Chiefs vs. Saints Grades: Chris Jones Dominates, KC's Veterans Step Up

Chris Jones led the way for the Chiefs and all NFL defensive linemen in Week 5 as some of KC's elder statesmen carried the load against the Saints.

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) is introduced prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs are the AFC's only undefeated squad as they enter their bye week at 5-0 following a 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. Which stars produced the highest-quality performances for the Chiefs in their prime time victory? Let's take a look at how Pro Football Focus viewed the Chiefs this week.

Chris Jones leads the way for KC (and the NFL)

Defensive lineman Chris Jones recorded a monstrous 93.2 grade from PFF, giving him the highest-graded performance of any Chiefs player on Monday night and the highest grade of any defensive lineman in Week 5. Jones recorded nine pressures against the Saints while also, as usual, being the focal point of the Saints' offensive focus. While PFF grades (and, on some level, any metric) can be flawed or paint an incomplete picture of a player, this is an instance where their usefulness is clear. In the box score, Jones recorded two tackles and one quarterback hit. Watching Jones on a snap-by-snap basis, No. 95 had the most dominant performance of any defensive lineman in Week 5.

The highest-graded defensive linemen in Week 5 pic.twitter.com/FkF5tt8UXW

— PFF (@PFF) October 8, 2024

Chiefs veterans turn back the clock

The third-, fourth- and fifth-highest-graded Chiefs players in Monday night's win were a trio of veterans who, to varying degrees, recalibrated their narratives with strong performances in prime time. At No. 3, 31-year-old guard Joe Thuney (who turns 32 in November) recorded an 86.6 grade from PFF after an out-of-character 61.7 last week against the Chargers. With a bye week on the horizon, it's encouraging that Thuney appears to be hitting his stride after missing KC's offseason activities due to a pectoral injury that kept him out of the final stretch of the Chiefs' Super Bowl run.

With an 82.7 grade at No. 4, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was a clear star of KC's win as he led the team with 130 yards receiving. That high mark is in spite of a goal line interception that Smith-Schuster should have hauled in for a touchdown.

At No. 5 on the Chiefs, 35-year-old Travis Kelce recorded an 81.9 grade as he recorded nine catches for 70 yards in addition to his role in the running game.

Nick Bolton shines, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal struggle

The Chiefs have weathered inconsistent play from their top trio of linebackers this season, and PFF viewed KC's crew in a polarizing fashion on Monday night. While Nick Bolton recorded the second-highest grade on the team (90.8) as he helped stifle the Saints' running game, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal were both graded in the bottom third of qualifying Chiefs players with a 55.0 for Tranquill and a 52.4 for Chenal.

Read More: Travis Kelce on Chiefs' Ability to Get Kareem Hunt, JuJu Smith-Schuster Involved