Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vast receiver Xavier Worthy (1) is defended by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) as he hangs on to a landing cross within the first half at SoFi Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photographs The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have performed 4 one-score video games, whereas the New Orleans Saints are tied for largest scoring margin within the NFL.
But the Chiefs are 4-0 and the Saints are 2-2 as these groups put together to satisfy Monday night time in Kansas Metropolis.
The 2-time defending Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs hold discovering methods to win video games that go to the wire whereas the Saints have misplaced their final two video games by squandering leads within the last moments.
The Chiefs have overcome a sequence of accidents to key talent gamers on offense. Operating again Clyde Edwards-Helaire has but to play whereas on the non-football sickness checklist, although he did return to apply Wednesday. Operating again Isiah Pacheco (fibula) and vast receiver Hollywood Brown (again) are on injured reserve and have been joined Wednesday by vast receiver Rashee Rice, who sustained a knee harm in a 17-10 victory in opposition to the Chargers final week.
“There’s not one other Rashee,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid mentioned, “however there are different guys which might be excellent so we’ll be tremendous.”
First-round draft alternative Xavier Worthy is averaging 17.1 yards per catch and has two landing receptions, tight finish Travis Kelce is Kansas Metropolis’s main wholesome receiver and fellow veterans Justin Watson and JuJu Smith-Shuster give quarterback Patrick Mahomes confidence.
“These guys do it the suitable method,” Mahomes mentioned. “They’re at all times in the suitable place. They do what they’re presupposed to do, and I feel having these guys is a luxurious as a result of that they will be there and they will get open and they will make performs when their numbers are referred to as.”
The Chiefs have been probably the most productive offenses within the NFL since Mahomes grew to become a starter in 2018, however this season they rank simply 14th in scoring offense (23 factors per recreation) and complete offense (328.3 yards per recreation). Nonetheless, they have been productive sufficient to be undefeated, thanks partially to being No. 7 in scoring protection (18.0).
New Orleans, which is No. 1 in scoring (31.8) and No. 9 in yards (349.0), rolled to victories in its first two video games, routing the Panthers 47-10 and the Cowboys 44-19.
However two weeks in the past, after the Saints rating a go-ahead landing with 2:03 left within the recreation, Philadelphia drove 69 yards on 5 performs to a landing with 1:01 left and prevailed 15-12. Then, final week, New Orleans scored a go-ahead landing with 1:00 left, however Atlanta drove to Younghoe Koo’s successful 58-yard area objective with two seconds remaining in a 26-24 victory.
“I am inspired that we have given ourselves a chance to win each single recreation,” Saints head coach Dennis Allen mentioned. “We could possibly be sitting right here 4-0, however that is not the case and that is the discouraging factor.”
The loss to the Falcons was particularly irritating as a result of the Saints protection did not enable a landing, however a sequence of errors value them.
Rashid Shaheed muffed a punt that Atlanta recovered in the long run zone for a landing, a deflected Derek Carr cross was intercepted and returned for a landing and a 30-yard defensive cross interference penalty on Paulson Adebo gave the Falcons all of the yardage they wanted for Koo’s successful kick.
“While you need to be an excellent crew you are going to play in a variety of tightly contested video games,” Allen mentioned, “and we have to seek out methods to win these issues.”
5 Saints starters missed apply Wednesday — tight finish Taysom Hill (ribs), guard Cesar Ruiz (knee), heart Shane Lemieux (ankle), linebacker Willie Homosexual Jr. (hand) and kicker Blake Grupe (hip). Nobody on the Chiefs’ energetic roster missed apply.
–Subject Degree Media
