Grading the Chiefs: So many contributed, but let’s give some props to the KC defense
The Chiefs have a knack of making games close no matter the flow.
So it was with Sunday’s 33-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs entered the fourth quarter with a 20-point lead ... but by the end were forced to recover an onside kick to assure the victory.
KC STAR OF THE GAME
We’re going defense here. Tyreek Hill scored touchdowns both rushing and receiving. Travis Kelce turned in his fifth 100-yard receiving day in six games, and Mecole Hardman had a dazzling punt return for a touchdown. But Chris Jones got one of the Chiefs’ four sacks, and his produced points. It happened while Tua Tagovailoa was in the end zone for a safety.
“I’m proud of how our defense responded,” Patrick Mahomes said afterward.
Reason to hope: The Chiefs beat a team that entered the game in playoff position and won their 10th straight regular-season road matchup dating to last year. They also captured the AFC West Division title for the fifth straight year and stand 12-1 for the first time in franchise history.
Reason to mope: That first quarter, woo boy. Same could be said of the fourth quarter. The Chiefs played their sloppiest game of the season; instead of running away with a victory, they had to sweat out the final few minutes.
Next: The Chiefs stay on the road and visit the New Orleans Saints. It’s their final game away from Arrowhead Stadium this regular season and kicks off at 3:25 p.m. CBS (Ch. 5) will televise it.
REPORT CARD
Passing offense: C
This is our lowest grade of the season for the passing offense. After the first quarter, the Chiefs had no points and Mahomes had two interceptions. It wasn’t perfect over the final three quarters, either, with Mecole Hardman losing a fumble after a completion and Mahomes’ throwing his third pick of the afternoon.
Mahomes’ TD passes to Hill and Travis Kelce, not to mention some great individual effort by Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the first play of the third quarter, made for some highlights. But the first quarter counts — the Chiefs allowed a 30-yard sack on one particularly inefective drive — and so does Mahomes’ career-worst third interception of the game.
Was this Mahomes’ worst game yet? Perhaps. But he also threw for 393 yards and had a big fourth-down completion to Hill on the final series.
Passing defense: B
Terrific job by the Chiefs’ defense. Tyrann Mathieu was in the right place to grab Tua Tagovailoa’s first career interception after a deflection by Rashad Fenton. Mike Danna, Tershawn Wharton and Frank Clark each collected sacks, and Chris Jones was the first to greet Tagovailoa in the end zone for a safety. Tagovailoa warmed up in the fourth quarter, producing two touchdown drives, but the KC pass defense did its job.
Rushing offense: A
Hill’s 32-yard scoot for a touchdown got the Chiefs on the board, and that’s the longest run by the Chiefs player this season. But Edwards-Helarie and Le’Veon Bell were solid — some of this offense’s catch-and-runs on short completions are more akin to running plays. The Chiefs would like to have had more push on their final possession, when a pair of runs by Edwards-Helaire lost 11 yards, making Harrison Butker’s field goal longer than it needed to be.
Rushing defense: A
The Dolphins were short-handed when starter Myles Gaskin was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. But the Chiefs were rugged up front, and through three quarters Miami’s longest gain on the ground was just 7 yards. The Chiefs out-rushed the Dolphins 94-80.
Special teams: A
Returning a punt for a touchdown is always satisfying. Doing it against one of the league’s top special teams units makes it even better.
Mecole Hardman zipped his way to a 67-yard score, the second-year pro’s first touchdown on a punt return, and several key blocks were required to make it happen. Chris Lammons had the biggest: Playing in just his second game for the Chiefs, he helped Hardman turn the corner and stay free of traffic.
Punter Tommy Townsend got off a 58-yarder, and Butker was true on his kicks. He clinched the game with a 46-yard field goal. All in all, a really good day for KC’s special teams.
This story was originally published December 13, 2020 at 4:01 PM.