“ASTRONAUT” IS BACK, READY FOR TEST IN K. C.
Einebacker s6akes o, slow start aYter injury, ready Yor Dansas City’s 6i46- powered test
Bradley Chubb has turned the corner, back to his potent “Astronaut” self following an ACL injury that limited him to four games last season. After a quiet first three games — at least by Chubb’s standard — the outside linebacker has racked up 3.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, four quarterback pressures and nine total tackles over Denver’s last two games, both wins.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid is counting on his team facing a fully healthy Chubb Sunday when the Broncos ( 2- 3) face a critical gut- check against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs ( 5- 1) at Empower Field.
“He looks real good to me,” Reid said Wednesday. “He’s playing good football and it looks like he’s back.”
That means back to the form of the rookie who donned an astronaut jacket throughout the 2018 season, adding patches for various achievements in a year in which Chubb validated Denver’s selection of him at No. 5 overall. His 12 sacks were a franchise rookie record. But Chubb’s setback — an ACL tear in his left knee, the same injury he incurred in high school in 2012 — led to a slow start this season. The 24- yearold described his performance in the opener as “not very effective.”
“( I felt) frustration, because at the end of the day, it’s my job ( to disrupt the backfield) and I wanted to go out there and dominate and be the No. 1 player at everything that I do,” Chubb said. “But I had to really look at myself, and tell myself that I didn’t have any preseason games or an offseason to really start feeling it… After those ( first few games), I knew that I was good. The hay was in the barn and I knew I
put all the work in to go out there and ( produce).”
Chubb used his intensive rehab, and the settling- in period early this season, as an opportunity to focus on improving his leadership.
“I put ( individual) stuff in the back of my head so I can focus on helping this team collect wins,” Chubb said. “I’ve been here for three years now so I want to be more of a leader, more of a vocal leader, and more of ‘ that guy’ in the locker room as much as I can.”
Chubb said his repaired knee isn’t in the back of his mind as he’s played 78% of the defensive snaps this year. Coach Vic Fangio said “you would see the difference” in comparing Chubb’s Week 1 film to his Week 6 film.
And while Chubb’s put his knee injury behind him, he also believes he can be a centerpiece on a defense that he says has moved on from its reputation as a good unit that can’t close out wins.
“That’s what’s been holding us back these past two years — finishing out those ( close) games on defense, and having the identity that we’re going to be a team that can close out the close game,” Chubb said. “This year, guys are starting to buy into that — in the Jets game and the Patriots
game it came down to us at the last minute, and we stuck it out.”
Chubb also realizes the importance of another strong individual performance this weekend as the Broncos face “the best player in the league” in Mahomes and an array of speedy, dynamic weapons that he commands.
“When I look at the Chiefs team and I look at Mahomes, he’s the catalyst of all that, and my job is to be that bull in a china shop,” Chubb said. “I have to be in his face as much as I can, and the whole front seven needs to get in his face and disturb him as much as we can.”
And no, Chubb and his teammates haven’t forgotten about the fact that Kansas City has won nine straight over Denver, with the Broncos’ last win in the series coming under quarterback Peyton Manning in 2015. It’s a fact that was floated around the Broncos defensive Zoom meetings several times Wednesday, the team’s first day back after two days off.
“When you see them winning the Super Bowl and ( dominating the series), and they’re in our division, we have to take that personally,” Chubb said. “As a team, if we want to take that next step, this is the team we have to take that next step against.”