Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston is back on the field and looks to be back to form, and it’s a huge boost for his team as it tries to keep momentum through the final quarter of the season.
Justin Houston has returned to form and the Chiefs couldn’t be happier
Having Houston back and fully healthy is just what Kansas City needs down the stretch.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Houston spent the first several weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list, and he was activated in the week leading up to the team’s Week 10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Houston finally saw his first game action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11, easing into things with just two tackles. Houston then turned in a dominant performance against the Denver Broncos. He finished the game with 10 tackles and three sacks, one of which was a safety.
Chiefs safety Eric Berry said Wednesday that Houston’s return is a boost for the defense.
“Oh, man, that was a big plus for us, and he’s very excited to be back on the field,” Berry said. “Very determined, and everyone’s in tune for the mission, so we’re just staying focused on that and we’ll just go approach the game in that manner.”
Doctors discovered an issue — reportedly not a tear — with Houston’s ACL and LCL in March, and his timetable for recovery was four to six months. Berry said that Houston had to put in serious work to get back on the field with his teammates.
“He’s just going to keep playing ball,” Berry said. “I just know him as a person and I just know how determined he is, and I know how hard he worked to just get back on the field, and I’m excited to see what he can do and what he can help us with.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was characteristically effusive when asked about the impact of Houston’s return.
“Well, he’s a good player, so having him back in there is a good thing,” Reid said.
Kansas City faces the dynamic Atlanta Falcons offense this week, and Houston’s presence will be needed to try to slow down the top-scoring offense in the NFL.
The Chiefs are 8-3 and trailing the AFC West-leading Oakland Raiders by just one game. Having a player like Houston fully healthy down the stretch is a tremendous benefit for Kansas City as it fights for not just a playoff spot, but potentially the division.
See More:
