Five most important Kansas City Chiefs for the playoff run

With a playoff spot secure, it is time to look ahead to the Chiefs pending Super Bowl run. Which players need to step up the most?

Now that the Kansas City Chiefs have secured their sixth consecutive playoff appearance, we can finally turn our attention to the most important part of the 2020 season: the title defense.

Let’s be honest, the way the team has played the vast majority of this season is unlikely to get the job done in January. The offense has sputtered at times, including most recently a complete failure of red zone execution against the Denver Broncos.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has failed to stop most teams consistently and has been abysmal at generating any kind of pass rush all season. In fact, the team ranks 25th in the NFL with only 20 sacks through 12 games. For perspective, that number ranks ahead of only one probable playoff team (Tennessee Titans, 14).

What does Kansas City need to repeat as Super Bowl Champions? The obvious reality is that the team needs some people to step up in order to reach their maximum potential when it matters the most.

We’re not talking about the team’s standouts thus far throughout the season. Obviously players like Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce on offense and defensive standouts like Chris Jones need to continue to play well for the team to be successful in the postseason.

What five players does the team need to most significantly improve their play over the next six weeks to make a second trip to Tampa this season and play in Super Bowl LV?