Kansas City Chiefs defense shows playoff promise against Atlanta Falcons
Rookies Stepping Up On Defense
The Kansas City Chiefs received some pushback on using their top draft pick last offseason on a running back when their defense was in need of an injection of young talent. However, as the regular season winds down, the Chiefs rookie class has emerged as an essential part of the defense. That was on display against the Falcons on Sunday and over the past several weeks as four rookies have now emerged as key contributors on the defensive side of the ball.
No rookie has had a bigger impact on defense this season than rookie corner L’Jarius Sneed. Sneed had a sack and seven tackles on Sunday against the Falcons. Over the past three weeks, Sneed has totaled 18 tackles, 2 sacks, an interception, and four pass breakups. He has become a vital part of the secondary and will definitely continue to play a major role in the playoffs.
The Chiefs found themselves completely decimated at linebacker on Sunday. Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson missed the game and Ben Niemann went out in the first half as well. That left the trio of Willie Gay Jr., Darius Harris, and Omari Cobb left to man the position.
While the hope is that Harris and Cobb will not need to be contributors during the playoffs, Gay is a different story. The Chiefs second round pick is easily the most physically talented linebacker on the roster. He just needs the experience and trust of the staff to stay on the field.
Sunday was far and away his most playing time of the season and he responded by leading the team with 9 tackles (including 7 solo), a forced fumble, and a tackle for loss. I think regardless of what the team does with some of their star players next week, you can bet Gay will be out there getting more experience, and that could be a great thing leading into the playoffs.
Probably the most surprising rookie contributor this season is undrafted rookie Tershawn Wharton, who has been a regular rotational player most of the season. He’s contributed a couple of sacks on the year, as well as a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He had one of the Chiefs season-high 12 quarterback hits on Sunday, and he’s firmly entrenched himself ahead of former third-round pick Khalen Saunders in the rotation.
I have to admit, I was not a fan of the Mike Danna pick in the draft, but he’s been a solid contributor as a rookie for the Chiefs. Danna hasn’t been flashy, but he’s a dependable part of the rotation and has added 2.5 sacks so far as a rookie. While he may not be the edge player that the Chiefs count on for big pass rush production, his ability to contribute allows guys like Frank Clark and Alex Okafor to catch their breath for a few snaps here and there so they can be more aggressive when it is needed.
All four of these rookies will see snaps come playoff time and the experience they are getting now is valuable. The ability flashed by Sneed and Gay in recent weeks is especially important to this team.
Now let’s talk about the run defense for a minute.