The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t shy about talking about winning their third consecutive Super Bowl, and if they become the first team in the Super Bowl era to do so, it won’t just be because Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes.

Former Mississippi State star Chris Jones is the Chiefs’ most important player since he doesn’t start at quarterback, and in Thursday night’s season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, he showed why.

Jones was a threat to the Ravens’ offensive line, which had a lot of new faces, and he got things started early, clogging running lanes, driving his pass blockers and pressuring Lamar Jackson. He finished the first half with two tackles and one tackle for loss.

His biggest play of the night came early in the second quarter when he easily got past a blocker and grabbed Jackson’s arm before he moved forward, resulting in a fumble that was recovered by a Chiefs defender.

Football fans know that a player’s stats don’t tell the whole story, and that there were many plays by Jones that weren’t stats but still affected the game. He pressured Jackson on the second to last play, which caused Jackson to miss a completely open receiver in the end zone. That play will not appear on the score sheet.

With all due respect to Aaron Donald, Jones has been the best defensive tackle for several years, and if Thursday night is any indication, that streak will not end in 2024.

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