Which Chiefs Player Shined in the Week 14 Loss

The Kansas City Chiefs have proven that they are not the same old Chiefs. They've lost what made them so daunting in the past, and that is coming out on top in close games. They're 2-5 in one-score games this season, a far cry from their perfect record last season.

Their clutch gene being absent this season couldn't have been more apparent against their Week 14 opponent, the Houston Texans. In a near elimination game, Patrick Mahomes had three interceptions and no touchdowns, one of them primarily being Travis Kelce's fault. This team didn't show up when it mattered the most, but which one of their players gave it their all to prevent the loss?

Week 15 Pass Rusher Rankings

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid looks on during the third quarter of the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Ryan Smith writes for Pro Football Focus, and he released his pass rusher rankings ahead of Week 15. Chris Jones had his best performance of the season against the Texans, which is why he was named the best pass rusher of Week 14.

"Jones had his best game of the season in Week 14 against the Texans, securing a league-best 92.4 PFF pass-rush grade. The All-Pro defensive tackle generated a season-high eight pressures and three quarterback hits as the Chiefs fell just short in a game that had a playoff atmosphere on Sunday Night Football", said Smith.

#Chiefs DI Chris Jones in Week 14:

- 92.4 PFF pass rush grade (1st)
- 8 total pressures
- 3 QB hits
- 25.0% win rate

Best game of the season for the 6x All-Pro#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/9uJoIULMJX
— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) December 9, 2025

Jones hasn't been the same dominant force he was on the defensive line in previous years, and his declining play explains why the Chiefs' defense has lost some of its impact. It's not entirely his fault. He can't blame his body for aging.

I blame their defense losing its luster on Brett Veach, who allowed years to go by without properly drafting or signing a successor to Jones' greatness. He returned to form in a must-win game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Chiefs' struggles on offense.

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

They're likely not going to get a performance like this again from Jones for the rest of the season, perhaps, the rest of his career. It's a shame they allowed it to go to waste in a game where they were only able to score ten points.

Looking ahead at their schedule, their defensive line is crucial in scrounging together as many wins as they can to end the season. They have to hope that this is the start of Jones reverting to form and continuing this level of play, not him stepping into a time machine momentarily.

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