Please vote in our offensive MVP poll.

The Kansas City Chiefs defense might be the surprise of the year in the NFL as they took a major leap into what many would consider an above average defense. They're a solid group and in that group we've got some individuals who are putting up terrific seasons.

Here are the candidates for defensive MVP:

CB Brandon Flowers. He's had a terrific season even if the last game was rough at times. He's pushing for Pro Bowl status.

LB Tamba Hali: He's also pushing for Pro Bowl status. He goes 100 percent all the time which is why I like watching him so much. His stats don't accurately reflect his impact.

LB Derrick Johnson: Here's another guy from the Herm Edwards era that has had a great season. Who saw this coming? OK, maybe a lot of you once he got some playing time.

DE Glenn Dorsey: He was making strides in 2009 so his continued good play is no surprise.

DE Shaun Smith: He'd probably be my surprise of the year. He kept Tyson Jackson on the bench a few weeks ago. Smith's another guy I love watching.

S Eric Berry: He's made some rookie mistakes along the way but he also has two picks and two sacks. He's rough around the edges but it's a good start for him.