KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It becomes easy to overlook the Kansas City Chiefs defense simply because of the star power on the other side of the ball. Patrick Mahomes, a two-time league MVP.
Travis Kelce, a four-time All-Pro tight end. Yet the high-flying Kansas City offenses of yesteryear struggled to soar last season, when a weak group of wide receivers were the culprit in dragging down the entire unit. And it was the defense of coordinator of Steve Spagnuolo that stepped up, finishing second in the NFL in scoring and total defense while helping the Chiefs win a second consecutive Super Bowl.
Very little has changed four weeks into this season. The wide receiver group is similarly depleted now that Rashee Rice has joined Marquise Brown on injured reserve, and Mecole Hardman is potentially out for Monday night's game against New Orleans with a knee injury. And the defense has similarly stepped up, shutting down the opposing run game while making key plays late in games to help Kansas City to a 4-0 start.
"For us — not specifically the team we play but everybody — it's about stopping the run," Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis said, "and earning the right to rush the passer. Regardless of who we play, stopping the run is going to be a focus." Especially against the Saints, who lead the league in scoring and are in the top 10 in rush offense and total offense.
Yet the Chiefs have a track record that proves they can do it. It began with the opener against Baltimore, when the C.
