Chris Jones after Chiefs shut down Dolphins in sub-zero temperatures: 'In defense I trust'

On Saturday, the Chiefs were in their element.

On a bitter cold night, Kansas City’s most dominant unit — its defense — nullified Miami’s high-octane offense, holding the Dolphins to 264 total yards and a single score in a 26-7 statement win to reach the AFC Divisional Round for a sixth straight season.

“I think physicality,” defensive tackle Chris Jones told NFL Network’s James Palmer about how the Chiefs shut down one of the league’s best offenses. “We played together, and guys just committed, man. Committed. We knew it was going to be a tough battle coming in. We knew how high-powered the offense is and played disciplined physical football.”

The temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees with a -27 wind chill, the fourth-coldest game in NFL history and the coldest ever at Arrowhead Stadium.

While the speed-sapped Miami seemed to languish in that atmosphere, Kansas City’s second-ranked defense in both scoring and yards thrived, bullying Tua Tagovailoa and Co. to a night of repeated ineffectiveness.

The Fins’ lone breakthrough came on a 53-yard pass to Tyreek Hill, who caught a ball thrown from midfield by Tagovailoa at the 16-yard line and weaved through a pair of his former team’s defenders to the end zone.

Hill was the leading receiver in Miami in terms of both receptions and yards, securing five for 62. However, excluding that one play, he only gained nine yards from four receptions.

The Chiefs didn’t allow the running game to compensate for a sputtering passing performance by Tagovailoa, either. They gave up 33 yards on the ground to Raheem Mostert, the league’s rushing TD leader, and held his backfield mate De’Von Achane to 1.5 yards per attempt on six totes.

K.C. effectively halted nine out of Miami’s 11 drives at 29 yards or less, as Miami’s stars were restrained. They also successfully troubled the Dolphins on third down, allowing only one conversion out of 12 attempts.

After giving up a solitary touchdown to Hill (excluding Miami’s brief 18-second possession at the end of the first half), the Chiefs successfully forced three punts on drives that either lost yardage or gained less than ten yards. They also managed to turn over the Dolphins three times on downs over the course of the next six field appearances.

In doing so, the defense allowed Patrick Mahomes to methodically build an insurmountable lead. From its first drive in the second quarter to its first in the fourth, the offense scored four field goals and a touchdown in six times controlling the ball.

The Chiefs had their best collective performance in months, thanks to their successful ball movement and robust defense. It was more than sufficient.

“In my training camp discussion, I expressed how I wouldn’t want to face our defense,” Mahomes stated in his postgame press conference. “We possess exceptional players at every single level and have a great depth. The rotation system works well, and we can handle anything. Moreover, having Spags (Steve Spagnuolo) and his strategy is a huge advantage. The players are well-coached within this strategy and use it to their benefit. It’s challenging to anticipate their moves due to their unpredictable positioning… It’s difficult to predict their next move.”

The talent throughout the defense was as clear to everyone on Saturday as it was to Mahomes in August.

Mike Edwards delivered in the secondary with an interception, while L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie combined to quiet Hill. Nick Bolton navigated the frozen turf with ease to lead the team with 10 tackles. On the line, George Karlaftis had 1.5 sacks, sharing half of one with Jones.

Kansas City’s D, which has had a season full of notable statements, will either host the in-form Texans or travel to face the Bills in the Divisional Round. This is their latest statement.

When questioned if the Chiefs can rely on this defense throughout the postseason as they previously did with their offense, regardless of the opponent, Jones showed immense confidence.

“Definitely, dude,” he said. “Absolutely. I place my trust in defense, baby. I have faith in Spagnuolo.”