For a player as disruptive as Chris Jones, silence on the stat sheet is the loudest cause for concern in Kansas City. With just three sacks on his record so far, the fiery edge that once intimidated opponents seems dimmed. Yet, despite the silence, Jones has sent a clear message to the rest of the league. 

Chris Jones straight up said, “Keep writing.” When asked what he would say to those who’ve been eagerly waiting to write off the Chiefs from the playoffs. 

It was a sharp challenge to those ready to count the Chiefs out as they wrestle through a tough stretch. His confidence signals a team fighting to turn their story around, even when the odds look increasingly daunting. 

The Chiefs’ current 6-6 record tells the tale of a season slipping away. And their Week 13 loss against the Cowboys highlighted why. The Chiefs’ defense just couldn’t stop Dallas on key third downs, allowing America’s Team to convert nine of sixteen attempts.

Comparing this year’s defense with last year’s starkly shows the drop. While their offense has improved, jumping from 16th to 5th in total yards, the defense has fallen flat at 9th. In terms of sacks, their pressure rate is near the bottom of the league, ranking 31st in sack rate compared to top-tier performances in recent seasons. 

Looking ahead, the schedule won’t give Kansas City much breathing room. Their Week 14 showdown against the Houston Texans is a potential turning point. Win here, and the Chiefs could vault closer to playoff contention.

Win all five remaining games, and the Chiefs have nearly a 98 percent chance at the postseason, according to The Athletic. But a slip-up against Houston could slash those hopes dramatically, pushing their odds to a sobering 11 percent. After their brutal Week 13 loss, the Chiefs’ coach admitted where they went wrong and broke down the team’s biggest defense flaw. 

Steve Spagnuolo ‘takes full blame’ after their loss to the Cowboys

Until last season, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense was fully capable of securing a 100% success rate in third-and-long plays, as they could put the pressure on the QB. However, that ability has been missing all along this season. The Chiefs’ DC knows the team must turn things around if they want to win every game that comes next and find a place for themselves in the playoff race.

“We weren’t very good on third down, and I take the full blame for that. You can’t be like that on third down and expect to win.”

“There’s obvious ones that we think about… It’s either not a good call, or they make a good play, or somebody is not in the right position… third down overall needs to be better in my opinion,” Spagnuolo further added.

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The DC has clearly failed to make his magic work this year, a stark contrast to last year, when the team went undefeated in one-score games. Dallas went 9-of-16 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down in their win over Kansas City.

Kansas City’s sack rate at #23 with a 5.80% percentage provides a clear picture. They have playmakers like George Karlafatis and Chris Jones on their roster, and yet game after game, the Chiefs are losing.

So, the question now lingers over Kansas City’s playoff fate: will this defense bounce back enough to support Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered offense, or will the sputtering defense derail what remains a fragile postseason dream?