Chris Jones Breaks Out with Two Sacks as Kansas City Defense Dominates Jets
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones earned AFC defensive player of the week honors after recording his first two full sacks of the season in a blowout win over the New York Jets.
🧠AI AnalysisPhoto: The Athletic
Key points
- Chris Jones recorded his first two full sacks of the season against the New York Jets.
- Jones generated a season-high six pressures on 29 pass rushes and won AFC defensive player of the week.
- The Chiefs' defense posted a season-high 50 percent pressure rate and five sacks in the win.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones delivered his most dominant performance of the season on Sunday, racking up two full sacks and six pressures in a blowout victory against the New York Jets. After a quiet first seven games where he posted just half a sack and career-low pressure rates, the seven-time Pro Bowler reminded everyone of his elite status, earning the AFC's defensive player of the week award for Week 9.
Jones admitted to freelancing on his second sack by refusing to line up inside as called, intentionally trading positions with Drue Tranquill to catch the Jets off guard. The disruptive effort helped Kansas City achieve a season-high 50 percent pressure rate and five total sacks, with defensive end George Karlaftis also contributing two sacks. According to Next Gen Stats, three of Jones' pressures came in under 2.5 seconds, and his Pro Football Focus defensive grade spiked to a stellar 90.4.
Defensive line coach Joe Cullen highlighted Jones' relentless motor throughout the contest, pointing to a late first-quarter rush that forced quarterback Geno Smith into an incompletion and saved a potential touchdown. With younger linemen developing and foundational defenders nearing a return from short-term injuries, the Chiefs' defense is steadily climbing toward top-10 efficiency metrics.
What to watch next: Monitor whether Jones can maintain this dominant pass-rushing form as the Chiefs face upcoming schedule tests in the second half of the season.
Source The Athletic — nytimes.com/athletic/7776684/2026/11/13/chiefs-chris-jones-midseaso… ↗
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