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[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Raiders Thursday injury report: only 1 player out

Each practice day of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs release an official injury report leading up to the next game. In the NFL’s Week 7, the (3-3) Chiefs host the (2-4) Las Vegas Raiders on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff will be Sunday at noon Arrowhead Time.

Here is the Chiefs’ second official injury report of the week:

Chiefs​

Player	Ps	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Status
Josh Simmons	T	Personal	DNP	DNP	–	–
Brashard Smith	RB	Illness	DNP	FP	–	–
Hollywood Brown	WR	Achilles	FP	FP	–	–
Nikko Remigio	WR	Thumb	FP	FP	–	–
Xavier Worthy	WR	Shoulder – Ankle	FP	FP	–	–
Rashee Rice	WR	Other	FP	FP	–	–
Jawaan Taylor	T	Knee	FP	FP	–	–
Charles Omenihu	DE	Ankle	FP	FP	–	–
Jerry Tillery	DL	Elbow	–	FP	–	–

Raiders​

Player	Ps	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Status
Check back soon for their official injury report	–	–	–	–	–	–

Some notes​

• Just like on Wednesday, left tackle Josh Simmons was missing from the Chiefs’ Thursday practice. He also missed Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions for unexplained personal reasons. The official designation for his absence continues to be not injury related – personal, so we assume it is the same issue that kept him out of the Week 6 game. But the Chiefs aren’t revealing anything else about the situation.
• After being ill on Wednesday, rookie running back Brashard Smith was back at work as a full participant in Thursday’s workout.
• Defensive lineman Jerry Tillery (elbow) was added to the injury report on Thursday, but was also a full participant in the practice session.
• Every other Kansas City player on the injury report was also a full participant. — which is excellent news for Sunday’s game.

---

For the Wednesday injury report, click here.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ek-7-thursday-injury-report-only-1-player-out

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Raiders Friday injury report: 1 player out for Sunday’s game

Each practice day of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs release an official injury report leading up to the next game. In the NFL’s Week 7, the (3-3) Chiefs host the (2-4) Las Vegas Raiders on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff will be Sunday at noon Arrowhead Time.

Here is the Chiefs’ final official injury report of the week, including game designations:

Chiefs​

Player	Ps	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Status
Josh Simmons	T	Personal	DNP	DNP	DNP	OUT
Brashard Smith	RB	Illness	DNP	FP	FP	–
Hollywood Brown	WR	Achilles	FP	FP	FP	–
Nikko Remigio	WR	Thumb	FP	FP	FP	–
Xavier Worthy	WR	Shoulder – Ankle	FP	FP	FP	–
Rashee Rice	WR	Other	FP	FP	FP	–
Jawaan Taylor	T	Knee	FP	FP	FP	–
Charles Omenihu	DE	Ankle	FP	FP	FP	–
Jerry Tillery	DL	Elbow	–	FP	FP	–

Raiders​

Player	Ps	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Status
Brock Bowers	TE	Knee	DNP	DNP	LP	DOUBT
Jakobi Meyers	WR	Knee – Toe	DNP	DNP	LP	QUEST
Alex Bachman	WR	Ankle	–	LP	LP	QUEST
Dylan Laube	RB	Hamstring	DNP	LP	LP	–
Maxx Crosby	DE	Back	–	–	LP	–
Justin Shorter	WR	Illness	–	DNP	FP	–

Some notes​

• Left tackle Josh Simmons missed all three of this week’s practices. He also missed Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions for unexplained personal reasons. The official designation for his absence continues to be not injury related – personal, so we assume it is the same issue that kept him out of Sunday’s game.
• The Chiefs continue to be tight-lipped (and frankly, confusing) about the situation. In his opening remarks to reporters on Friday, head coach Andy Reid said that Simmons was “still excused with a family situation.” Then asked if he was confirming Simmons is absent for a family matter, Reid replied, “Well, personal.” He then denied having an “understanding” of a return timeline for the rookie left tackle.
• Every other Kansas City player on the injury report was also a full participant in Friday’s practice — meaning that except for Simmons, every player on the roster is good to go for Sunday’s game.
• For Las Vegas, star tight end Brock Bowers continues to deal with a lingering knee injury that has already kept him out of two games. While he was upgraded to limited on Friday, he has been listed as doubtftul for the game.
• Starting wideout Jakobi Meyers is listed with knee and toe issues. He was also upgraded to limited on Friday, but is questionable for the game.
• One other starter was limited on Friday: defensive end Maxx Crosby, who was not given a game designation. He is expected to play.
• Two special teams players were limited: wideout Alex Bachman is questionable for Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, while running back Dylan Laube is good to go.
• Special teams wide receiver Justin Shorter was held out due to an illness on Thursday. He was upgraded to full participation on Friday. He is expected to be available against the Chiefs.

---

For the Thursday injury report, click here.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-friday-injury-report-1-player-out-for-sunday

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

5 things to watch in the Chiefs’ Week 7 matchup against the Raiders

On Sunday, the (3-3) Kansas City Chiefs will host the (2-4) Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 7 game on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. on CBS — locally on KCTV/5.

The Chiefs are coming off a decisive “Sunday Night Football” victory over the Detroit Lions, while the Raiders defeated the Tennessee Titans in a 20-10 rock fight last Sunday.

The two teams seem to be headed in opposite directions. Sunday could be the first time this season that Kansas City will display its full offensive firepower to the world.

Here are five things to watch.

1. Rashee Rice’s return​

He’s back.

It has been over a year since we have seen the third-year player suit up with the Chiefs. With his devastating 2024 knee injury — and his NFL suspension this year — Rice has faced numerous challenges during that time. Sunday is when the next chapter of his career will begin — in which he hopes to become the premier weapon of an offense led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As a rookie in 2023, Rice put up 164 yards and a touchdown on 14 receptions over two games against Las Vegas. On Sunday, he could be primed for a big workload. The Kansas City offense has put up big numbers for three straight weeks — and Mahomes is now the frontrunner to be this season’s NFL MVP. Rice’s presence could take the offense to the next level — and no one will be surprised if he has a big game against a porous Raiders defense.

2. Jaylon Moore’s second start​

Left tackle Josh Simmons was a late scratch for personal reasons against Detroit, giving Moore his first start with the Chiefs. On short notice — and after spending all night at the hospital as his third child was being born — Moore played a solid game against the Lions, preventing star pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson from collecting a sack for the first time this season.

Simmons is still out, so Moore will square off against Las Vegas star Maxx Crosby, who has long been a thorn in Kansas City’s side. One of the league’s best pass rushers, Crosby is likely to have a chip on his shoulder for this game — and the Raiders will probably maximize his use against Moore.

Fortunately, Crosby is very similar to Hutchinson, so the Chiefs are likely to use a similar plan to hold him in check. And while Moore lacks the pure athletic ability (and jaw-dropping physical prowess) of Simmons, he makes up for it with supremely refined technical play, high football IQ and a calm demeanor to ride out the highs and lows of being an NFL tackle.

3. Intercepting quarterback Geno Smith​

The Raiders’ quarterback is having an awful season. Leading the league with 10 interceptions, Smith isn’t doing his team any favors. Las Vegas is tied for the league’s third-worst turnover differential (-4) and is tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the most turnovers (11).

But Smith’s issues aren’t the only problem. The Raiders have displayed inconsistent offensive line play — Smith is tied for the third-most sacks (18) — and has injured pass-catchers, too. Tight end Brock Bowers is doubtful for Sunday’s game, while wideout Jakobi Meyers is listed as questionable.

The formula for beating the Raiders has been simple: find ways to get the ball from Smith — and capitalize on his mistakes.

The Kansas City defense is coming off a strong outing — and the secondary could be primed for a big game.

4. A record-breaking day for Travis Kelce?​

With 82 career touchdowns, the superstar tight end is one touchdown away from tying Priest Holmes’ all-time franchise record. Holmes scored them all over an incredible six seasons in Kansas City. It’s very likely that in his 13th season, Kelce will claim this record — possibly on Sunday.

Kelce has dominated the Raiders as a pro, collecting 1,582 yards and 12 touchdowns over 22 games. This season, Las Vegas has been good at defending against tight ends, giving up only 25 receptions and two touchdowns — but the team has not faced a tight end of Kelce’s caliber. Kansas City may prefer Kelce to break the record on next week’s “Monday Night Football” telecast — but if he’s open in the red zone, Mahomes is likely to target him.

5. A party for Chris Jones and George Karlaftis ​

Up to now, the Chiefs’ pass rush has not been up to par — and this lack of pressure has strained the rest of the defense. But fortunately, both Jones and Karlaftis have been very good against the Raiders.

Jones has 10.5 sacks in 18 career games against Las Vegas, while Karlaftis has four sacks over six matchups. Smith has made himself a target for pass rushers — and the Raiders’ shaky offensive line hasn’t done much to help.

Sunday’s game will be a great opportunity for the Kansas City defensive line to put up some big performances.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...things-to-watch-against-the-raiders-in-week-7

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Dave Toub: ‘It’s all mental’ for placekicker Harrison Butker

The Kansas City Chiefs played an incredibly clean game in their 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 6. One of the few blemishes on the night was a big, ugly one: placekicker Harrison Butker shanked the point-after attempt following the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the evening. It looked awful from the moment it took flight.

The flub kept the Chiefs’ lead to three points instead of four — a subtle factor that could easily have hurt Kansas City more than it did against a top-tier opponent in primetime. But it was also Butker’s third PAT miss this season. He also has three missed field goals this year — and three of Butker’s six missed kicks have been at 40 yards or less (One of his extra-point attempts was at 48 yards after a penalty was called on the scoring play).

But Kansas City special teams coordinator Dave Toub thinks he knows what’s been wrong.

“It’s just about focus on the little things,” he told reporters on Thursday. “The short field goals [must get] just as much focus as the long field goals. He’s been solid in practice. We’re just going to keep grinding on this thing.”

Butker has missed kicks in five of the Chiefs’ six games. In the 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Butker did not attempt a field goal and converted all four of his extra points. But his last kickoff went out of bounds, giving Jacksonville the ball at the 40-yard line with 1:45 left. The Jaguars scored on the drive — and the Chiefs were unable to respond.

Toub reminded his listeners that Butker has worked on changing his technique over recent seasons, making it possible to slip into old habits.

“It’s like changing a golf swing,” offered Toub. “You revert back. He kind of reverted back. [His] leg collapsed a little bit [on Sunday]; it makes him spin out a little bit more.”

The team is working with Butker to fix that.

“We’re trying to keep that thing more rigid and stiff so he’s finishing downfield,” said Toub. “That’s really what it comes down to. That’s about focus — focusing every time with his technique.”

The willingness for Toub to be direct about Butker’s struggles is refreshing — but also important. According to Pro Football Reference, Butker has the lowest point-after conversion rate among 25 qualified kickers. He is making just 79% of his field goal attempts — the second-lowest rate of his career.

And remember: this is without Butker dealing with an injury this season.

“It’s mental. It’s all mental,” repeated Toub. “That’s what I’m talking about: focus. You have the technique. You practice it 1,000 times. It’s just about repeating it — and not letting that old technique creep in. If anybody played golf, it’s the same thing. It happens.”

Even though Toub has coached football for nearly 40 years, there probably isn’t anything he can tell Butker that the ninth-year, three-time Super Bowl champion doesn’t already know.

“I’m laid back,” said Toub of his relationship with his placekicker. “I let him figure it out — because he knows. As soon as he missed it, he knew exactly what happened. You don’t need to get over on the net with him, cranking on him.

“He bounced back. All of his other kicks were great — every one of them was right down the middle. We just have to keep pounding it. He’ll get better and better. By the time we get to the most important games, he’ll be Butker.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-toub-says-its-all-mental-for-harrison-butker

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Rashee Rice’s return fuels dominant Chiefs’ win over the Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs delivered their most dominant performance of the season on Sunday, collecting a 31-0 shutout of their AFC West rivals: the Las Vegas Raiders.

The spark behind the blowout came from a familiar source. Making his season debut after missing six games from an NFL suspension — and nearly all of last year with a season-ending knee injury — wide receiver Rashee Rice immediately became a key contributor to the Chiefs’ offense. He had seven catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns as he re-established his rapport with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“It was great to have him back,” said head coach Andy Reid after the game. “You saw the trust that Pat has in him, which is so important for Pat and the guys. It was great. I thought the whole receiving crew did a nice job, but it was great to have him back in there. The energy he brings is tremendous.”

That chemistry between Mahomes and Rice showed up early in the game. The quarterback — who threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns before sitting out the fourth quarter — connected with his third-year wideout on a quick two-yard pass for the first score of the game.

Rashee Rice has a touchdown in his first game back

LVvsKC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/oueOtDSk2I

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

The duo would later follow up that score with a nice back-shoulder play in the end zone for Rice’s second touchdown — a play Mahomes says they worked on repeatedly throughout the offseason.

Rashee Rice has a touchdown in his first game back

LVvsKC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/oueOtDSk2I

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

“We were in that situation where it had to be in the end zone and got a matchup with Rashee one-on-one,” explained Mahomes. “We worked on that throw all offseason, so to be able to do that in the season — kind of like we did in the preseason — was good to see.”

Despite his big day, Reid wants to gradually increase Rice’s workload as he adjusts to the weekly grind of the season — but he came away impressed with what Rice had been able to do.

“I was a little cautious with him on how many plays and all that,” Reid admitted, “But I thought he came out and functioned at a high level. For being gone after all this time, it’s crazy that he can come back and do what he did — and do it at the level that he did it.”

Rice’s scores were part of a near-perfect stretch in which Kansas City’s offense scored touchdowns on each of its first four drives. Then the team added a field goal near the end of the third quarter, giving it 31 points on over 400 yards of total offense.

And as sharp as the offense looked, the defense might have been even better. Kansas City held Las Vegas to just 95 total yards and only three first downs. This defensive dominance allowed Mahomes (and other offensive starters) to rest the fourth quarter; the victory was well in hand.

“Anytime you can have a win like that — a fourth quarter where you can run the ball every snap — at this level, it’s a good thing,” Reid noted. “I appreciated the energy the most. I just thought the guys — their whole frame of mind — was solid.”

The win moved Kansas City to 4–3 on the season and, more importantly, re-established the complementary brand of football that’s defined the team’s best seasons. Despite their slow start to the year, Sunday served as a reminder of what this team looks like when every phase plays in sync.

“This is probably the most consistent we’ve been able to play and kind of stack games together,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, our record is still not where we want it to be, but you can see from the offense and defense, we’ve had bright moments this season. Now it seems like we’re coming together as a team.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...e-rice-return-fuels-dominant-win-over-raiders

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Andy Reid gives updates on 2 injuries from Sunday

Although the Kansas City Chiefs delivered their first shutout victory since the 2015 postseason on Sunday afternoon — a 31-0 domination of the Las Vegas Raiders — the team did not escape without injury concerns. Three key contributors — including two starters on the offensive line — left the game with injuries.

After the game, head coach Andy Reid expressed uncertainty about defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott. The rookie had been ruled out with a knee injury after taking an apparent cheap shot from Raiders’ offensive lineman Stone Forsythe late in the third quarter. Norman-Lott was helped off the field by teammates — including quarterback Patrick Mahomes — while Forsythe drew a personal foul for unnecessary roughness.

“As far as the injuries go, Norman Lott, Omar, is really the only one,” said Reid. “He hurt his knee, and then we’ll get an MRI and see how he is tomorrow — [and] exactly what it is. Other than that, the guys did a nice job there as far as that goes.”

Right guard Trey Smith left the game in the first half. He was initially reported as questionable to return with a back injury. But Smith did not return — although it is difficult to know if the Chiefs’ 21-0 halftime lead affected the decision to be cautious.

“Trey’s back did lock up on him,” said Reid. “So, we’ve got to just see. Hopefully, it’s nothing, but we’ll just see how he does.”

Reid also praised reserve guard Mike Caliendo for taking Smith’s place — and did the same for Jaylon Moore, who again filled for the missing left tackle Josh Simmons.

“Caliendo did a nice job of coming in,” noted the head coach. (Jaylon) “Moore filled in again — and did a nice job there.”

At the end of the third quarter, the Chiefs started rotating their backups into the game with a Raider comeback out of reach. The team announced right tackle Jawaan Taylor as questionable to return with a shoulder injury. Taylor — along with multiple key starters — did not return to the game.

While Reid did not address Taylor’s status, Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest reported that Taylor was with teammates on the bench; it appeared he would have been available had the game not already been decided with a full quarter remaining.

After Kansas City’s first touchdown in the first quarter, running back Kareem Hunt was helped off the field by teammates. He returned on the Chiefs’ next offensive drive.

In the third quarter, wide receiver Xavier Worthy appeared frustrated on the sideline after apparently aggravating the same shoulder he injured in Week 1 that sidelined him for two games. But Worthy took the field on the next possession — and recorded a 13-yard rush on an end-around.

With Kansas City set to take on the Washington Commanders in Week 8’s “Monday Night Football,” players will have an extra day to recover before getting back the field. Our next definitive update on some injuries may not be available until Thursday, when the practice week will begin.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...id-gives-updates-on-2-players-in-raiders-game

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

8 winners and 1 loser from the Chiefs’ dismantling of the Raiders

What more could we possibly ask for?

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs did nearly everything right against their old foes: the Las Vegas Raiders. In nearly every aspect of a game, it was a complete and total dismantling of a lesser opponent. We could get used to seeing this offense the rest of the season, but we can’t expect many more blowouts like this 31-0 laugher.

The only challenge is coming up with any losers from this game. Enjoy the victory Monday!

Here are the Chiefs who stood out.

Winners​

Wide receiver Rashee Rice: To nobody’s surprise, the third-year wideout hit the ground running in his return from suspension. His talent, fit and chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes still look like a cheat code for the offense. Rice turned 10 targets into seven catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns — one on a flip pass and another on a back-shoulder fade. It was the kind of effortless production that reminded everyone why he’s such a critical piece of Kansas City’s attack.

Running back Brashard Smith: Will we look back on Week 7 as the breakout game for Smith? Seeing him dance and weave through traffic on a screen just felt right. It was an element that’s been missing since Jerick McKinnon moved on — and one that has been a hallmark of Andy Reid’s offenses since the days of Jamaal Charles. Nobody’s putting that level of expectation on Smith — at least not yet — but 80 total yards on 15 touches is an outstanding contribution from a seventh-round rookie. He’s proving to be not only a reliable pass catcher (five-for-five on Sunday) but also a player who could break free on any given play. As he continues to grow, he could become a true difference-maker in this offense.

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: Finally seeing Rice, Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smitch-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton all on the field together was a treat — and Worthy did his part to impress. He showed off his speed on a 13-yard run — and his toughness with a contested jump-ball grab over the middle. Worthy looks like a complete receiver — one who is a perfect complement to Rice. These two (along with Mahomes) could be putting on a show for a long time to come.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones: On the Raiders’ first drive of the second half, Jones stuffed Ashton Jeanty for no gain, then sacked Geno Smith to force a punt. His day was finished after just 22 snaps — an efficient, dominant afternoon that preserved some wear and tear on the All-Pro defender. Not a bad day’s work.

Kicker Harrison Butker: A clean game at last! The ninth-year pro connected on all five of his kicks, marking his first flawless outing of the season. Hopefully, the early-season hiccups are behind him — because there will soon be closer games in which every point will matter.

Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo: When your team records a shutout, quickly piles up 31 points and has backups playing before the fourth quarter, the coaching staff has clearly done its job. Beyond the score, the dominance was overwhelming: 30 first downs to the Raiders’ three; 10-of-17 on third and fourth down to went none-for-8 for Las Vegas and no red-zone trips for the Raiders, while Kansas City scored touchdowns on four of its five. The Chiefs also won the turnover battle (+1), time of possession (by a wide margin) and total plays — 77 to the Raiders’ 30 — while outgaining them 434 to 95 yards. The screen game returned, the trick plays were sharp and penalties were minimal. Both lines controlled the trenches, and the team’s depth showed despite short-term injuries to Brashard Smith, Jawaan Taylor and Kareem Hunt. Most importantly, Kansas City didn’t play down to its opponent — and didn’t ease up until the game was completely decided.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: Just in case anyone forgot who the MVP front-runner is, Mahomes delivered a first half for the highlight reels. He led touchdown drives of 80 or more yards on each of the first three possessions and looked like he was enjoying every second. His comfort level with his protection and receivers might be the best it’s ever been — and it showed in the creativity: no-look passes, improvisation and even the “this never works” play that somehow worked perfectly. His only slowdown came from the scoreboard, as he rested for the entire fourth quarter after putting the game out of reach.

Losers​

Quarterback Gardner Minshew: Dude didn’t complete a single pass — and lost yards on all three of his rushing attempts. Why did Reid bench Mahomes for this guy? (Yes… I’m kidding).

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Please Note: The labels “winners” and “losers” are not judgments of talent or character. They simply reflect single-game performance. No disrespect is intended.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-winners-1-loser-from-week-7-win-over-raiders

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs are once again the Super Bowl favorites

While watching the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, did you feel like you were watching a college matchup between a small school and an FBS powerhouse?

NFL teams rarely win like Kansas City did on Sunday. But in the NCAA, we see these kinds of games every season. Power conference teams play those from smaller schools to prepare for conference play. This season’s matchup between Ohio State and Grambling is a good example. The Buckeyes are arguably the country’s best team, while the Tigers are a middling member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Ohio State won 70-0.

That matchup’s box score somehow seemed less lopsided than Week 7’s Chiefs -Raiders contest.

Grambling finished with 10 first downs, 165 total yards and 29 minutes of possession. Las Vegas collected three first downs, 95 total yards and held the ball for fewer than 18 minutes.

The Raiders didn’t just lose. They were completely and utterly humiliated. And the Chiefs didn’t just win. They made a statement:

The Chiefs are back.

No disclaimers or qualifiers are needed; the statement is simply true. Kansas City is once again FanDuel Sportsbook’s favorite to win the Super Bowl — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to win this season’s MVP award.

And yet… if the season ended today, the Chiefs wouldn’t get a playoff spot.

How can these two things be true? Because the people who built those big casinos in the desert see what we see:

The Chiefs are back — and they’re not likely to be stopped.

An offense in full flight​

Patrick Mahomes is playing what is arguably the best football of his career. He’s operating with a ruthless efficiency rarely seen at any level. According to Pro Football Reference, he is the first player in the Super Bowl era to record back-to-back regular-season games with at least 250 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, no interceptions and 25 or more rushing yards.

But the past two weeks have also marked the first time since 2020 that Mahomes posted consecutive games with 250 passing yards, three touchdowns and no picks. It’s no coincidence that this streak arrived just as the Chiefs finally got Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Travis Kelce, and Isiah Pacheco back on the field.

The secondary contributors are also back in their ideal roles. Players like Brashard Smith, Tyquan Thornton, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray may not be primary targets, but they each bring something valuable in the right situation.

The difference is visible. The offense once again looks fast. The operation feels smooth.

Sunday’s first four possessions read like a symphony of precision:

• 9 plays, 92 yards, 5:46 — touchdown
• 17 plays, 84 yards, 8:40 — touchdown
• 16 plays, 94 yards, 6:22 — touchdown
• 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:00 — touchdown

The next drive went nine plays for 66 yards. It ended with a 38-yard field goal after a failed third-and-7 that snapped a streak in which Kansas City converted 11 of its first 12 third- and fourth-down opportunities — including conversions of 13 and 14 yards.

Imagine how deflating that must have felt for Las Vegas to face third down again and again… and fail every single time.

The Chiefs were so dominant that they didn’t attempt a single pass in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew took a knee with more than two minutes remaining.

It was the NFL equivalent of what happens in a college blowout: the powerhouse gives its freshmen some snaps before the game mercifully comes to an end.

Back at the top​

Sunday’s performance pushed Kansas City’s season totals back toward the top of the league. The Chiefs now rank second in both points and yards per drive. That success stems largely from their ability to stay on the field.

According to Pro Football Reference, the Chiefs lead the NFL in both plays and time of possession per drive — and, impressively, are one of just four teams in the Super Bowl era to commit two or fewer turnovers through the first seven games of a season.

The first quarter of Kansas City’s campaign was a roller coaster — a strange stretch that made some fans wonder whether the Chiefs were entering a new era. But the past month has made one thing clear:

The Chiefs are back — and they’re here to stay.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...07/kansas-city-once-again-super-bowl-favorite

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

What did Rashee Rice do in his first game back?

Going into Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, I wanted to see what wide receiver Rashee Rice would do after more than a full calendar year off the field. In his absence, the offense had developed a rhythm without him, so I was curious to see how he would be used — and how much the team would put on his plate.

After Sunday’s 31-0 blowout, the Chiefs are sure to be happy that Rice is back — and will want to feature him often. He ran 16 routes and saw 10 targets. That is an absurd (and unsustainable) route-to-target ratio, but it does show Kansas City plans for Rice to be its featured receiver.

Let’s see how he was used in Sunday’s game.

Behind the line of scrimmage​

Rice’s superpower is his ability to accelerate downfield after the catch, so the Chiefs will find as many ways as they can to get him going north. Jet sweeps, screens or these pop passes that get him an angle seem to work well.

Let's talk Rice and what he did in his first game back. On 16 routes, he had 10 targets. There was clear intention to get him going.

We know this from last year, but any way to get Rice the ball behind the LOS is good. Let him use his vision and speed in space pic.twitter.com/gfsfr9nSPe

— Nate Christensen (@natech32) October 21, 2025

Rice is also in a perfect situation to maximize this skill. Head coach Andy Reid designs screens and horizontal action better than any other NFL coach. He will never run out of creative ways to get Rice the football in space.

Kansas City’s offensive line now has five players who are very good in space and can move downfield; they’re all looking to de-cleat smaller defenders. Since Rice is a tackle-breaking machine, this is very helpful. This line is a great match for a play-caller who designs great screens — and a quarterback who can deceive any defense with his eyes and his arm talent.

Finding openings in zone coverage​

Rice has a natural feel for zone coverages, and you feel the immediate impact of that, whether on the slot or outside. In the slot, he finds space on the pivot, and on the outside, he runs a stop route vs a bailing CB pic.twitter.com/K66ei7Ge97

— Nate Christensen (@natech32) October 21, 2025

While it wasn’t expected from his college tape, Rice has demonstrated a good feel for NFL zone coverages. (At SMU, he was a jump-ball receiver with limited opportunities to show what he could do in space).

This is more apparent when Rice plays in the slot, where linebackers and underneath defenders tend to play short zones more often than man coverage; it’s just easier for Rice to find holes against slower defenders. But even on the outside, Rice has a good feel for when to turn and present a target. If he can also develop good vertical routes from the outside — making teams fear him over the top — he can get more free receptions on stop routes.

Option routes​

We saw this play a ton before he got hurt last year, but any chance you get to put Rice weakside and get a potential linebacker matchup is an auto target. Rice is deadly on any of these option routes because of his speed after planting a foot pic.twitter.com/sLJZJCUi0Z

— Nate Christensen (@natech32) October 21, 2025

Before his injury last season, the Chiefs were using Rice as a mismatch against linebackers on option routes. He would align as the weak-side No. 2 receiver — the slot receiver on the side with fewer receivers — which forced defenses into tough situations. If they want to play two deep safeties, then a linebacker must cover that receiver. They can also move a safety closer to the line of scrimmage, but this limits the available coverages — and gives valuable information to the offense.

Since most teams want to play two deep safeties against Mahomes, this makes Rice’s job much easier. He can run option routes against the backside defender — and since no linebacker has the quickness and agility to stick with him, he can plant a foot in one direction, read the linebacker’s reaction and make a cut based on what he sees. With his explosion out of this break, Rice can use his speed to get north in a hurry.

Back-shoulder fades​

I believe it was preseason when this occured (fake football who cares), but the Chiefs have sprinkled Rice in as a backshoulder guy in the RZ, which was something he did way more often at SMU. Rice isn't really a jumpball winner, but he has strength to give angle to throw pic.twitter.com/cu6NdoJv5f

— Nate Christensen (@natech32) October 21, 2025

During the preseason, the Chiefs incorporated some back-shoulder fades to Rice — which he did well at SMU. While his game has changed in ways that most observers didn’t expect, he still possesses that ability.

Rice isn’t really a ball- winner; he doesn’t climb over defenders’ backs to make catches. Instead, he is sturdy — with broad shoulders — and brings very good timing to his routes. He prefers to use his size to box out a defender. Then he will turn, presenting a window below his shoulders. Mahomes generally pins the throw to Rice’s outside shoulder, where only the receiver can get it.

Mahomes tends to be better at throwing fast passes than throwing with touch, so Rice and Mahomes have probably worked on this. It’s a credit to Rice that he has built enough trust with Mahomes that the quarterback can laser the ball into tight windows.

The bottom line​

It’s hard to extract too much from Rice’s debut performance against the Raiders’ defense, but this small sample did look like what we have seen before: getting the ball on manufactured touches, from the slot and against zone coverage. When he’s able to find the holes in the coverage, he’ll get the ball often — and do great things with it.

At some point, I want to see what Rice can do as an outside receiver against man coverage — but in this role, he is elite. The Chiefs should lean into that. I’m excited to see what that will look like.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...84603/what-rashee-rice-did-in-first-game-back

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs wasted no time getting Rashee Rice into the offense

The Kansas City Chiefs claimed a 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon, improving to 4–3 on the season. The Chiefs dominated every phase of the game — and the offense continued to look extremely potent.

The game’s biggest storyline was the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice after serving a six-game suspension. It was also his first game since September 29, 2024, when he tore his ACL in a Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In his first game back, Kansas City got him involved in the game plan — while also easing him back into action and ensuring he was fully prepared to play. He finished the game with seven receptions on 10 targets for 42 receiving yards and two touchdowns — both scored in the red zone. He played 33 snaps and exited for good early in the fourth quarter, when most of the Chiefs’ starters also left the game.

It was clear that Kansas City wanted to get Rice into the end zone, but the team also managed his snaps carefully to ease him back into rhythm. With several pre-loaded plays designed to get Rice the ball, parts of this game felt like a preseason matchup that intended to get him touches — while also featuring him as the primary red-zone target.

The performance was a great building block for the rest of the season and showed a glimpse of what the Chiefs’ offense could look like in the coming weeks.

Red zone touchdowns​

The Chiefs wasted no time getting Rice into the end zone, using their signature jet-sweep flip pass to perfection.

Rice motioning over over pre-snap. LV actually has players in posistion to make plays but it superior blocking from KC. 87 reaches, 27 leads and 83 climbs, but the special block comes from Humphrey. Phenomenal job reaching the MLB. Taylor also a good reach on Crosby. pic.twitter.com/hsGNln88md

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) October 20, 2025

Here, Kansas City motions Rice away from the double–tight end set on the right side of the offense — but before the ball is snapped, he comes back across the formation. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes quickly flips him the ball, and Rice doesn’t waste any time reading his blocks and getting upfield.

Good blocking from tackle Jawaan Taylor and center Creed Humphrey opens up the running lane, where Rice shows off his elite yards-after-catch ability by running through a face mask and darting into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season.

While this play is highly scheme-based, the Chiefs do an excellent job of mixing and matching which players they use in jet motion — and now Rice will be in that mix.

For his second touchdown of the game, Rice showed off his ability as a pass catcher.

Football gets over complicated alot, so there is something cool about seeing two players with great chemistry making plays.

Rice with a great stutter step out of his stance and good outside relese to beat the CB. Mahomes puts the football in the perfect spot. pic.twitter.com/coOMR8ZvMa

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) October 20, 2025

One-on-one from the 5-yard line on this rep, Rice is single-covered by the Raiders. Kansas City uses a late motion by running back Kareem Hunt as “eye candy” to shift the safeties and pull attention away from Rice. At the snap, the wideout uses sharp footwork to freeze the defender before quickly breaking upfield.

Mahomes recognizes the separation right away, throwing a pinpoint pass that only Rice can catch. He locates the ball and hauls it in for six points.

Both of Rice’s scores came on very simple plays — and that’s not a bad thing.

Attacking zone defense​

The Chiefs kept Rice’s workload very simple. The Raiders respected Kansas City’s deep-ball threat and played softer coverages, but this left Rice with favorable matchups underneath.

Rice out of the slot. LV respecting the KC deep ball, but once Rice reads Whites coverage he quickly breaks back inside and is all by himself. Great route and great timing with Mahomes. pic.twitter.com/5USlf9YJDi

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) October 20, 2025

Lined up in the slot on this play, Rice is patient with his route. The Las Vegas linebacker flies into the flat area where Rice is positioned, covering from the flat to the middle of the field. Rice waits until the defender commits to the flat coverage, then quickly breaks back inside as Mahomes hits him in stride.

This was not the only time Kansas City utilized Rice underneath the coverage to create favorable matchups.

KC picked apart the Raiders zone coverage all day—worthy and Rice on the same side of the field. Worthy runs the vertical route, but Rice runs a simple hitch route. The LB has no shot to make the play. pic.twitter.com/rXxo82qGhd

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) October 20, 2025

On this snap — lined up on the same side of the field as wide receiver Xavier Worthy — Rice runs a quick hitch route. Mahomes does a great job holding the linebackers with his eyes — and with Worthy working vertically up the field, most of the defense’s attention follows him.

With Mahomes and Worthy distracting the coverage, Rice is all by himself. He does a nice job picking up a first down after the catch.

Extending the running game​

Ever since his rookie season, Rice’s yards-after-catch ability has made him a staple in Kansas City’s RPO and screen game. With good vision and a slippery running style, these change-up plays have been a great way to supplement the team’s running game — and an ideal method to get Rice ramped back up.

KC uses motion alot to create misdirection, but this week they used it to get Rice in posistion to get the ball. After the motion, it becomes an RPO screen look to Rice. Good blocking from Kelce and Gray and a solid pickup for Rice. pic.twitter.com/08oMBWC1td

— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) October 20, 2025

Here, as Rice motions across the formation, tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray release from the line and work into the second level to block the Raiders’ secondary. Mahomes quickly pulls the RPO read, firing a pass to Rice. With good blocking ahead, Rice collects the ball and heads upfield for a first down — and a nice gain.

When Kansas City’s running game has not been up to par, the team has used these looks to keep defenses honest, taking advantage of deep coverages designed to prevent long completions. Rice is the perfect target for these concepts — and it appears he still has his old burst and tackle-breaking ability.

The bottom line​

The Chiefs could not have picked a better week for Rice to make his return. A blowout victory over an overmatched Raiders team — along with a slate of pre-loaded plays to ease Rice back into the offense — made for a perfect reintroduction.

Kansas City’s next step will be incorporating him more naturally into the flow of the offense. But if this week was any indication of how things will go, there shouldn’t be many issues.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...sted-no-time-getting-rashee-rice-into-offense

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs’ Andy Reid praises rookie Brashard Smith for his versatility

During the first seven games of the 2025 season, the Kansas City Chiefs have been concealing an offensive weapon.

But that player’s cover was blown during Sunday’s 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Rookie running back Brashard Smith led the Chiefs in yards from scrimmage (81) and touches (19). He moved the chains three times — once on third-and-13 by a screen pass — and gained eight or more yards on five touches.

It was the most productive performance in Smith’s seven-game career — a showcase that was exciting even to untrained eyes. Smith revealed a skill set unlike that of fellow running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco. The rookie boasts a combination of speed and elusiveness that has been missing from Kansas City’s backfield for years.

As the Chiefs began preparation for their Week 8 matchup with the Washington Commanders on “Monday Night Football,” head coach Andy Reid praised the team’s seventh-round pick.

“He has done a nice job of picking it up,” he told reporters on Thursday. “That position? You have to know the pass game [and] the run game — [and] then you have these protections you have to take care of… He has hung right in there and done a good job.”

The first-year running back has clearly earned the coaching staff’s trust. Since the first three weeks of the season — a stretch in which Smith saw only three total touches — the Chiefs’ offense has given him at least three in each game — and he’s gained 174 yards on those 33 touches.

Andy Reid today on rookie RB Brashard Smith

"We’re moving him all over the place. I wouldn’t see that part changing, we’re going to keep utilizing his talents."

Smith lines up out wide / in slot 39% of his snaps (PFF)#Chiefs are developing a positionless personnel group pic.twitter.com/4EZeQsD77r

— Ron Kopp Jr (@RonOnChiefs) October 23, 2025

Smith, who was originally a receiver at SMU, has racked up most of his 189 yards from scrimmage as a pass catcher. He tallied all 122 of his career receiving yards over the last four weeks. The Chiefs’ coaching staff has not been hesitant to test out his positional flexibility.

“We have been able to give him a little bit more each week in different roles; we’re moving him all over the place,” Reid acknowledged. “I wouldn’t see that part changing — we’re going to keep utilizing his talents. [He is] a hard worker; all the intangible stuff is great.”

This season, Smith has aligned in the backfield on just 48 of the 80 offensive snaps he has played. He spends 40% of his time aligned more like a receiver.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is getting used to the versatile rookie. He mentioned Smith during a downpour of praise he directed at his pass-catchers on Thursday.

“We have a lot of talented guys there, and you never know where it’s going to hit,” he observed — noting the obvious roles of wide receivers Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown. “Tyquan could hit a 30-yard completion at any moment, JuJu could hit a 15- or 20-yard completion at any moment [or] Brashard could hit a 20-yard completion at any moment. You don’t know where it’s going to come from.”

In the lopsided win over Las Vegas, Mahomes spread the passes around to the point that seven different players recorded 28 or more receiving yards.

“That’s a luxury for us — you want to keep defenses guessing,” Mahomes maintained. “All these guys are going to get a lot of catches; they’re going to have their moment. But they will be ready to go whenever that moment comes.”

Smith is one of 11 players who have earned at least three first downs for the Chiefs this season. He ranks ninth in descending order on that list — but with Reid and Mahomes expressing clear confidence in him, he could be moving up in a hurry.

“He has been a sponge,” revealed Mahomes of the running back. “He has been learning a ton — and whenever [he’s had] an opportunity, he has made plays happen. He is just another weapon in this offense, and he’ll continue to get more and more snaps.”

The increased snap count may begin this week: Hunt was unable to practice Thursday while dealing with a bone bruise. If the veteran needs a lighter load against Washington, Smith could see his most impactful workload yet.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ses-rookie-brashard-smith-for-his-versatility

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs-Commanders Week 8 Thursday injury report: 3 players missing

Each practice day of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs release an official injury report leading up to the next game. In the NFL’s Week 8, the Chiefs host the Washington Commanders for “Monday Night Football” on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

Here is the Chiefs’ first official injury report of the week:

Chiefs​

Player	Ps	Injury	Thu	Fri	Sat	Status
Kareem Hunt	RB	Ankle – Knee	DNP	–	–	–
Trey Smith	G	Back	DNP	–	–	–
Josh Simmons	OT	Personal	DNP	–	–	–
Jaylen Watson	CB	Back	LP	–	–	–
Brashard Smith	RB	Toe	FP	–	–	–
Xavier Worthy	WR	Shoulder – Ankle	FP	–	–	–
Jawaan Taylor	T	Knee – Shoulder	FP	–	–	–
Charles Omenihu	DE	Ankle – Abdomen	FP	–	–	–
Jerry Tillery	DL	Elbow	FP	–	–	–
Christian Roland-Wallace	CB	Hand	FP	–	–	–

Commanders​

Player	Ps	Injury	Thu	Fri	Sat	Status
Jayden Daniels	QB	Hamstring	DNP	–	–	–
Zach Ertz	TE	Rest	DNP	–	–	–
Sam Cosmi	G	Back	DNP	–	–	–
Laremy Tunsil	T	Rest	DNP	–	–	–
Daron Payne	DT	Rest	DNP	–	–	–
Von Miller	OLB	Rest	DNP	–	–	–
Jonathan Jones	CB	Personal	DNP	–	–	–
Terry McLaurin	WR	Quad	FP	–	–	–
Deebo Samuel Sr.	WR	Heel	FP	–	–	–
Bobby Wagner	LB	Thumb	FP	–	–	–

Some notes​

• For the Chiefs, running back Kareem Hunt (ankle – knee) and guard Trey Smith (back) did not participate in Thursday’s workout. Speaking to reporters, head coach Andy Reid reported that Hunt has a bone bruise on his knee. “He’s going to be OK, but we’ll have him sit out today,” he said. Reid said that Smith is experiencing back spasms. “It’s getting better,” said the coach. “We’ll just see how it goes.“
• Left tackle Josh Simmons has now missed two games for personal reasons. Reid finally gave some insight into the situation, saying that Simmons was “taking care of family.” But byond that, the coach gave few details. “He’s just taking care of business,” said Reid. “That’s the main thing, right here. When you deal with this, that’s what you do. And he’s been very good about communicating it.”
• For the Commanders, quarterback Jayden Daniels headlines the report. While he is expected to fully recover from the hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, he’s already being reported by multiple outlets as out for Monday’s game. If he doesn’t play, backup Marcus Mariota will start in his place.
• Six other Washington players — all of them significant contributors — were held out of Thursday’s practice. But only one of them — guard Sam Cosmi (back) — is actually injured. Tight end Zach Ertz, tackle Laremy Tunsil, defensive tackle Daron Payne and outside linebacker Von Miller were given a rest day. Cornerback Jonathan Jones was excused from practice for personal reasons.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...ek-8-thursday-injury-report-3-players-missing

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Week 8’s ‘Reacts’ poll: Chiefs’ fans expect a few more losses in 2025

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Kansas City Chiefs fans. You can see all of the recent survey results here.

And be sure to check out FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

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Fan confidence​

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After an unprecedented shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7, the sky-high levels of confidence continue in Kansas City. The season-high mark was tied last week at 95%, so Chiefs Kingdom set a new bar.

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How many more losses?​

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The vast majority of Kansas City fans expect the (4-3) Chiefs to finish with a record between 11-6 and 13-4. The expectation of 12-5 felt just right to nearly half of the fan base, taking into account difficult spots such as Week 9 at the (4-2) Buffalo Bills, Week 12 against the (6-1) Indianapolis Colts and two matchups with the (5-2) Denver Broncos.

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How many touchdowns for Rashee Rice?​

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The wide receiver wasted no time starting this count in Week 7. Rice scored twice, entering the final 10 games of the regular season with more than half of Chiefs Kingdom expecting him to score six or seven more.

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NFL Fans: Predicting the AFC West​

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Over two-thirds of all NFL fans polled believe the Chiefs will overtake the Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West race, winning the division for the 10th consecutive season.

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NFL Fans: Predicting the AFC North​

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NFL Fans see the veteran-laden Pittsburgh Steelers as the AFC North champions when the season is finalized.

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NFL Fans: Predicting the AFC South​

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The national fan base believes the one-loss Colts will take advantage of the two-game lead in the AFC South and claim the title this season.

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NFL Fans: Predicting the AFC East​

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Despite the current standings, NFL fans see the Bills overcoming the loss to the (5-2) New England Patriots and eventually claiming victory in the AFC East.

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Click here to see other recent survey results.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/nfl-reacts-survey/184819/week-8-results-two-more-losses-in-2025

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The Chiefs still remember Marcus Mariota’s postseason pass to himself

There is no doubt that it’s in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ favor that the Washington Commanders‘ starting quarterback Jayden Daniels has been reported to be out for this weekend’s “Monday Night Football” matchup between the teams.

But the Chiefs aren’t exactly congratulating themselves on their good fortune, either.

That’s because Kansas City has… uhhh… history with Washington’s backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. On January 6, 2018, he was the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans when they came into Arrowhead Stadium for a Wild Card playoff game.

The Chiefs started fast, jumping out to a 21-3 lead. But then we saw one of the wildest plays in NFL history.

The Titans were in the red zone — threatening to score — when Mariota scrambled left. For a moment, it looked like he was going to run the ball in for a touchdown. But at the last second, he pulled up to target wide receiver Corey Davis in the back of the end zone. This required forcing the ball over three Chiefs defenders. One of them was future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis, who jumped up and batted it down.

Fortunately for Tennessee, the ball came right back into Mariota’s arms — and he ended up running it into the end zone for a touchdown after all.

That time Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass to himself in a playoff game

: @Titanspic.twitter.com/X5sz81uWfU

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 17, 2023

It was the beginning of the end for Kansas City. That touchdown was the first of 19 unanswered points the Titans scored en route to a 22-21 win.

Since then, things haven’t gone well for Mariota. He’s now on his fourth team in five years, collecting a 15-20 record as a starter during that time. But the Chiefs vivdly remember the day Mariota came into their house and ended their season. Head coach Andy Reid began his Thursday remarks by referencing that .

“Mariota, we know, has come in here and won a game,” he told reporters, who probably didn’t need the reminder. “He’s a good football player, and we don’t slight that at all.”

Rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes was watching from the sidelines that day. Just a week after his first NFL start — a meaningless (but thrilling) 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos — he was once again Alex Smith’s backup for the playoffs.

“It was such a crazy swing of momentum,” he recalled. “There were a couple of plays here and there that kind of changed the whole thing. If you talk about the Derrick Johnson sack-fumble that didn’t get called — and then Marcus making that crazy play.“

Oh, yeah. That crazy sack-fumble.

Chiefs-Titans playoffs.
Derrick Johnson sack fumble ruled play dead for forward progress being stopped. pic.twitter.com/UINaTJc5KL

— Al Bundy (@Maratea20G) February 28, 2024

“There were plays that had so much momentum that we didn’t capitalize on — which I’ve learned from,” added Mahomes. “You can’t let those plays completely change the game. You have to find ways to manage that.”

Those moments were awful. But with the benefit of hindsight, it’s possible for Kansas City fans to be grateful for the loss that ended the 2017 season, which was Smith’s final start for the Chiefs. Mariota’s comeback helped usher in the Mahomes era.

“[Mariota’s] had a lot of great moments,” noted Mahomes, “and he’s had moments when he wanted to get back. But at the same time, he’s persevered — and gotten better and better. Now he’s in a great spot — where he’s obviously teaching Jayden. When he comes in the game, you can tell he is one of the top-tier backup quarterbacks who’s going to go out there and have success whenever his number is called.”

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo believes the Commanders’ offense won’t be much different with Mariota at the helm.

“I think they did a really good job for their team by getting a backup quarterback who fits exactly what they [do],” he observed on Friday. “Sometimes we play a dropback quarterback, [but] the backup is an athlete. [So] we’ve always got to talk about [that] — and maybe have a couple of reps in practice — in case this happens. [But] I don’t think they skip a beat in terms of what they’re doing offensively.”

Linebacker Nick Bolton sees the same thing.

“They do a great job of keeping the offense similar in the things that they do — [except] Mariota runs the ball a little bit more with his legs.”

In any case, Kansas City has enough information to be ready for Washington’s backup.

“He played a couple of games this year,” noted Bolton, “[and] played some games for them last year. So we’ve got some tape to look at — just figuring out what he does best and treating him as a regular quarterback.”

Still, the Chiefs’ institutional memory includes what happened on that dark day in 2018. Hopefully, that bad taste in their mouths will motivate them to shut Mariota down on Monday night.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...er-marcus-mariotas-postseason-pass-to-himself

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Madden Simulation: Chiefs host Commanders on ‘Monday Night Football’

STOP!​

If you want to watch the simulation without spoilers, start this video — or if you can’t see it, click here.

First quarter​

The Washington Commanders’ opening script quickly exposes holes in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ defense, as quarterback Marcus Mariota marches into Kansas City territory with ease.

On the first play across midfield, defensive tackle Chris Jones breaks through the offensive line and sacks Mariota for a six-yard loss. But on the very next snap, Mariota finds wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a corner route to move the chains.

Mixing his arm and legs, Mariota continues to keep Kansas City off balance. Once the Commanders reach the red zone, he tucks the ball and runs it in himself for the first touchdown of the game.

On the Chiefs’ opening drive, quarterback Patrick Mahomes wastes no time responding — connecting with wide receiver Rashee Rice for 23 yards and then tight end Travis Kelce for another 24 to move deep into Washington territory.

End of first quarter: Commanders 7, Chiefs 0

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Second quarter​

On the first play of the second quarter, Mahomes hands off to running back Isiah Pacheco, who goes untouched into the end zone to tie the game.

Mariota’s next series starts poorly. He tosses a backward screen pass to running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt that deflects off a Kansas City defender, resulting in a 10-yard loss. The Commanders never recover and are forced to punt.

Mahomes continues to enjoy a clean pocket, firing an 18-yard strike to wide receiver Hollywood Brown to move into plus territory.

Before one snap, wide receiver Xavier Worthy looks over at Mahomes and waves, signaling he’s open before the play even begins. Moments later, he proves himself right — hauling in a wide-open slant for an easy 13-yard gain.

Mahomes, perhaps inspired by Mariota’s earlier touchdown run, decides to take matters into his own hands. Needing 10 yards for a first down, he scrambles and turns it into a 17-yard touchdown — spinning past a defender and reaching the ball across the goal line as he crosses it. Naturally, Mahomes gets up and flexes for the crowd.

On the next defensive series, cornerback Chamarri Conner goes down with an injury, bringing in defensive back Kevin Knowles. On his very first snap, Knowles records his first sack of the season.

Mariota tries to scramble for a first down soon after but is crushed by linebacker Nick Bolton, who jars the ball loose. Conner — back in the game after missing a few plays — scoops up the fumble, giving Kansas City a massive turnover just before halftime.

End of second quarter: Chiefs 14, Commanders 7

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Third quarter​

The Chiefs opening drive after halftime proves relentless. The Commanders have four chances to get Kansas City off the field on third-and-10 situations — but fail each time. The final conversion caps the drive as Mahomes connects with Brown for a 17-yard touchdown to extend the lead to two possessions.

The Commanders manage to respond, but only with a field goal, cutting slightly into the deficit.

End of third quarter: Chiefs 21, Commanders 10

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Fourth quarter​

Pacheco opens the quarter with the longest run of the game, bursting free for 31 yards. Kansas City continues to dominate on third down, with Mahomes and Rice connecting again to convert another third-and-10.

Mahomes drops a dime to Rice on a corner route for the touchdown, putting Kansas City up by three scores.

Mariota refuses to go quietly, moving the Commanders downfield with several scrambles and absorbing big hits from the Chiefs’ defense. A costly defensive pass interference penalty gives Washington prime field position, and Mariota caps the drive by forcing his way into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the day.

The Commanders attempt an onside kick, but the Chiefs recover.

With the game in hand, Kansas City lines up to kneel out the clock after the two-minute warning — but on the next play, they surprise everyone by handing it off to Pacheco, who powers into the end zone for one final touchdown.

Final score: Chiefs 35, Commanders 17

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Notable stats​

• Patrick Mahomes: 21-for-30, 241 yards, 2 touchdowns; 3 carries, 16 yards, 1 touchdown
• Marcus Mariota: 15-for-20, 178 yards; 12 carries, 109 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Isiah Pacheco: 13 carries, 70 yards, 1 touchdown
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 9 carries, 50 yards
• Rashee Rice: 5 receptions, 69 yards, 1 touchdown
• Hollywood Brown: 5 receptions, 58 yards, 1 touchdown
• Xavier Worthy: 4 receptions, 50 yards
• Travis Kelce: 3 receptions, 49 yards
• Deebo Samuel Sr.: 4 receptions, 69 yards
• Terry McLaurin: 3 receptions, 33 yards
• Nick Bolton: 10 tackles (2 solo, 2 for loss), 1 forced fumble
• George Karlaftis: 3 solo tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack
• Kevin Knowles: 1 sack
• Chris Jones: 1 sack

In Week 9, Kansas City will be on the road to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon. We’ll once again see how the game plays out in the EA Universe.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/madd...hiefs-commanders-week-8-monday-night-football

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs’ coaches (and Chris Jones) will miss rookie Omarr Norman-Lott

Almost the only negative to be found in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ Week 7 shutout victory over the Las Vegas Raiders was the significant injury suffered by rookie defensive tackle Omar Norman-Lott. The second-round pick stayed down after a Raiders’ blocker drew a flag for landing on him — which Arrowhead Pride’s John Dixon believes was not the cause of the injury — and within 24 hours, we knew Norman-Lott had suffered a torn ACL.

The season-ending injury leaves Kansas City’s defensive line with two defensive tackles who can line up alongside All-Pro Chris Jones: Jerry Tillery and Derrick Nnadi. Head coach Andy Reid — while acknowledging that veteran defensive end Mike Danna is an “option” to play on the interior — believes the team now has enough players to keep the defensive interior stocked.

“I’m good with where we’re at — although I thought Omarr was coming on, for sure,” Reid pointed out to reporters on Thursday. “He is going to be a good football player after he gets this thing worked on.”

Norman-Lott made an impact right out of the gate, earning his only sack in his first game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 — and then totaled three tackles when he started the Week 3 win against the New York Giants.

His impact hasn’t been as noticeable since then, but a practice-week injury kept him out of Kansas City’s Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and limited his snaps in the two games that followed. But before landing on the Reserve/Injured list, he clearly left a strong impression on Jones.

“Oh man, that’s my little brother,” Jones told reporters on Friday. “[It’s] a very unfortunate situation — and I’m praying for him. He is such a little hungry bull. He was finally getting it together and coming along… he was finally getting healthy.”

As Jones noted, the torn ligament is just the latest injury Norman-Lott has dealt with since being drafted by Kansas City with the 63rd overall selection in last spring’s NFL Draft. A preseason ankle injury kept him out of Week 1. More recently, a shoulder issue sidelined him.

“I was really disappointed to lose Omarr,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admitted on Friday. “It was kind of an up-and-down year for him in terms of being healthy. He lost a lot of time in training camp.”

Spagnuolo will have to figure out how to make up for the rookie’s absence.

“I thought [what] he gave us was some juice inside with the way he moved,” he noted. “We won’t have that. We’ll [have to] get some next guys to step up. Jerry will get more time [and] Derrick will get more time. I think Derrick has been practicing and playing really solid for us, so we need that.”

Spagnuolo’s remarks reflected the front office’s offseason challenge: the departure of defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, who signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. Wharton finished last season with the second-most sacks (6.5) of any Chiefs defender — a higher mark than Jones (5).

The team relies on having another interior player who can benefit from the attention Jones draws from opposing pass protectors — and simply put, Tillery and Nnadi aren’t likely to assume that role. But the three-time All-Pro has been seeing Norman-Lott grow into it.

“I started being dependent on him to take on the double team for me,” Jones observed on Friday. “To have him go down, we lose a big part of our defense. Even though he is a young player, we ask him to do a lot.”

Echoing Reid’s earlier acknowledgment, Spagnuolo believes there are ways to make up for Norman-Lott’s absence.

“We may have to ask some of the ends to go inside to mix and match it a little bit,” he said. “We took a little bit of a hit there because I thought Omarr was doing that — and I expected him to continue that way.”

With only 73 snaps over five games, Norman-Lott’s impact might have been hard to see — but the team is well aware that over the rest of the season, he will be missed on the field.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-chris-jones-missing-rookie-omarr-norman-lott

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Even without Jayden Daniels, Chiefs see Commanders as a dangerous foe

Finding themselves on opposite sides of blowouts in Week 7, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Washington Commanders appear to be heading in opposite directions. After the Chiefs reveled in a 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Commanders were pummeled 44-22 by the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s late window. To further sour the result, Washington lost star quarterback Jayden Daniels to a hamstring injury that will keep him out of Monday night’s matchup against Kansas City.

But during this week’s preparations for the game, Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid showed no sign of lowering his guard against the Commanders. He has respect for their head coach Dan Quinn — and clearly remembers the role backup quarterback Marcus Mariota played in Kansas City’s 2017 playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans.

“[They’re] a veteran group of players that are good football players,” remarked Reid on Thursday. “They’ve got a head coach that I consider right at the top of his profession at this time. He’s as good as anybody — and then he’s got good coordinators there. So, offensively, defensively [and on] special teams, they’ve got explosive players. They’ve got good guys up front on both sides of the ball. Mariota, we know, has come in here and won a game, so we get it that he’s a good football player — and we don’t slight that at all.”

When the 2025 schedule was announced, the contest between Kansas City and Washington was hyped as the initial meeting between Daniels and the Chiefs’ star quarterback Patrick Mahomes — who will regret missing out on this showcase matchup between exciting passers. Mahomes is well aware that the Commanders’ offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury — who was Mahomes’ coach at Texas Tech —holds Daniels in high regard.

“You want to go up against the best of the best,” said Mahomes, “and Jayden, with the way that he played last year, he’s in that category. He’s a talented football player [that] I’ve watched play since he was at Arizona State, to LSU and to now in the NFL. Kliff speaks very highly of him as a person.”

Mahomes also remembers Mariota’s postseason comeback in Kansas City, which he watched from the sidelines as a rookie.

“I hope [Daniels] gets healthy sooner rather than later,” he said, “but at the same time, I know Marcus can play, too. I’ve seen it firsthand at Arrowhead in the playoffs. I’ve seen him play throughout my entire career — and [he’s had] a lot of successful games, including this year. We understand it’s still going to be a great challenge going up against a great football team — and a guy that has had a lot of success in the NFL.”

Two of Kansas City’s defensive leaders are focused on the dangers Washington’s running game presents. Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt and rotational backs Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez all present the potential for big plays. They’re behind an offensive line that is playing well — and the Commanders will also have wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin back from injury.

“The offensive tackles have obviously been playing great for them,” noted linebacker Nick Bolton. “They do a great job, [and] they get their pass catchers back. It’s going to be an added boost to those guys, and the running backs are doing great this year. One’s averaging 5.3 [yards], I think, per carry and another one is averaging 4.2 or something like that. It’s going to be a challenge for us up front. [We] need to stop the run early and get them in favorable downs for us and take out the quarterback.”

On Friday, defensive tackle Chris Jones added veteran tight end Zach Ertz to the list of Washington players the Chiefs’ defense should be concerned about.

“They have a really, really, really well-rounded team,” he explained. “They have a lot of weapons — Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and the running backs; they’ve got a double-headed sword in the backfield. The offensive coordinator, Kliff, he does a really, really good job of scheming. So, we’ve got our hands full there, and then they have a veteran tight end who’s been in the game a while and is still very, very productive. So, we’ve definitely got our hands full on trying to slow these guys down.”

Even if Kansas City’s defenders can handle Washington’s offense, Reid sees Quinn’s defense as an added challenge — particularly with unique looks from the defensive line.

“This group is right there,” noted Reid. “That front is an explosive bunch. And their pass game? They’re as good as anybody at rushing the passer. We’ll have our work cut out for that. Then their linebacker crew is good. They’ve been banged up a little bit on the back end, but I think they’re starting to get people back and in place where they want them.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-are-dangrous-foe-even-without-jayden-daniels

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs Hot Takes: The team has the NFL’s best wide receiver corps

In our “Let’s Argue” series, our Mark Gunnels considers the hot takes, wacky predictions and unpopular opinions of Kansas City Chiefs fans from all over the world.

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The Chiefs have the NFL’s best wide receiver corps​

Chiefs have the best WR corps in the league

— Brian M (@1ProudDad47) October 20, 2025

This take isn’t as crazy as it sounds.

With the Rice back in the fold, the Chiefs have a legitimate top-10 receiver. After Rice, there are several reliable pass-catching options for quarterback Patrick Mahomes: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton and others.

But for this to become the league’s top wide receiver group, Worthy will have to develop even further. There’s no denying the speed and dynamic ability the former Texas Longhorn brings, but if he can develop into a top-20 receiver, you could proclaim Kansas City as having the league’s best receiver room.

But right now, I’d have to rank the wide receivers of the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings ahead of the Chiefs.

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The Chiefs still need a running back​

Still need a rb- hot take

— Jay Jones (@JayJones60) October 21, 2025

While the Chiefs’ wide receiver room is very good, the running back group is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s one of the weakest in the league.

But the wide receiver group is strong enough that I can’t say Kansas City needs another back. Would it be nice? Of course. But head coach Andy Reid is excellent at using the short passing game as an extension of the running game. Also: whenever running back Brashard Smith is on the field, good things seem to happen. I would expect his usage to increase as the season goes on.

In terms of needs, the most glaring one for this team is along the defensive line. The loss of emerging rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott only intensifies that concern.

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Play Brashard Smith more!​

Play Brashard Smith more he looks better than the mad dasher Pacheco

— KC KID (@KCMOU812) October 21, 2025

Speaking of Smith…

Over the last three games, his targets in the passing game have increased each week. Against the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday, he set career highs in both carries (14) and targets (5).

Granted: a lot of that had to do with the scoreboard. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know Kansas City beat the Raiders 31-0.

Still, the team is clearly making an effort to get Smith more involved. The physical running styles of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt still hold value — especially in short-yardage situations.

Even so, it’s easy to see that Smith provides explosiveness that Pacheco and Hunt simply don’t possess.

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Rashee Rice and Nohl Williams will win season honors​

Rashee Rice will win CPOTY and Nohl Williams will win DROY

— Zander Sahlia (@WxAndMovies) October 20, 2025

Both of these scenarios are very unlikely to happen — but that’s the point of asking for hot takes.

Let’s start with Rice.

Depending on the sportsbook you’re looking at, Rice is hovering around 10th in the odds for Comeback Player of the Year. If not for his six-game suspension, he’d have as good a shot at the awards as anyone. There’s no question about the volume he’ll get, but it’s going to be difficult to beat out quarterbacks like Dak Prescott and Daniel Jones, who are putting up big numbers. Even a player like Christian McCaffrey — who currently has the second-best odds — will be extremely tough to surpass.

As for the rookie cornerback Williams, it’ll be nearly impossible for him to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. This isn’t to say he hasn’t played well — he has — but for defensive backs to win these kinds of awards, they usually need interceptions. At this point, Williams has none.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...-takes-chiefs-have-best-wide-receivers-in-nfl

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Chiefs open as 1.5-point favorites over the Bills in Week 9

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs will be on the road to play the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in a Week 9 matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:25 Arrowhead time on CBS — locally on KCTV/5.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kansas City has opened as a 1.5-point favorite in the game.

In Week 8 , the Chiefs opened as 9.5-point favorites against the Washington Commanders, winning that game 28-7. The Bills are coming off a convincing 40-9 win over the Carolina Panthers — a game in which Mitchell Trubisky saw out the final quarter as the Bills strolled to victory.

Another chapter of the Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen story will be added this weekend. While Mahomes owns the January editions, Allen has had his counterparts’ number in September, October, November and December.

The Bills will look to continue their regular-season dominance over the Chiefs, having won the previous four regular-season matchups between them.

A win for Buffalo would set them up nicely in their quest for a bye and home advantage in the playoffs. However, Kansas City will look for a win, which will keep them within striking distance of the teams at the top of the AFC.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...hiefs-bills-week-9-odds-kansas-city-favorites

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

NFL Power Rankings Week 9 Roundup: Chiefs barely move after latest win

After weeks of climbing the power rankings, the Kansas City Chiefs experienced little movement after dealing the Washington Commanders a 28-7 loss on “Monday Night Football.” Many rankings held firm from Week 8 to Week 9, looking forward to making a stronger judgment after the very significant game against the Buffalo Bills this weekend.

Here’s this week’s sampling:

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NFL.com: 3​

(Same ranking last week)

If the Chiefs’ record were a hair better, I’d have considered them for a top-two spot after the 31-0 beatdown of the rival Raiders. This was peak-Chiefs dominance, and even though the blowout win came over a scuffling Las Vegas squad, that’s exactly what you want to see from a team that fielded a lineup of Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice together for the first time. The result was an extremely balanced attack; even the run game showed some signs of vitality. Defensively, it was a masterpiece. The schedule stiffens considerably, and the big showdown in Buffalo is only a couple Sundays away, but the Chiefs are suddenly peaking, and Patrick Mahomes is again an MVP favorite.

— Eric Edholm

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ESPN: 6​

(Up from 7)

Best offseason addition: LT Josh Simmons

Although Simmons has been away from the team since Oct. 12 because of a family situation, the first-round pick has shown he can be the Chiefs’ franchise left tackle for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In five games, Simmons was exceptional in pass protection, allowing the Chiefs’ offense to be functional. When he returns, he could develop into a Pro Bowler. A qualified second candidate is left tackle Jaylon Moore, a four-year veteran who has played well in Simmons’ absence.

— Nate Taylor

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The Athletic: 4​

(Same ranking last week)

The NFL’s hardest team to kill has now won five of its last six games. Patrick Mahomes was solid, and Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice both had big nights in the passing game on Monday. Kansas City has scored at least 28 points in each of its last three games, and over that stretch, the Chiefs lead the NFL in margin of victory at plus-65.

— Josh Kendall

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Sports Illustrated: 1​

(Same ranking last week)

Is it strange that I am far more in awe of the 4–3 Chiefs than the 7–0 Chiefs at the same point last season?

— Conor Orr

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Pro Football Talk: 8​

(Same ranking last week)

A fourth straight Super Bowl appearance suddenly seems a lot more plausible.

— Mike Florio

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CBSSports.com: 2​

(Same ranking last week)

They started slowly against the Commanders, but they got it going in the second half. Now comes a big one with the Bills.

— Pete Prisco

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Yahoo! Sports: 1​

(Same ranking last week)

The Chiefs ran the ball pretty well in the second half Monday, which is one of the few missing pieces for them this season. They rushed for 148 yards on 4.9 yards per carry. If that is a sign of an awakening, the Chiefs get even tougher to beat.

— Frank Schwab

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The Sporting News: 3​

(Up from 4)

The Chiefs are the current favorites to win Super Bowl 60 despite having three losses through Week 8 and just getting back above .500. Everyone can see Patrick Mahomes is a quarterback possessed and it’s not fair they still have a top defense, too. The Bills present a great next litmus test after walkovers vs. the Raiders and Commanders.

— Vinnie Iyer

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USA Today: 1​

(Same ranking last week)

Rekindled TE Travis Kelce is a microcosm for a rekindled dynasty, one that’s won five of six heading into the teeth of its schedule − starting Sunday at Buffalo.

— Nate Davis

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FOX Sports: 8​

(Up from 8)

A top-five defense. A top-five offense. Winners of three straight now and winners of five of their past six. A win in Buffalo next Sunday and they might end up real close to the top of this list.

— Ralph Vacchiano

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kans...undup-chiefs-barely-move-after-commanders-win