The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Arrowhead Invitational — excuse me, the AFC Championship game — for the sixth time in seven seasons.
After the victory over the Houston Texans on January 18, several Chiefs players took to social media to tell the fans how they were feeling, including superstar defensive lineman Chris Jones.
“Kc……[suggestive language] love y’all!” Jones wrote on X. Adding: “The journey continues!”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also addressed Chiefs Kingdom, voicing: “Thank you #ChiefsKingdom !!!! See ya next week! ⏰”
“Whatever it takes… 😤 On to the next!” Veteran safety and defensive team leader Justin Reid chimed in. Reid played a big role in the blocked field goal that helped KC secure the win.
Pass rusher Charles Omenihu also said: “Check my track record. Good win. More glory.”
And cornerback Jaylen Watson promised fans that “I’ll be better next week kingdom ❤️💛.” After beginning his post with a “let’s goooo” and a roller coaster emoji.
Finally, a Chiefs staff member — VP of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder — shouted out the coaches for their part in the win.
“Players have to make plays to win games, but today was a masterclass in coaching and especially situationally,” he praised. “It is a joy to watch [Andy] Reid, [Matt] Nagy, [Dave] Toub and their staffs coach this team! PHENOMENAL!”
In a follow-up post, Burkholder also made sure not to forget about defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — who he called “the man.”
Chris Jones & Chiefs’ Pass Rush Led KC to Victory vs. Texans
Similar to the past couple of Super Bowl runs, it was the KC defense that led the Chiefs in the win over the Texans.
Jones and the Kansas City pass rush were particularly lethal, tallying up 8 total sacks on Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud. Those sacks combined for a loss of 58 yards of offense.
Although Jones is always the headliner, George Karlaftis was the most productive of the Chiefs’ pass rushers. The former first-round pick had a trio of sacks during the Divisional Round, and he was the only KC defender to factor in more than one sack.
After that, five players were credited with 1 sack, including Jones. He was joined by first rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Omenihu, defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and defensive back Chamarri Conner.
When you incorporate QB hits into the discussion, the Chiefs really terrorized Stroud and the Texans’ offensive line.
Kansas City finished with 14 QB hits. Karlaftis led the way again, with 4, while Jones and Wharton each were credited with 2.
The following players were awarded 1 QB hit: Omenihu, Anudike-Uzomah, Conner, Justin Reid and linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill.
This pass rushing performance impacted the Texans’ passing attack throughout the game, but it also ended a couple of important drives in clutch moments. At the end of the day, that’s still the Chiefs’ M.O. They find ways to win, no matter the situation.
Next Step Is for Chiefs to Force Turnovers
Although the defense played great, they did not force any turnovers. Stroud did fumble the football once, but his offensive lineman Shaq Mason recovered it.
That’s the next step for the Kansas City defense as they round themselves into Super Bowl form.
The Texans are a good team, but due to injuries, they do not currently have the offensive firepower of the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. In order to defeat a team like that, it helps to first win the turnover battle.
