In Kansas City’s Divisional round win, the front line and secondary worked together to dominate Houston.
In the Kansas City Chiefs’ 23-14 Divisional round victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday, the Kansas City defense recorded eight sacks of Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud.
That began with excellent coverage by cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, who played together for the first time since Watson was injured in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers. Per Pro Football Focus, they turned in grades of 74.1 and 72.1 respectively to lead the team. Between them, they collected four passes defensed — and no Texans receiver caught a touchdown pass against any defender.
“We had way tighter coverage,” noted safety Bryan Cooks after the game, “giving our front line a chance to get to the quarterback. Playing off each other like that really worked for us.”
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive strategy was clear: forcing Stroud into uncomfortable situations by combining sticky man coverage in the secondary with relentless pressure from the front line.
“Spags really trusts us,” noted Watson, who held Stroud to a passer rating of just 60.2 when targeted. “We played tight, sticky coverage so the D-line could get time to get sacks. We did a good job of that today.”
This synergy between the defensive backs and the pass rushers led to a dominant defensive performance that allowed the Texans just 12 points — almost 10 points below their season average.
“Sometimes we might get beat and they’ll get a sack,” added Watson. “Other times we’ll have good coverage and give them a sack. It works hand in hand.”
The team now focuses on hosting the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday.
“[The] job’s not done,” said Cook. “We’ve got to stay focused. We’ll enjoy this win for now — but as the week goes on, it’s about preparing and staying locked in.”
Safety Justin Reid recognizes the extra advantage his teammates will have.
“When you have Chiefs Kingdom standing behind you — bearing down on [the opponent] — it’s huge,” he said. “I’m one of the few guys in this locker room that’s been on the other side of it. I know what that feeling is like.”
Still, the Chiefs understand they will need to bring their best against the only team that beat their starters in the regular season.
“We just have to take advantage of our opportunities,” explained Watson, “not beat ourselves and let the cards fall where they may.”
The defense will also benefit from having a full roster of healthy contributors — particularly Watson — back on the field.
“The guy is so consistent [and] cerebral,” said Reid of the third-year cornerback. “He flipped right back into the system like he never left. Having healthy guys back on the field is key for us to keep winning.”
The Chiefs’ defensive backs displayed confidence, trust and preparation in the victory over Houston. Their ability to execute Spagnuolo’s aggressive schemes set the tone for another Super Bowl push. With a clear focus on the task at hand, this unit looks poised to keep its momentum going.
“I mean, since my rookie year, we’ve always really had a chance at winning the Super Bowl,” observed Watson. “We just have to stay locked in, take advantage of our opportunities and let everything else fall into place.”