Derrick Henry will provide another challenge for Chiefs run defense

The Kansas City Chiefs have improved their run defense, but Derrick Henry and the Titans will present another major challenge.

The Kansas City Chiefs defense is coming off its best performance under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook came into Arrowhead Stadium last week leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. But Kansas City’s defense prevented him from having an impact.

The Chiefs kept Cook in check, keeping him out of the end zone as he only mustered 71 yards off 21 carries, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. Cook’s longest run of the game was 12 yards. Cook’s 71 yards is the third fewest in a game this year and only the second time he’s been kept away from the end zone.

In total, the Chiefs held the Vikings to 96 rushing yards. That is the third fewest rushing yards the Chiefs have surrendered in a game this season.

Although Kansas City’s rush defense ranks 29th in the NFL, it will have another opportunity to show that it is better than that this Sunday.

Titans running back Derrick Henry is 10th in the league in rushing yards with 644 on the season. Henry also stands in the top 10 in rushing touchdowns as well as first downs gained on the ground.

Out of the nine games played so far this year, Kansas City has allowed 100 or more rushing yards in six games. That includes a string of four consecutive games where the Chiefs gave up 180 or more on the ground from Weeks 3 through 6.

The Chiefs defense has recently turned a corner in the last three weeks. After facing Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay, Packers running back Aaron Jones and Cook this past Sunday, the Chiefs held all three of those running backs to below 100 rushing yards, as all three are in the top 16 in that category.

This comes after the Chiefs allowed Texans running back Carlos Hyde and Colts running back Marlon Mack, both in the top 10, to have a field day against them.

The return of defensive lineman Chris Jones and the recent addition of defensive tackle Mike Pennel has only helped the Chiefs. Linebacker Anthony Hitchens has improved in Spags defense, and the Chiefs await the return of defensive ends Alex Okafor and Frank Clark, hoping to add to the refinement of this defense.

Three games is a good sample size. Spagnuolo and the rest of the coaching staff has helped this defense improve at the midway point. Don’t be surprised if the Chiefs continue playing well against top running backs when they face another one in Henry this Sunday.