Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs beat Jets with best effort of season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

After a bad performance last week, the Kansas City Chiefs played like the team we thought they were this preseason, toppling the New York Jets, 24-3.

If you are looking for a reason why the Chiefs are 2-1 and the Jets are 1-2, look no further than the number six. New York committed eight turnovers in the game, including three interceptions by Kansas City in the end zone. All told, Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw five interceptions, including a pick-six to Derrick Johnson that sealed the game.

The Chiefs were utterly dominant on defense and special teams. Demetrius Harris scored a touchdown in the second quarter on a scoop-and-score to make it 17-0 at that point. From there on out, the defense put on a clinic in giving up some yardage between the 20s, and then clamping down.

Let’s not forget, the Jets are a good football team. Hell, I picked New York to win this game among legions of others. Kansas City is without two of its best players in Justin Houston and Jamaal Charles, and was able to dominate for most of the day.

The stars of the show all play on defense. Marcus Peters got ANOTHER two interceptions, leading the league with four. It continues to be incredible. If you are counting, he now has 12 interceptions in 19 regular-season games. He might make it.

Then there is Johnson. Johnson scored on the aforementioned pick-six but did so much more than that. In the third quarter, New York was inside the 10-yard line and trailing 17-3, still had a chance. Johnson saw a receiver go in motion and starting yelling, then dropped into perfect position to deflect a pass that was picked off in the end zone by Eric Berry.

Offensively, the effort was solid but left some things to tune up. Alex Smith was miles better than he was in Week 2, completing 25-of-33 for 237 yards and a touchdown without an interception. The running game was middling, though, with 74 yards on 25 carries.

We have to like the games out of Travis Kelce and Chris Conley. Kelce was able to catch six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Conley only had three grabs for 44 yards, but he consistently got open. Smith’s only bad throw was overshooting Conley, who would have had a huge gainer.

All told, not a bad day. The Chiefs can get better, and they will. On to Pittsburgh.