What was the best part of the Kansas City Chiefs win over the Oakland Raiders? I asked that question to Chiefs fans after the game and got a wide range of answers.
Some said it was the cornerback play, which I agree was excellent even with the circumstances. Some said it was the way the Chiefs inside linebackers attacked Marshawn Lynch which was also awesome. Others said the offensive line, the defensive line and even special teams with four field goals.
My favorite part? The pass rush. The cornerback play is a close second but I’m not sure how sustainable it is to play that well (you can’t play Derek Carr every week).
The Chiefs big plays came from the pressure they put on Carr.
Here are Carr’s stats under pressure (via PFF): 3/9 passing for 35 Yards, one TD, one INT, three sacks and a 43.5 rating.
The biggest thing missing in the Chiefs defense has been the turnovers and I believe a big part of that is that the Chiefs weren’t pressuring the quarterback during their losing streak.
They came out early and got Carr on the first drive in this game. Chris Jones had another play where he hit Carr as he threw and it popped up in the air for an interception. Carr didn’t look comfortable and it showed when he was pressured.
The best thing that can continue is the Chiefs pass rush. It has to be like this in every big game the rest of the way, including Sunday against the Chargers.