Derrick Nnadi Says Kansas City Chiefs 'Completely Different' with Eric Berry

The Kansas City Chiefs are "completely different" defensively with Eric Berry in the lineup, according to nose tackle Derrick Nnadi.

Rookie Nnadi talked up Berry amid reports the talented but oft-injured safety will be healthy enough to play against the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium:

Berry is in line to give an inconsistent Chiefs defense a major boost after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Good Morning Football the 30-year-old could be ready to return for the Pats' visit:

However, Berry is staying cautious about his chances:

Even so, the omens look good for Berry, who has been putting in the work preparing for arguably the biggest game for the franchise since 1970:

Berry being available is one thing, but he'll need to be at full health and back to close to his best to make the kind of difference Nnadi pointed toward. It's easy to believe Berry will have some rust given the amount of time the fifth-overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft has missed this season.

Berry sat out KC's 31-13 playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts with a heel problem. He had only made his season debut in the last-gasp 29-28 defeat to AFC West rivals the Los Angeles Chargers back in Week 15.

It was Berry's first appearance since he ruptured his Achilles when the Chiefs hammered Sunday's opponents 42-27 on the road in Week 1 of the 2017 regular season.

Naturally, limited playing time since has meant limited numbers for a versatile and dynamic safety traditionally defined by an all-action style. Berry has made just 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, from two starts this season.

Fortunately, though, head coach Andy Reid has said the key man in the Chiefs secondary is showing no ill-effects from his latest spell out:

The implications of Berry being even close to full strength for Sunday are huge. He can increase the schematic flexibility of a defense ranked 31st in yards surrendered and 24th in points allowed.

Kansas City also finished the regular season next-to-last against the pass and 27th stopping the run.

Berry can instantly improve both phases for coordinator Bob Sutton's unit. His ability to play as the eighth man in the box and act as an enforcer against the run would be useful against a Patriots team fresh off amassing 155 yards on the ground against the Chargers in the last round.

Moving Berry around the line of scrimmage would also expand the blitz looks Sutton can show Pats quarterback Tom Brady. Sending No. 29 from the linebacker level could let Sutton drop defenders Brady won't expect to see playing coverage into zones.

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Getting to Brady will be the most important task for the Chiefs defense. Adding Berry's blitz skills to edge tandem Justin Houston and Dee Ford, as well as interior menace Chris Jones, can give the Chiefs a better chance of upsetting New England's best player.

Berry could also be a factor in coverage if Sutton chooses to rely on his game-wreckers up front to harass Brady while he drops seven to blanket receivers. Sutton might be wise to take a page out of the Pats' book and zero in on tight end Rob Gronkowski.

The Patriots did the same to Travis Kelce when the two teams met at Gillette Stadium back in Week 6, a game New England won 43-40.

Gronkowksi is not as effective as in recent years, with a myriad of injuries slowing him up. Yet like Brady, the 29-year-old often saves his best for the postseason, and he's a mismatch against KC's inside linebackers.

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Putting Berry over Gronkowski at the line could slow up Brady's go-to target when things get tough.

However the Chiefs opt to use a refreshed Berry, just having him available at all is a boost. His intensity and the trust he inspires in teammates could give the Chiefs a vital edge against an opponent with far more invaluable experience of playoff football.