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A dominant defense was the difference in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 13-7 win over Green Bay last week, and the resurgence of the unit’s line was the reason for optimism as the team got back above .500 for the first time since Week 1.
Among the players that put their stamp on the matchup against the Packers was Chris Jones, who had struggled mightily in the early goings of the season in part due to a wrist injury. Fans certainly took notice of his admirable performance last week, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was on the same page with the Chiefs’ faithful who saw the win as a turning point in the season.
He told reporters at Thursday’s media availability before practice that Jones remains one of the team’s most important contributors on the line, and that he still has a role to play, even after the addition of Melvin Ingram at the trade deadline.
“We’re still going to have some flexibility with Chris [Jones],” Spagnuolo said. “I don’t think we’re going to lose that, but it does allow us, even in the game he was inside more than he was outside, but we’re not going to restrict him to one spot. To be honest with you, he’s going to move around.”
Of his performance against the Packers specifically, the coordinator seemed more than pleased by his star lineman’s newfound juice in the pass rush. Spagnuolo insisted that he’ll be their swiss army knife against opposing offenses, lining up all over the front for Kansas City.
“We know that when he’s in there, he can do some dominant things,” He said. “Like any player, when you’ve been in one spot for whatever it’s been now and then you kind of go back, there’s a little rust to knock off, but I think he’s comfortable in there because he’s done it for many years, but we’ve got a little bit of rust to knock off and hopefully as he gets more reps in there, inside and outside, he’ll get better at both.”
One of the highest-paid players on the Chiefs’ 2021 roster, Jones needs to follow up his return to form with sustained success against upcoming opponents. He has proven in the past that he can be a nearly unstoppable force upfront in the right looks, but Jones will need improvement down the stretch if the Chiefs are to reach their goals in the second half of the season.
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