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Kansas City Chiefs: Unsung heroes en route to Super Bowl LIV victory

By Leigh Oleszczak

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Terrell Suggs #94 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after defeating San Francisco 49ers by 31 - 20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Terrell Suggs #94 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after defeating San Francisco 49ers by 31 - 20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Tackle Mike Pennel (64) and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Anthony Hitchens (53) (Photo by Rich Graessle/PPI/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Tackle Mike Pennel (64) and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Anthony Hitchens (53) (Photo by Rich Graessle/PPI/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

MIKE PENNEL

One of the biggest issues for this defense in years past has been their inability to stop the run. While one player can’t fully turn that around, Mike Pennel helped the run defense significantly during his short time in a Chiefs uniform.

As Matt Verderame of FanSided wrote prior to the Super Bowl, Pennel was “the underrated stud of the Chiefs defense” and boy was he ever!

Per Verderame’s article,

"In eight games without Pennel in the lineup, Kansas City has allowed 158.4 rushing yards per game on 5.39 yards per carry. In 10 games with him (including playoffs), the Chiefs have surrendered 96.3 rushing yards on 4.28 YPC."

That’s impressive, especially when you take into account just how bad this defense was against the run. Pennel didn’t make all the difference, but he made a big difference. He also had a key hit on Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl that led to a Bashaud Breeland interception.

No one thought much of the Mike Pennel signing in October, but the guy made a huge difference in the games he appeared in. Hopefully the Chiefs keep him around for 2020 as well.

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