Travis Kelce on How Chiefs' Defense Making Plays Helps Team Feel 'Unstoppable'

The Kansas City Chiefs' defense stepped up in Week 3's win over the Atlanta Falcons, and Travis Kelce is thankful for it.

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) prepares for a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons was yet another thriller to open the season, and Andy Reid's squad got key contributions from multiple sources on Sunday Night Football.

In the end, though, it was Steve Spagnuolo's defense that stepped up to help secure the victory. With a critical fourth-and-inches stop on Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, the home team turned the ball over on downs and allowed Kansas City to run out the clock.

Tight end Travis Kelce is grateful to have such a great supporting cast on the other side of the ball, especially one that has so many different players thriving in their respective roles. He explained further on a new episode of the "New Heights" podcast with his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.

"I can't say enough about what Spags is doing with these guys," Kelce said. "He's just putting them in such a position to have success and just to have fun and play free and fly around. It's a nod to everybody on that defense to own up to their piece of the puzzle, you know? You've got guys like Mike Pennel who are just driving offensive linemen into the backfield. Leo Chenal just driving guys off the ball and just making sure they play their gaps so hard that the linebackers just have these lanes to shoot."

Making timely plays and achieving overall success is nothing new to the Spagnuolo defense. Last season, Kansas City ranked second in points and yards allowed while also dominating against the pass. On Sunday, however, it was the run defense that set the tone. Atlanta averaged just 3.3 yards per carry on the ground and Robinson, one of football's most talented backs and someone who posted 4.6 yards per tote as a rookie, was held to 31 yards on 16 tries.

After surrendering a touchdown on two of the Falcons' first three possessions, the worst the Chiefs' defense did was allow a field goal. Every remaining drive ended in either a punt, an interception, a turnover on downs or the half coming to a close. While Kansas City mustered only nine points in half No. 2, Atlanta was held to 1-for-7 on third downs and got outscored by six points in the final two frames. In a five-point win, there's the margin.

According to Kelce, the defense coming up with big-time plays gives the offense a huge confidence boost when it's time for them to take the field.

"It's awesome when you see the defensive side just making these huge plays, man," Kelce said. "It really does make you feel unstoppable when you're putting up points."

If both facets of the game find a way to play complementary football, it'll make the Chiefs that much more dangerous.

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