Chiefs Defense Sacks C.J. Stroud On 8 Of His 28 Pass Attempts

With stars of entertainment (Taylor Swift) and sport (Caitlin Clark) cheering him on from a suite, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce surpassed 100 receiving yards in a playoff game for an NFL-record ninth time.

But the Chiefs’ 23 -14 win in the divisional playoffs was not glitzy.

It was won with ferocity from a pass rush that recorded eight sacks and hit Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud six other times.

“Our defense did an outstanding job,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “My hat goes off to Spags.”

Leading defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, George Karlaftis had three of the sacks, and two of them were game-changing.

With the Chiefs clinging to a one-score lead with 10:05 left in the game, the Texans went for it on 4th and 10, and Karlaftis dropped C.J. Stroud for a loss of 16. Two possessions later he sacked Stroud on 3rd and 10.

If Karlaftis’ final sack didn’t seal the game, the ensuing blocked field-goal attempt did. (That was an appropriate sequence, considering special teams, along with the pass rush, were the two major keys in the Chiefs’ win.)

On the play before Karlaftis’ final sack, Chiefs second-year defensive end and Kansas City native Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who also had multiple sacks, brought down Stroud.

Kaflaftis credited a disciplined pass rush for a sack barrage that started on the Texans’ second offensive possession when the Chiefs’ best defensive player, Chris Jones, corralled Stroud on a 3rd and 8.

Jones’ $31.75 million average and $158.75 million overall contract value both lead all NFL defensive tackles, but on that play, he lined up at defensive end and beat right tackle Blake Fisher for the loss of 12.

It was Jones’ first game since injuring his calf one month ago during the Chiefs’ previous win against the Texans.

“I feel really, really good,” Jones said on Wednesday, leading up to the Texans’ game. “I was able to get three weeks of rest and get my legs back under me. It was a long season.”

Defensive back Chamarri Conner and defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Charles Omeinhu had the other sacks.

Including the eight sacks, the Chiefs defense hit Stroud 14 times, responding to Reid’s message that his linemen needed to impose their will on the line of scrimmage.

“We took that to heart,” Jones said. “We came out and played physical.”

Despite the physical play and stellar pass rush, the Chiefs defense still can improve.

The run defense allowed 149 rushing yards, and the Texans opened the second half with an astounding 15-play, 82-yard drive that consumed 10:24 of clock.

Fortunately, the Chiefs had a fantastic pass rush, which was also aided by cornerback Trent McDuffie, who recorded three pass breakups despite missing some plays after being evaluated for an injury.

Another star was Kelce, who led all players with 117 receiving yards.

In addition to making NFL history, he made a touchdown catch vs. zone coverage, which Reid called “unbelievable,” as Patrick Mahomes completed it despite having Texans defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. draped around his ankles.

“I was able to get enough on it,” Mahomes said. “That’s Playoff Trav.”

Led by Playoff Trav, Mahomes and a ferocious pass rush, the Chiefs are returning to the AFC Championship Game for an incredible seventh straight year.

“I can’t wait,” Karlaftis said.