The Chiefs got a close-up view of that strategy in last season’s AFC championship game. New England used an array of line stunts to record nine quarterback hits and four sacks, with eight different players notching at least one hit on league MVP Patrick Mahomes II. By contrast, Kansas City was locked into a more traditional defensive roster construction last season, due in large part to Justin Houston’s $20.6 million cap hit. The Chiefs allocated 22.9 percent of their cap to edge rushers—the third-highest figure in the league. Despite shelling out all that money, Tom Brady’s quick release and the Pats’ stellar offensive line held Kansas City’s vaunted pass-rushing pair of Houston and Dee Ford in check (neither recorded a QB hit), and New England won the game 37-31.
