The Kansas City Chiefs And Nick Bolton Are Finally Intercepting Passes

Two weeks ago, the Kansas City Chiefs had forced just three interceptions (and eight takeaways total) on the whole season. Now they have picks in back-to-back weeks.

Nick Bolton sealed Sunday’s 26-10 win against the Los Angeles Rams with an interception, but the second-year tackling machine also closed the previous Sunday’s victory against the Los Angeles Chargers with one.

“We had a couple ones early in the year that we just dropped,” Bolton said. “So we kind of made a focus on that.”

Bolton deflected praise toward 6-6, 285-pound defensive end Carlos Dunlap for tipping the pass that resulted in Sunday’s game-sealing interception, saying Dunlap deserved 75% of the credit.

“Our d-line did a hell of a job again today,” Bolton said.

Bolton’s most recent theft followed a play by L’Jarius Sneed — the versatile cover corner, tackler and blitzer — in which he went under the route to pick off a pass intended for Van Jefferson.

That interception occurred two plays after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw one in the end zone, giving the Rams a chance to come back from what was just a 10-point, fourth-quarter margin.

It was the second consecutive game that the Chiefs defense — often the forgotten side of the ball because of Mahomes’ all-around excellence — forced two turnovers.

“They had a lot of big plays in the game,” Mahomes said. “You can see them maturing as the year goes on.”

Bolton’s interception occurred just four Rams offensive plays after Sneed’s takeaway, and the pass Bolton snared was also intended for Jefferson. That turnover with 5:27 left effectively sealed the victory.

The linebacker’s interceptions in back-to-back games are the first of his career.

Last week he said he was putting the first football he intercepted — the one with 26 seconds left that ensured Kansas City’s 30-27 victory against the Chargers — in his home office.

He made sure to hold on to that valuable memento.

After returning a fumble 86 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos last season, he ended up throwing the ball in the enemy stands and never got it back.

“I tried to,” Bolton said. “That was long gone.”

A week after becoming the first NFL player this year to have 10 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception, Bolton had a team-high 11 tackles and an interception vs. the Rams.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised his instincts and tackling ability.

“He’s a heck of a football player,” Reid said. “He’s having definitely an All-Pro season.”

In the second year of his affordable, four-year, $5.8 million rookie deal, Bolton seems worthy of a long-term extension, though he is not a free agent until 2025.

The pass he intercepted, however, came from a passer in his contract year.

Undrafted quarterback Bryce Perkins was making his first career start, and he was without his top weapons — Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson — at wide receiver.

So it should be noted the Chiefs’ strong defensive play came against a lineup that hardly resembled the one that suited up in Super Bowl LVI.

If they want to reach Super Bowl LVII, the 9-2 Chiefs have plenty of things to clean up — especially on special teams and offense.

Skyy Moore fumbled for the third time this season as a punt returner, and the offense broke down at points, scoring just one touchdown in six forays inside the Rams’ 14-yard line.

“Especially in the red zone,” Mahomes said, “we’ve got to execute at a higher level.”

Mahomes criticized himself for his red-zone interception to safety Nick Scott, saying he threw right into the “dude’s stomach.”

Still, Mahomes had his sixth straight 300-yard passing game of the season.

“Pat had another big night,” Reid said. “We kind of take those for granted.”

Mahomes has enjoyed many big ones and is a major reason why the Chiefs have now won 26 consecutive games in November and December.

“We understand that good teams — they kind of catch stride this part of the year. That’s kind of the teams that take over in the playoffs,” Bolton said. “We’re just now hitting Thanksgiving, baby, best part of football.”