This Saturday night, the Chiefs and Dolphins will square off in what many assume to be a shootout.

But given the offensive struggles of both teams as of late, it could very well be anything other than that. Instead, it could be a war of attrition, or a battle of the trenches.

And that is where the advantage lies with Kansas City.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known for a lot of things, and his heavy blitzes and quarterback pressures are among them. And it’s one of the reasons why the Chiefs’ defense was in the elite category of the 2023 season.

During the 2023 regular season only three NFL defenses yielded fewer average yards per play. The Chiefs led the NFL in quarterback pressures and sack percentage and were third in giving up only 1.5 points per opponent possession. Spags’ crew ranks among the league’s top 10 defenses in blitz frequency, quarterback knockdowns, prevention of red-zone touchdowns, net passing yards per attempt and lowest opponent passer rating (83.6).

The defense has been doing its part as the NFL’s second-stingiest unit in giving up just 289.8 yards per game. Only the 49ers (31) have given up fewer touchdowns than the Chiefs (32).

DT Chris Jones and DE George Karlaftis have been monsters up front with 10.5 sacks each. Safety Justin Reid handles the back end with a team-leading 95 tackles on the season. Meanwhile, Nick Bolton remains the field general in the middle of the field, fully recovered from his wrist injury suffered early in the season.

Tua Tagovailoa is 0-2 against the Chiefs for his career, and he’s been sacked a combined seven times in those two games.

If Kansas City keeps the pressure, and makes Tua force throws, the Chiefs will make it past the Wild Card round… and beyond.

(Photo Credit: Kansas City Star)