Chiefs defense got a much needed spark vs. Raiders that will pay dividends for the remainder of the year
The Kansas City Chiefs not only picked up their 11th win of the season in Week 13, but returned a key contributor on defense. Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu made his season debut against the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Omenihu had been recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in […]
The Kansas City Chiefs not only picked up their 11th win of the season in Week 13, but returned a key contributor on defense.
Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu made his season debut against the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Omenihu had been recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in last year's AFC Championship game. It was a tough break for Omenihu, who racked up 11 sacks in 10 games played in 2023.
Omenihu only recorded one tackle on the day, but his impact went beyond the stat sheet. He consistently got a strong push against the Raiders' offensive line, and he looked great chasing around ball carriers. He also opened things up for fellow defensive lineman Chris Jones, who notched two sacks on the day.
On Jones' first sack, Omenihu was lined up right next to him. It's definitely not a coincidence that Jones had one of his best games of the season with Omenihu back on the field. After the game Jones discussed what Omenihu's mindset was like for his return and what he means to the Chiefs' defense as a whole.
"We had to calm Charles down," Jones said. "He was excited. His emotions went everywhere. He hadn't played in a year, and you know how that goes, when you're excited to be back you can kind of overthink things. I had to tell him, you're a little rusty. It's okay, though. You're alright. You haven't played that much, but I think overall, he played a heck of a game. Probably didn't show up on the stat sheet, but it's okay. It's his first game back. We didn't expect him to have five sacks his first game back, but we continue to expect him to build off of that, and continue to be able to play more along the season."
The biggest difference between the Chiefs' defense this year compared to previous years has been the lack of pass rush. Kansas City ranks 27th in the NFL in sacks with just 21. In 2022 and 2023, the Chiefs finished second in sacks with 57 and 55 respectively. Hopefully Omenihu's return is enough to make the Chiefs' pass rush a difference maker for the defense.
