Spencer Ware, Steven Nelson deserve Chiefs MVPs for Week 9

Spencer Ware and Steven Nelson came up big for the Kansas City Chiefs in the team’s Week 9 win over the Cleveland Browns.

Welcome to the Week 9 edition of our Kansas City Chiefs weekly player awards, where we focus on which players are on the rise and the top performers of the game on both sides of the ball.

For the third straight week, the Chiefs defense stepped up, holding the Cleveland Browns to just 21 points in a Week 9 matchup that some had called a trap game. The defense continues to get better as the season continues, but there have been some hidden stars in step into our midst.

Player on the Rise: Offense

Although he did not blow up the stat sheet once again, Chris Conley is slowly starting to work his way up on the offense. The ball was spread around at an alarming rate, with 6 different receivers logging over 20 receiving yards. Having just one reception for 23 yards, Conley has not exactly been a main feature of the offense.

As long as he continues to be a solid option in the passing game, there’s a chance he gets more looks as the season goes on.

1 reception, 23 receiving yards

Player on the Rise: Defense

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Once again, Breeland Speaks‘ name pops up in the weekly awards. Speaks continues to look even more impressive as the season progresses. It had seemed like defensive coordinator Bob Sutton wasn’t quite sure how to use Speaks, which had been the case for the first few weeks.

With 22 total tackles on the year, he’s slowly making his way into the rounds on defense. His playing time may be a little limited with outside linebacker Justin Houston making his return very soon, but the rookie should hopefully get used more often.

4 total tackles
2 tackles-for-loss

RUNNER-UP: Chris Jones (4 total tackles, 1 sack)

Player of the Week: Offense

I had been debating who I should put here. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to put electrifying quarterback Patrick Mahomes, or dominant running back Kareem Hunt in this spot. Or perhaps star tight end Travis Kelce, who had 99 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns? While all three of these players had a dominating performance, there’s someone else I would like to focus on here.

Running back Spencer Ware is such an underappreciated gem for the Chiefs. After suffering a season-ending injury in training camp last year, running back Kareem Hunt took the league by storm in his rookie season, ultimately leading the league in rushing. Ware quietly, yet quickly went from the Chiefs feature back to the backup for the 2018 season.

Ware had been used more and more throughout the season, but on Sunday against the Browns, he seriously stepped up. He proved to fans and the Chiefs itself that he still has ‘it’. On three separate occasions, Ware converted three major 3rd-and-long situations, bailing the Chiefs out eaceh time. I expect Ware to become utilized more and more, helping take some of the load off of Hunt’s shoulders.

2 carries, 12 rushing yards
4 receptions, 69 receiving yards

RUNNER-UP: Travis Kelce (7 receptions, 99 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns)

Player of the Week: Defense

An electrifying performance by cornerback Steven Nelson, including a clutch interception to essentially seal the game for the Chiefs. Nelson has consistently been a great performer for the Chiefs defense. ProFootballFocus has Nelson rated as the #14 cornerback in the league, which is quite impressive for the former third-round draftee.

You can expect Nelson to step up in the coming weeks, as he and fellow cornerback Kendall Fuller have become quite the tandem.

8 solo tackles
1 pass defended
1 interception

RUNNER-UP: Kendall Fuller (2 total tackles, 1 pass defended)

Biggest Disappointment of the Week: Offense

How could there be any disappointments on this outstanding Chiefs offense, you might ask? Well, Chiefs fans know this player all too well. Tight end Demetrius Harris has consistently been an inconsistent option in the passing game for the Chiefs. His catching ability, or lack thereof, rather is almost to the point of being ridiculous.

Harris drops passes and just isn’t a reliable option in the passing game. He will need to step up his game if he wants this opinion to change, even in the slightest. The one positive I can give him, however, is that he steps up in the clutch when he needs to.

The Wrap

The Chiefs defense, for the third straight week, has performed rather impressively. Over the last three games, the Chiefs have held opponents to just 18 points per game. During that span, they have not allowed a 300+ yard passer while forcing one interception in each of the three games. This information is quite relieving to hear as the Chiefs have been struggling on defense for the first half of the year.

The offense shall not go unnoticed, however. Mahomes appeared to enjoy spreading the ball around, as 5 different receivers had 50 or more receiving yards—an all-around performance by one of the best, if not the best, offenses in the league. Ware stepped up when he needed to, converting numerous crucial third-downs to keep drives alive for the Chiefs. He almost seems underappreciated to me, but I have a feeling that may change very soon.

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