Chris Jones had the game he needed to have vs. Houston Texans — and it sparks big questions for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones came to play in Week 14, but where has this been all season long?
Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones put together what was his single-best game of the 2025 NFL season on Sunday night against the Houston Texans in Week 14.
The six-time All-Pro recorded eight total pressures, including four quarterback hits and a 25% pass-rush win rate. He notched a lone quarterback sack on C.J. Stroud, but he was making him uncomfortable for most of the day. He really took over in the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the team forced five consecutive punts out of Houston. He was the Chiefs’ highest-graded defender (90.3) and finished the game with the best pass-rush grade on the team (92.4) according to Pro Football Focus.
It wasn’t just the number of pressures, but the way he was getting them. He wasn’t just beating a single player like a drum. He beat guys like RG Ed Ingram and C Jake Andrews cleanly and quickly off the snap from the interior on both running and passing downs.
He also managed to get some pressure when lined up on the edges. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, six of his pressures came in under 2.5 seconds. It was ultimately a Herculean effort from Jones, but the team came up short, with the offense sputtering altogether in the fourth quarter. Still, the performance leaves the team with some big questions.
Where has this version of Chiefs DT Chris Jones been all season?
Jones consistently says that he’s his own worst critic, so it should be no surprise that he has his best game after NFL Next Gen Stats dropped this nugget following Week 13’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Heading into Week 14 vs. the Houston Texans, Jones had posted his lowest pressure rate (8.8%) among Chiefs defenders with at least 150 pass rushes since before Steve Spagnuolo was coaching the defense. His 3.8% quick-pressure rate was also his lowest across any season since 2018.
Chiefs DT Chris Jones’ pressure quick facts
- Most sacks in a season: 15.5 (2018 & 2022)
- Most pressures in a season: 97 (2022)
Jones seemed to draw some motivation from those numbers, based on the results and some social media antics leading up to the game. He proved that he’s still got it, but where was this type of performance the rest of the season? Steve Spagnuolo noticed that Jones has been practicing differently as of late. Could that have something to do with it, or is it simply matchup-based luck going against a Houston offensive line that’s still a little suspect? Is this a situation where Jones can maintain that high-quality level of play for the rest of the season? Was this just a back-against-the-wall aberration? Jones will have to decide.
If it can be more than a one-off for No. 95, that’d certainly help the team give themselves a shot down the stretch, even if they’re going to need some help to reach the postseason.
Kansas City Chiefs News
Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides injury updates on LT Wanya Morris, CB Trent McDuffie after Week 14 loss to Texans
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 14 loss to the Houston Texans came with a pair of injuries.
