2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 6-11
Chiefs defense
Every snap the Chiefs defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good-0.02 EPA a play allowed, 12th of 32, and 0.04 below what the offenses they faced usually manage (11th).
- How they playThey blitz on 39% of dropbacks, the 2nd-most in the league, and get pressure on 22%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: +0.03 EPA a dropback, 15th, softest behind the line middle (+0.28 a throw).
- Who hurt themCeeDee Lamb (DAL): 112 yards and +8.8 EPA on 9 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | -0.02 | 12th of 32 | 64th | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.03 | 15th of 32 | 55th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.09 | 9th of 32 | 73rd | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 44% | 14th of 32 | 58th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 9% | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Yards per play | 5.3 | 14th of 32 | 58th | |
| Yards per carry | 3.9 | 7th of 32 | 80th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 44% | 28th of 32 | 14th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 6.0% | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 22% | 21st of 32 | 36th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 17% | 5th of 32 | 86th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.7% | 18th of 32 | 45th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 54% | 11th of 32 | 69th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 1.88 | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 0.8 | 27th of 32 | 17th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | -0.04 | 11th of 32 | 67th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Chiefs. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 11 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 7 against the Raiders, 0.47 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average 0.00 a play elsewhere, the 23rd-toughest schedule of offenses.
at LACL 21-27+0.32usual -0.04
vs PHIL 17-200.00usual +0.03
at NYGW 22-9-0.25usual +0.03
vs BALW 37-20-0.06usual +0.04
at JAXL 28-31+0.03usual +0.03
vs DETW 30-17+0.11usual +0.08
vs LVW 31-0-0.67usual -0.20
vs WASW 28-7-0.18usual +0.02
at BUFL 21-28+0.23usual +0.14
at DENL 19-22+0.03usual +0.05
vs INDW 23-200.00usual +0.08
at DALL 28-31+0.22usual +0.09
vs HOUL 10-20-0.08usual -0.01vs LACL 13-16-0.05usual -0.02
at TENL 9-26+0.04usual -0.17vs DENL 13-20+0.10usual +0.04at LVL 12-14-0.49usual -0.20Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is behind the line middle: +0.28 EPA a throw against a league -0.34. The lockdown zone is intermediate middle, +0.35 a throw (league +0.59). Completions against them run 2.3 points over expected, 23rd-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 3.9 yards a carry against them, 7th of 32. The leak is outside right: 6.0 a carry and +0.22 EPA (league 5.2, +0.07).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.514th | 128.612th | +0.139th-toughest | 16.45th-fewest21.99th-fewest27.310th-fewest |
| Tight ends | 5.94th | 47.611th | +0.2620th-toughest | 6.26th-fewest8.68th-fewest11.08th-fewest |
| Backs, receiving | 5.08th | 28.914th | +0.1527th-toughest | 15.47th-fewest17.47th-fewest19.46th-fewest |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 15.113th-fewest15.113th-fewest15.113th-fewest |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 9 | 112 | 1 | +8.8 |
| Justice Hill | BAL | 9 | 117 | 2 | +8.7 |
| Dalton Kincaid | BUF | 6 | 101 | 1 | +8.6 |
| Keenan Allen | LAC | 17 | 104 | 1 | +7.6 |
| Pat Bryant | DEN | 6 | 82 | +6.1 | |
| Quentin Johnston | LAC | 7 | 79 | 2 | +5.6 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-4-to-6: offenses convert 36% against a league 44%. They are stingiest in games they trail by 9+ (-0.23 a play, league +0.04) and weakest in 3rd down (+0.06, league -0.05).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 412 | +0.02 | +0.01 | +0.01 |
| 2nd down | 320 | -0.02 | +0.02 | -0.05 |
| 3rd down | 222 | +0.06 | -0.05 | +0.11 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 86 | 65% | 60% | +5 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 45 | 36% | 44% | −8 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 91 | 29% | 26% | +3 pts |
| Red zone | 144 | +0.02 | 0.00 | +0.02 |
| Two-minute drill | 97 | +0.10 | +0.03 | +0.07 |
| When they lead | 371 | +0.03 | -0.01 | +0.03 |
| One-score game | 800 | +0.01 | +0.02 | -0.01 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 40 | -0.23 | +0.04 | -0.27 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 39% of dropbacks and average 4.5 rushers; 66% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.03 EPA when they blitz and +0.02 when they do not.
They put 6.5 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 7%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.5 a carry; into eight or more, 2.7.
Offenses throw more than usual against them: 0 points over their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.39 EPA against them on 22% of throws; screens -0.12.
50 defensive penalties for 388 yards, 30 of them first downs, the 21st-fewest. They miss 7% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 1st-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Chris Jones leads the pass rush with 31 pressures and 7 sacks on 73% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56George KarlaftisDE | 73% | 28 | 6 | 23 | 10 | 46 | |
| 95Chris JonesDE | 73% | 31 | 7 | 25 | 12 | 27 | |
| 90Charles OmenihuDE | 55% | 15 | 3.5 | 13 | 5 | 28 | |
| 97Ashton GillotteDE | 46% | 9 | 1.5 | 8 | 3 | 38 | |
| 99Jerry TilleryDT | 36% | 3 | 1.5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | |
| 92Derrick NnadiNT | 31% | 1 | 16 | ||||
| 69Mike PennelDT | 15% | 11 | |||||
| 55Omarr Norman-LottDT | 8% | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 93Zacch PickensDT | 5% | 1 | 5 | ||||
| 96Marlon TuipulotuDT | 2% | 1 |
Nick Bolton plays 96% of the snaps with 150 tackles and 1 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32Nick BoltonLB | 96% | 150 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 71 | 97.1 | 12 |
| 23Drue TranquillLB | 84% | 100 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 109.3 | 2 |
| 54Leo ChenalLB | 44% | 58 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 84.6 | 3 |
| 51Michael DannaLB | 37% | 24 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 96.7 | 1 |
| 43Jack CochraneLB | 6% | 20 | 2 | 50.0 | ||||
| 59Cooper McDonaldLB | 5% | 24 | 1 | 2 | 91.7 | 2 | ||
| 31Jeffrey BassaLB | 4% | 15 | 3 | 78.5 | 1 |
Kristian Fulton is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 71.3 passer rating on 17 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27Chamarri ConnerDB | 97% | 55 | 38 of 55 | 334 | 2 | 84.9 | 1 | 2 |
| 35Jaylen WatsonCB | 84% | 47 | 29 of 47 | 347 | 1 | 82.1 | 2 | 6 |
| 6Bryan CookSAF | 82% | 51 | 35 of 51 | 440 | 5 | 108.4 | 6 | |
| 22Trent McDuffieCB | 69% | 44 | 27 of 44 | 274 | 1 | 75.1 | 1 | 7 |
| 20Nohl WilliamsCB | 43% | 39 | 21 of 39 | 276 | 1 | 73.0 | 7 | |
| 21Jaden HicksSAF | 43% | 22 | 18 of 22 | 158 | 90.8 | 4 | ||
| 30Christian Roland-WallaceCB | 20% | 13 | 10 of 13 | 124 | 1 | 103.7 | 1 | 3 |
| 8Kristian FultonCB | 18% | 17 | 9 of 17 | 130 | 71.3 | 6 | ||
| 34Mike EdwardsSAF | 10% | 4 | 4 of 4 | 33 | 101.0 | 1 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.