Last season, the Chiefs defensive unit was one of the best in the league and a big part of their contention in the AFC West. This year, they look to build off a strong performance in 2014, putting up even better numbers and staying atop the league as a defensive unit.
Before taking a look at this year’s players, here’s a quick look at how impressive they were just a year ago.
In total defense, KC was ranked seventh in the league allowing only 5,288 yards throughout the course of the season. The pass defense was stellar, allowing only 3,252 yards to put them at second in the league. They did, however, struggle against the run at times, allowing 2,036 yards to place them at 28th in the league.
Overall, they allowed 281 points for an average of 17.6 points per game.
Looking ahead to 2015, all eyes are on Justin Houston. With the contract negotiations and talks still underway there are a lot of concerns regarding Houston as of late. He was a key factor on this Chiefs defense last season with 68 combined tackles, four forced fumbles, and a remarkable 22 sacks. He is one of the best defensive players in the game and set to have another dominating season in 2015. He and the Chiefs have until July 15th to work out a long-term deal, and there is much concern as to whether an agreement will be met.
The return of Mike DeVito is sure to significantly improve the Chiefs performance against the run this season. The defensive end suffered injury in the first game last year, and the loss of their run stopper was felt in the defensive line.
Allen Bailey earned himself a contract extension with his play last season. He had 41 combined tackles and five sacks in 2014. He is an aggressive defender and a key asset to the Chiefs up front.
Looking at the secondary, KC added Tyvon Branch this offseason. Branch had some good years with the Oakland Raiders, but fractured his foot early last year and was placed on the injured reserve and released this offseason. Branch had been franchise tagged by the Raiders in 2012.
When it comes to the safety position, the status of Eric Berry is optimistic, but nothing is concrete on his return after battling lymphoma last winter. If he is unable to start, there will be some competition in camp to fulfill this duty. A name to keep an eye on is Husain Abdullah to take his spot.
Overall, the Chiefs have a dominating defense, they proved that last season, and this defense kept them in games so the offense could put some points on the board. As the 2015 season approaches, this defensive unit has the capability of being even better. With the return of some players, they should see an improvement in the run defense, and they have already shown they can put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and defend the ball downfield.
This KC defense could have a big year in 2015.