Many players delivered incredible individual performances for the Chiefs against the Detroit Lions. Some will be featured on highlight reels all week long, while others turned in impressive outings that will simply have to be cherished in a different light.
The meeting against the Detroit Lions created some discomfort. Kansas City was already in a must-win scenario. The Chiefs were facing a team that could overpower you to death. Detroit is perfectly comfortable being a run-heavy team. Meanwhile, the Chiefs were forced to increase their physicality in a matchup like that.
One Kansas City player who embodies that toughness and grit that the Lions emphasize is linebacker Leo Chenal. Chenal finished Sunday night with one of the most notable performances of his career. He tallied seven total tackles against Detroit.
Leo Chenal made a major difference by doing the dirty work against the Detroit Lions.
The run stops were a major sticking point in this one. In the early portion of the game, the Lions were having no issue moving the ball with their ground attack. Jahmyr Gibbs was squeezing through tight spaces and breaking multiple tackles. David Montgomery continued his strong running early on as well.
But as the game kept rolling, the Chiefs began to deconstruct blocks more consistently. Run stops were coming not far beyond the line of scrimmage.
Chenal was textbook with his tackling technique against Detroit. His ability to get low limited what the Lions’ running backs could do after first contact. No more broken tackles materialized. Chenal simply stopped the running backs in their tracks.
That was not the only area in which Chenal stood out. In situations where the Chiefs brought extra blitzers toward Jared Goff, he reduced from his stand-up linebacker position to essentially a 3-technique on the defensive line. Chenal may not have registered a sack, though he was still able to displace blockers off their landmarks. Chenal blew offensive linemen back to help crunch the pocket.
Chenal was also effective in space. His range and angles helped to limit more yardage for Detroit on multiple instances. Chenal worked laterally to cut off openings on some outside run attempts. In other moments, the Chiefs’ linebackers were effective in getting off blocks to immediately shut quick passes down near the perimeter.
The dirty work is something that Leo Chenal has always been exquisite at. Kansas City can put him in unique positions and trust him to cover ground that most defenders on the rest of the team are unable to do. His strength is good enough to overpower offensive linemen weighing over 300 pounds. Additionally, Chenal is still quick enough to catch almost any running back in traffic.
The Chiefs generally do not see many physical offenses that lean on the run game. Detroit is in a league of its own with its play style, regardless. But when Kansas City finds itself in tough, tight contests, Leo Chenal is a player they continuously lean on.
Why D.J. Moore isn’t being ‘phased out’ of the Bears offense
Why D.J. Moore isn’t being ‘phased out’ of the Bears offense originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After a brutal 2024 season, the Chicago Bears made some major changes. The biggest was the addition of Ben Johnson as the new head coach, and so far through six weeks, things have gone well.
The Bears are 3-2, and the offense looks to be more than capable enough to make it to the playoffs. Caleb Williams is coming into his own, and the rest of the offensive skill players are contributing meaningful reps.
But, with the additions on offense, there have been some questions over whether D.J. Moore would be “phased out” of the offense, since Johnson didn’t acquire him. But, as Bears insider Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune reports, Moore isn’t going anywhere.
When asked about whether Moore was being phased out of the offense or not, Biggs shared a very clear answer.
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“No,” Biggs writes. “While Rome Odunze has emerged as the No. 1 target at the position, Moore hasn’t been phased out of what the team is doing.”
In Week 6 against the Washington Commanders, Moore had five targets, three receptions, and two carries as a running back. Moore totaled 42 yards on the day through the air and 10 yards on the ground. He also played 60 of the 64 offensive snaps.
The Bears aren’t phasing Moore out of the offense, as the veteran wide receiver is still playing significant time on offense. Of course, his role isn’t what it was in the past, as Odunze has become the leading receiver in Chicago.
More: Bears predicted to trade Braxton Jones for Raiders’ first-round pass rusher
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Luther Burden III is also gaining momentum, as fans are eager to see what the rookie can do in the Bears’ offense. But, barring Moore’s groin injury keeping him out for a game, the Bears receiver isn’t going to see his role in the offense diminish.
So far this season, Moore has 215 receiving yards and one touchdown on 19 receptions to go with eight rushing attempts for 25 yards. Through five games, Moore has played 85 percent of the snaps, and isn’t seeing his playing time decreasing anytime soon.
While he may sit out Week 7 due to injury, barring such an injury, Moore is going to remain on the field for the Bears this season. The future may provide change, but for now, Moore is a part of Ben Johnson’s offense, and with how the team’s looked recently, there’s little reason to make such a drastic change.
