Branden Albert: Ex-Chiefs Tackle Speaks on Facing Kansas City

This past offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs were an Alfalfa hair away from head-butting the salary cap, which turned Branden Albert into a 310-pound sacrificial lamb.

Now, with two Sundays in the archives, the seven-year veteran is playing like the best tackle in the NFL.

Ryan Tannehill’s head of security currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) No. 1 tackle of 2014, allowing only one quarterback hurry and hit—no sacks. Adding to that, he has partaken in 157 snaps, which is tied for third-most among his positional peers.

When asked about squaring off against his former teammates, Albert told Alain Poupart of MiamiDolphins.com:

"I was there six years. Those guys are some fighters, even though whatever their record is right now, those guys are not going to give up. On both sides of the ball, they’ve got good players. They’re going to come in here with the fighter mentality and we’ve got to have a fighter mentality, too."

Entering Week 3, the Chiefs find themselves staring at a must-win situation—a far cry from a year ago. Kansas City’s defense will be clashing with PFF’s No.3 overall quarterback and No. 4 rush offense. Adding insult to injury, the Chiefs offense will be trying to pick apart PFF’s No. 1 defense.

This isn’t the automatic “W” that local loyalists envisioned two weeks ago.

Kansas City’s former blindside protector also relayed that he didn’t expect any calls—it was just another week on the 16-game schedule. “It’s a business. We’ve got a game to win and they’ve got a game to win and we’ll just see on Sunday,” Albert told media.

His protege, rookie right tackle Ja’Wuan James (PFF’s No. 6 tackle), also hasn’t allowed a sack.

Then again, New England and Buffalo—Miami’s respective Week 1 and 2 opponents—didn’t have Tamba Hali and Justin Houston.

Statistics provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).