It’s been a few weeks since the Kansas City Chiefs had a defensive player recognized by the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week list. It’s been even longer since they’ve given a Chiefs defender an elite grade.
A two-game losing skid won’t earn a whole lot of praise, even in the individual performance department. However, with Kansas City getting back to their winning ways against the Broncos in Week 7, there was some room for praise on the defensive side of the ball.
The Chiefs moved Reggie Ragland to their starting SAM linebacker against Denver and it was a smashing success. He posted a 90.3 grade against the Broncos, which is an elite score in PFF’s system. This earned Ragland a spot on the PFF Team of the Week list. Here’s what they said about him:
“Ragland starred as a blitzer in the Chiefs’ win over Denver on Thursday. He recorded two defensive stops and three pressures in the contest.”
In addition to his defensive stops and pressures, Ragland recorded a sack and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. His presence as a Blitzer also allowed fellow LB Anthony Hitchens to get free and have one of his best performances of the season.
Ragland’s emergence should have him finding an increased role for the Chiefs’ defense in the upcoming weeks. Week 7 saw more snaps for Ragland than he had in the first six games combined. Expect him to be on the field more often for the Chiefs especially against run-heavy teams.
