5 reasons the Chiefs will win the AFC West

2. Tyrann Mathieu makes the defense respectable

It’s fair to point out that the Chargers defense doesn’t have nearly as much talent as their offensive counterparts. That doesn’t mean there aren’t stars on that side of the football in Kansas City. Tyrann Mathieu is still one of the most dynamic defensive backs in the NFL.

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His ability to make plays deep down the field in coverage and against the run at the line of scrimmage cover up a lot of the Chiefs’ defensive weaknesses. Mathieu is exactly the sort of playmaker that every NFL defense covets.

In particular, his ability to make plays on the ball in space help prop up Kansas City’s mediocre group of cornerbacks. That group gets a lot of work because of how productive the team’s offense is. Mathieu’s ability to support them in coverage helps his teammates avoid being lit up on a weekly basis.

The Honey Badger isn’t the biggest safety in the NFL, but he makes big plays for the Kansas City defense. Anytime he is on the field he is a legitimate threat to take the ball away from the other team. His propensity to make big plays will help power Kansas City to another division title in 2020.