Chris Jones’ Breakout Game Started With A Deliberate Mistake

The Kansas City Chiefs finally got some much-needed production Jesse Newell of The Athletic explored how it happened. production from defensive tackle Chris Jones, as he posted a pair of big sacks against the New York Jets in Kansas City’s 35-12 win on Sunday. Jones had exactly a half-sack before that, and Jesse Newell of The Athletic explored how it happened. 

It started when Jones lined up out of position, according to the writer. He was supposed to be inside, with linebacker Drue Tranquill on the outside, but they swapped positions, and he relayed his account the tactic on the team’s post-game video show. 

Jones also revealed that he was going to get “cursed out” by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for his decision to freelance on a critical third down, and the sack that followed was part of what was easily his best game of the season as his vanishing act concluded. 

The defensive tackle has never been shy of letting everyone know how much he thinks of himself, and that part came through on the show, too. 

“I’m still Chris Jones, man. Don’t let it fool you,” Jones told play-bypplay announcer Mitch Holthus. “I’m still Chris Jones.”

Jones was also posting career lows for career pressures before the Jets game, but on Sunday he had  had a season-high six pressures while contributing two sacks on 29 pass rushes, per Newell via Next Gen Stats. Three of those pressures were under 2.5 seconds.

That helped Jones to get the nod as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 9, Newell added. 

But defensive line coach Joe Cullen might have been more impressed by another play that possibly saved a touchdown. It happened in the first quarter with the Jets facing a third-and-six just outside the red zone, when Jones used a swim move to create pressure on quarterback Geno Smith. 

Smith rushed the throw, and he was unable to hit receiver Adonai Mitchell, even though Mitchell was open and had a step on the defender. Cullen described it as a “great rush,” then followed up by saying that Jones “dominated the game.”

As Newell noted, the Chiefs defense reached a new level because of Jones’ stellar play. The Chiefs’ 50 percent pressure rate against the Jets, per Next Gen Stats, was a season high, as were their five sacks.

His fine play was complemented by a pair of sacks from defensive end George Karlaftis, and the Chiefs will be a different team if they can get this kind of production from Jones and company this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and beyond.