and Sportradar:
- Field goals made: T-13th (15)
- Kickoff return average: 2nd (29.0)
- Punt return average: 24th (6.0)
Special teams has contributed to wins with timely plays this season, notably against the Broncos in Week 7, which produced Byron Pringle’s kickoff return for a touchdown, and Week 8, where rookie Tommy Townsend executed a fake punt with a completed pass to Pringle to keep a drive alive.
Kicker Harrison Butker won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 2 after nailing a game-winning 58-yard field goal in overtime against the Los Angeles Chargers. Butker, however, has experienced issues with six missed extra points through nine games.
Townsend is averaging 47.1 yards per punt, which is higher than Dustin Colquitt’s 44.3 average in 2019. The Chiefs released Colquitt during the offseason.
Wide receiver Mecole Hardman leads the team in punt returns with 66 yards on 10 attempts, while Pringle’s 180 yards, most coming on the 102-yard return, pace the kickoff return unit.
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Reviewing the Chiefs defense: Overcoming injuries on the line, strong in secondary."
