The DL is more self-suffient.

[Direckshun]

Some factoids about our passrush:

The Chiefs ended the year 2nd in the league in sacks, with 55 total.

Jones had 15.5 -- ridiculous.
The next four top sack-rackers were our DEs, which I guess is good. Karlaftis 6, Clark 5, Danna 5, Dunlap 4.

Saunders/Wharton/Williams combined for 5 sacks on the season.

The blitzers put up 14.5 all year.

7 from the LBs.
7.5 from the DBs.

I noticed around the bye week that blitzers accounted for roughly a third of our sacks. I haven't looked up pressures, but I'm going to assume the numbers are similar there.

End of the season, they accounted for 26% of our sacks.

The number dropped exactly for the reason you think:

Week 12 vs. Rams: 3 total sacks, 1 from blitz
Week 13 vs Bengals: 1 total sack, 0 from blitz
Week 14 vs. Broncos: 6 total sacks, 1.5 from blitz
Week 15 vs. Texans: 1 total sack, 0 from blitz
Week 16 vs. Seahawks: 2 total sacks, 0 from blitz
Week 17 vs. Broncos: 4 total sacks, 1 from blitz
Week 18 vs. Raiders: 6 total sacks, 1 from blitz

The last seven games of the season, blitzes accounted for 4.5 out of 23 sacks, or 19%.

I don't know if Spags is blitzing less, or if the blitzes are getting less effective.

I think the biggest factor is that the DL is rushing somewhat more effectively, led by Jones and Karlaftis.
--> In that same 7 week timespan, Jones has put up 6.5 sacks, and Karlaftis has put up 5.5 sacks.

Considering how important it's going to be to beat Burrow (and maybe Allen?) without blitzing, that's a very big development for the defense.