The NFL has handed out six AFC defensive player of the week awards this season and the scoreboard shows the Chiefs and the other 15 teams in the conference tied with three apiece.
Linebacker Tamba Hali brought the honor home to Kansas City for the third time this season by sacking Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor 3.5 times in last weekend’s 24-7 victory. Hali’s efforts were part of a 10-sack performance by the Chiefs defense that drove them to their sixth straight win to open the season.
Hali is the second Chiefs player to pick up weekly defensive honors this season. Linebacker Justin Houston received the award twice in September on the way to being named the conference’s defensive player of the month as well.
The two linebackers have combined for 17 sacks so far this season, well ahead of the second-place Ravens duo of Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil when it comes to the most sacks by a pair of teammates so far this season.