With All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston missing last Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers due to a hyperextended knee, former first-round pick and second-year player Dee Ford was put into the limelight as the Kansas City Chiefs were looking for their seventh straight win to move to 8-5 on the season.
Ford and the Chiefs were facing the NFL's No. 6-ranked offense in the Chargers, who came into the game averaging 380 yards of offense per game.
When asked to step up, Ford delivered a breakout performance in helping the Chiefs preserve a 10-3 win over the Chargers on Sunday.
Ford finished the game with a team-high 7 tackles, adding 3 sacks—all of which came in the final 17 minutes of the game, and the Chiefs held on to a one-touchdown lead to Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and company.
With that performance, Ford has been nominated for the "Castrol EDGE Clutch Performer of the Week" award.
Fans can vote for Ford by following this link—VOTE.
Ford went into Sunday's game with just 1.5 career sacks, but it wasn't just his 3 sacks in the final 17 minutes of the game that highlighted his day.
Here's what they had to say about Ford on the NFL.com page that fans can go to and VOTE FOR FORD.
"As time expired, Ford's defense on the potential game-tying touchdown pass intended for **Danny Woodhead* preserved a 10-3 *Chiefs*win over the *San Diego Chargers*. It marked the seventh consecutive win for the Chiefs."*
When his team needed him the most, Ford stepped up—the definition of clutch.
Postgame facts and stats from the Chiefs Week 14 win over the Chargers
HISTORIC WINNING STREAK: After losing five consecutive games from Sept. 17, 2015 to Oct. 18, 2015, the Chiefs have won seven consecutive contests from Oct. 25, 2015 through today's victory. Kansas City becomes just the second team in NFL history to win at least seven consecutive games following a five-game losing streak in the same season, joining the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals. The 1970 Bengals won exactly seven games to close out the season after starting 1-6. The 1970 Bengals are also the only team in NFL history to start 1-5 or worse and make the playoffs in the same season. The Chiefs seven-game win streak is tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history, behind just a pair of nine-game streaks (2003 and 2013).
FOUR WINS VS. THE AFC WEST: With today's win, the Chiefs are now 4-1 against AFC West foes with one contest vs. Oakland remaining (Week 17). The last time the Chiefs won four or more games against the AFC West was 2006 when the team went 4-2. The last time the Chiefs won five or more games against the AFC West was 2003 when they finished 5-1 against the division.
WINS VS. SAN DIEGO: With today's win the Chiefs now have a four-game win streak against the San Diego Chargers for the first time in more than 20 years. The last time the Chiefs won at least four consecutive games against the Chargers was from 1990-93 when Kansas City won eight straight games.
ANDY REID'S WIN STREAKS: Head Coach Andy Reid is the only coach in franchise history to record multiple win streaks of seven or more games with a seven-game win streak in 2015 and a nine-game win streak in 2013. Reid is just the second head coach in franchise history to record at least eight wins in each of his first three seasons with the club. He joins Marty Schottenheimer who had 8 wins, 11 wins and 10 wins respectively in each of his first three seasons (1989-91).
DEFENSE HOLDS CHARGERS: The Chiefs defense held the Chargers scoreless through the first two quarters, marking just the ninth time in Chargers history the club scored zero points at the half. The last time was Nov. 2, 2014 at Miami when the Dolphins beat the Chargers 37-0. The Chiefs allowed a total of six points combined in their two matchups against the Chargers in 2015. This is tied for the lowest number of points allowed in a single season against the San Diego franchise in the club's history. The Chiefs held the Chargers to only 44 net rushing yards today, which is a season-low total for San Diego. The Chiefs also held San Diego to just 280 net yards in today's game. The club held San Diego to 201 net yards in the previous contest (11/22/15) this season, which are two of the three lowest totals the Chargers have recorded this season. Entering today's contest, the club was averaging 380.6 net yards per game, ranking sixth in the NFL.
PARKER SACKS RIVERS: DB Ron Parker sacked Chargers QB Philip Rivers for a loss of three yards, marking his fifth career QB takedown, which ranks tied for fifth all time in the Chiefs record book for sacks by a defensive back. Parker has 3.0 sacks this season, and all 5.0 of his sacks have been during his time with the Chiefs (2013-15).
SEASON-LONG DRIVE: QB Alex Smith hit WR Albert Wilson on a 44-yard TD pass, capping a season-long nine-play, 96-yard drive to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead.
SMITH HITS WILSON WITH THE LONG BALL: WR Albert Wilson has two TD receptions on the season, 42 and 44 yards. The last time a Chiefs player had two touchdown receptions of 40 or more yards in the same season was Jamaal Charles in 2013 (49 & 71). Both of Charles' TDs came in the same game (at Oakland, 12/15/13). Wilson finished the day with four catches for 87 yards, tying his career-high receiving yards mark.
JOHNSON GRABS INT: LB Derrick Johnson intercepted a QB Philip Rivers pass and returned it five yards. He has two interceptions on the season and 13 in his 11-year career.
FORD LOGS FIRST MULTI-SACK GAME: LB Dee Ford sacked QB Philip Rivers three times for a total loss of 17 yards, giving him his first multi-sack game of his career and a new single-season career high. He has 4.5 sacks (-27.0 yards) in his career. Ford added seven solo tackles to lead the Chiefs defense and added one pass defensed on the final play of the game to seal the victory. Ford is the first player with three or more sacks in a single game since LB Justin Houston's 4.0 sacks vs. San Diego on 12/28/14 in Week 17 when Houston set a new single-season franchise record with 22.0 sacks.
RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE: RB Charcandrick West and FB/RB Spencer Ware split the workload today. West had 10 carries for 54 yards, while Ware had eight rushes for 52 yards.
SMITH'S STREAK RANKS SECOND IN NFL HISTORY: Prior to QB Alex Smith's interception in the second quarter, he extended his streak to 312 consecutive passes without throwing an interception, which is the second-longest streak in NFL history and the longest such streak by a QB in franchise history.
SMITH CONTINUES TO CLIMB FRANCHISE CHARTS: Since joining the Chiefs in 2013, QB Alex Smith has completed 122 passes of 20 or more yards. His 122 completions are tied for third in franchise history. QB Alex Smith has rushed 65 times this season, marking the second-highest number of rushing attempts by a quarterback in a season. Smith owns the top mark for rushing attempts in a season with 76 in 2013.
SMITH ECLIPSES 3,000 AGAIN: Smith finished today's contest completing 15 of his 23 passes for 191 yards, giving him 3,034 passing yards for the season. He has passed for more than 3,000 yards in each of his three seasons in Kansas City. It marks his fourth career 3,000-yard season. His 3,034 passing yards with three games remaining rank fourth for his best single-season performance.
HOWARD SACKS RIVERS: DL Jaye Howard sacked Rivers for a loss of seven yards, giving him 3.5 sacks (-21.0 yards) this season and 4.5 sacks in his career. Howard added two solo tackles in the game.
PETERS CONTINUES TO DEFEND AGAINST THE PASS: Rookie CB Marcus Peters had five tackles (three solo) and one pass defensed in today's game. His 19 passes defensed set a new franchise rookie record and are ranked tied for sixth in team history. His one pass defensed today was a tipped pass resulting in an interception.
