The Kansas City Chiefs had some good competition for the first half defensive MVP but the voters picked LB Tamba Hali (47 percent) over LB Derrick Johnson (27 percent) and CB Brandon Flowers (17 percent). All three of these guys were part of a defense last year that ranked 29th in the NFL. Now, at the halfway point, they sit at eighth in points allowed. It's an incredible turnaround and these three were arguably the most important.
There's no doubt Hali has been a significant piece of the pie when it comes to the Chiefs defensive resurgence. Before the 2009 season, many of us had written Hali off because he was transitioning from a defensive end to a 3-4 linebacker, which isn't the easiest thing in the world.
Hali not only improved but thrived and that's continued to this year. He's third in the NFL with eight sacks and first in quarterback knockdowns and hurries. It seems that he's held on every single play and he's definitely a fan favorite because he quietly does his job and does it well at maximum effort.
Flowers and DJ are going to be considerations for the Pro Bowl so that makes Hali's victory here even more impressive. Kudos to Tamba Hali on a terrific first half of the season.