Why NFL teams should be terrified of the Kansas City Chiefs

The defense isn’t full strength yet.

While the defense held the Houston Texans to just seven points until those two garbage time touchdowns, it wasn’t because they were firing on all cylinders. The Chiefs got some big plays from guys like Jones, Clark, Sneed, and Tyrann Mathieu, but their linebacker play was still pretty suspect and they were missing players due to injury and suspension as well.

While the Chiefs entered the game relatively healthy, they lost starting corner Charvarius Ward, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, and edge defender Alex Okafor during the game. Then when you add to that the suspensions of cornerback Bashaud Breeland and defensive tackle Mike Pennel and the Chiefs were running pretty thin at two key positions in the defense for the second half of this game.

The defense that shut down the Texans and quarterback Deshaun Watson most of the night had pretty rough linebacker play and was without two starting caliber players at both cornerback and defensive tackle. What happens when they get those players back and/or the linebacker play improves? That can’t be an encouraging thought for the rest of the NFL. The Chiefs are hard enough to keep pace with because of their offense. If their defense becomes a legit top ten defense too, it’s game over.

The good news for the Chiefs is that right now none of the injuries look like long-term, season-threatening injuries. There is reason to be optimistic that by the time both Breeland and Pennel are back from suspension in a few more weeks, the defense may have a chance to be full strength or close to it if they can avoid any more serious injuries. A fully healthy Chiefs defense looks like it could be a force to be reckoned with.

As far as the linebacker play goes, Chiefs fans have to be hoping that at some point K.C. feels comfortable enough with Willie Gay Jr. to put him out there. If nothing else, Gay possesses the elite physical tools to make big plays. While he may also give up some plays because of a lack of familiarity with the system, as we discussed earlier it only takes one big play to kill a drive and Gay has that potential.

Finally, perhaps the biggest reason the NFL should be worried.