Four positive takeaways from the Kansas City Chiefs win over the New England Patriots

The Chiefs Linebackers Are Finally All Healthy And Making An Impact

Next to the emergence of Rashee Rice, I think this may be the biggest reason to be excited about what we saw in this game. The Kansas City Chiefs finally had their full linebacker group healthy and contributing on Sunday and it immediately made an impact.

The quartet of Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Willie Gay, and Leo Chenal give the Chiefs one of the deepest and most versatile linebacker groups in the league, but recent injuries to Bolton and Tranquill have kept KC from getting the full benefits from this group. In their first game with all four back in rotation, each of the players made an impact.

Bolton and Chenal were both key pieces in K.C.'s run defense that limited the Patriots to just 52 yards rushing. Chenal also had a batted pass on a blitz early in the game. Tranquill gives K.C. another linebacker who is strong in coverage, but he also had a sack on Sunday. Willie Gay's sideline-to-sideline speed gives him big play upside and he had a pass deflection and a huge interception in this game.

If the Chiefs are going to win in the playoffs without a high-flying offense their linebacker group is going to be a huge part of the defense that allows that to happen. If KC can keep all four guys healthy down the stretch and into the playoffs and Steve Spagnuolo is able to use each of them to their strengths it could make an already great Chiefs defense even better.

Finally, the Chiefs pass rush showed up again on Sunday.