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Top 5 pass-rushers in Chiefs History

1. Derrick Thomas

This is a “duh” answer for the top spot. When mentioning historical Chiefs defenses there are two names that you cannot avoid: Derrick Thomas and Marty Schottenheimer. Thomas is not only a Chiefs legend, but also an NFL legend.

Although his career was cut short, Thomas is still one of the top sack leaders all-time. With an incredible burst off of the line of scrimmage he amassed 126.5 sacks in his career. He was known for having a 20 sack season and 7 sack game. This puts him at 17th all-time. If you never saw Thomas play in real life, or seen a few highlights, it is impossible to put how good he was into context.

2. Jared Allen

This one may come as a surprise to some, but Jared Allen should absolutely be considered the second-best pass-rusher in Chiefs history. Although Allen did not spend the majority of his career here, his stats with the Chiefs and his impact on the game were both eye-popping.

Allen, in four seasons and 55 starts, Allen posted the 11th most sacks in Chiefs history. Again. To reiterate he did this in four seasons. Allen went on to play a lengthy career with the Minnesota Vikings where he finished with the 12th most sacks all-time.

3. Tamba Hali

Tamba Hali was once on the same defense as Jared Allen. That was one scary pass-rush. Tamba Hali by himself was an incredible threat. With great balance and power, Hali was almost un-blockable in his prime. After 11 seasons, Hali is 2nd in Kansas City history in sacks. Hali finished his career with 89.5 sacks behind only Derrick Thomas.

Chiefs fans have very fond memories of Hali, who was a consistent bright spot on a number of wildly inconsistent teams. Hali was not only great player, but he was also an excellent leader on and off of the field.

4. Neil Smith

While seeing Smith at number five on this list will undoubtedly trigger a portion of the readers, I believe that this is the correct spot. While Neil Smith was, without question, one of the top pass-rushers in Chiefs history, he was also lined up in a Schottenheimer defense that featured Derrick Thomas as well as Kevin Ross, Dan Saleaumua, and Deron Cherry. Yes, he finished third in Chiefs sacks all-time, but he had a higher level of advantage than any of the other players on this list

5. Justin Houston

At one time, Justin Houston was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. The most notable moment of Houston’s career in Kansas City was the 2014 season in which he posted 22 sacks which was a half sack short of Michael Strahan’s record for the most sacks in a season. While his production tapered off a little bit after that season, Houston created so much trouble for opposing quarterbacks in his prime that he has earned this spot.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Chiefs are looking to find their footing after losing back-to-back games. With a high-powered offense, the team is hoping to finally get in their rhythm after a slow start. At 1-2, Kansas City finds themselves in their worst position since 2015 when the Chiefs started the season 1-5 and rallied to win 11 games. Alex Smith was under center and Doug Pederson was on the sidelines at this time.

In what could be Andy Reid’s 100th victory as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs organization, it is only fitting that it comes against his former Eagles team. The Eagles come to town after struggling to slow the Dallas Cowboys down on Monday night; Falling 41-21 in Dallas. The Dallas defense forced Jalen Hurts to throw two interceptions and sacked him twice. In previous contests, Dallas had allowed an average of 24 points per game and an average of 376 yards passing. Hurts was unable to win the game, but put up huge numbers with 328 yards passing.

As the Chiefs travel to Philly, there are a number of unanswered questions. Will the defense ever play at a high level this season and what does Willie Gay’s return mean for that side of the ball? Can Mahomes perform with his back against the wall? Will Andy Reid fix the problems that have haunted the team through three weeks? Here is what I expect for this week.

Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles: 17

I expect Kansas City to look like themselves for the first time all season. Whether it be bad defense or silly turnovers, Kansas City has managed to kill themselves. While this game is undoubtedly going to be about Andy Reid’s legacy, it is also a game that could prove that he can lead this team back to greatness. I expect the Chiefs to come out and get rolling very quickly.

The Eagles have had some relatively good results through this part of the season. Their passing offense has been solid and their defense has looked better than anyone expected. That being said, the Chiefs are the more talented football team. I expect this game to finally look like it.

If I were a betting man, I would say that the running game will get some openings and that Mahomes will look as sharp as ever. Additionally, the defense will make some key plays down the stretch. I will never expect the defense to play a better game than this offense, however, this could be one of the best games that they play all season. Look for some pass rush from Chris Jones and some plays made by linebackers in a way that we have not seen since Derrick Johnson because that defense will be coming to play and prove something.

Player of the Game: Clyde Edwards-Helaire

I know. It sounds hokey. Picking Edwards-Helaire to be player of the game seems out of left field and yet ridiculous because of his play in the early part of the season. I am here to say that this is both logical and wishful thinking.

For the wishful thinking aspect, it would be lovely to see Edwards-Helaire bounce back and be the running back that we hoped for when he was drafted with the 31st overall pick. Additionally, his skillset is real and he would make for a great feel-good story to go through the season with.

For the logical side, the Cowboys had a lot of success on the ground as the Eagles. The Eagles were clearly worried about the passing attack and they certainly will be with the Chiefs coming to town. Clyde Edwards-Helaire could burst on to the scene in this one if the new offensive line is able to give him lanes. I anticipate that to happen here.