Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas Metropolis Chiefs large receiver Xavier Worthy (1) is defended by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) as he hangs on to a landing move within the first half at SoFi Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Pictures 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 fulfill Monday night time in Kansas Metropolis.
The 2-time defending Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs maintain 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 closing moments.
The Chiefs have overcome a collection of accidents to key ability gamers on offense. Working again Clyde Edwards-Helaire has but to play whereas on the non-football sickness checklist, although he did return to follow Wednesday. Working again Isiah Pacheco (fibula) and large receiver Hollywood Brown (again) are on injured reserve and had been joined Wednesday by large receiver Rashee Rice, who sustained a knee damage in a 17-10 victory towards the Chargers final week.
“There’s not one other Rashee,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid mentioned, “however there are different guys which can be superb so we’ll be tremendous.”
First-round draft selection 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 fitting method,” Mahomes mentioned. “They’re at all times in the fitting place. They do what they’re alleged to do, and I believe having these guys is a luxurious as a result of you realize 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 one of the productive offenses within the NFL since Mahomes turned a starter in 2018, however this season they rank simply 14th in scoring offense (23 factors per recreation) and whole offense (328.3 yards per recreation). Nonetheless, they have been productive sufficient to be undefeated, thanks partly 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 subject 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 may very well 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 permit a landing, however a collection of errors value them.
Rashid Shaheed muffed a punt that Atlanta recovered ultimately zone for a landing, a deflected Derek Carr move was intercepted and returned for a landing and a 30-yard defensive move interference penalty on Paulson Adebo gave the Falcons all of the yardage they wanted for Koo’s successful kick.
“Once you wish to be a superb staff you are going to play in a number of tightly contested video games,” Allen mentioned, “and we have got to seek out methods to win these issues.”
5 Saints starters missed follow 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’ lively roster missed follow.
–Subject Stage Media