Chiefs Head To Big Apple To Face The Giants

The Chiefs will look to get their season back on track against the Giants on Monday Night Football.

Kansas City enters the game at 3-4 which is their worst start through seven games since 2015. Since Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018, the Chiefs were 18-4 through the first seven weeks entering this season.

It is a wildly unexpected start to the season for the team that has been dominating the NFL the past few years.

On the other side, the Giants are once again struggling out of the gate. New York is 2-5 and rank in the bottom ten in both scoring offense and defense. They are averaging just 19.9 (23rd) points per game and allowing 25.7 (24th).

Chiefs Big Step Back

If there is one reason for the Chiefs’ poor start it has to be the defense. Kansas City is allowing 29.0 points per game, 27th in the league, and their 404.6 yards allowed per game is second-to-last. They rank in the bottom five in nearly every defensive category and have a -10 turnover ratio, which is 29th in the league.

The Chiefs have always been reliant on their offense in this era of their franchise, but the defense has never been this bad. Kansas City has allowed less than 27 points just one time and allowed 30-plus four times.

The pass-rush should be a strength for Kansas City, but their eight sacks this year rank last in the NFL. They also have just seven interceptions and two fumbles recovered, so they are rarely getting big plays from the defense.

Another reason for their struggles is the aforementioned turnover ratio. The Chiefs have been reckless with the football on offense and it starts with Mahomes. The former MVP is tied for the league lead with nine interceptions and has thrown at least one in every game besides the opener. Kansas City has added eight fumbles which is also the worst mark in the league.

Their 17 turnovers are the worst in the league and rank them among the likes of the Jets, Texans and Jaguars. Those three teams have a combined four wins this season.

The good news is aside from the turnovers, Mahomes has still been good this season. His 67.5% completion percentage is the highest of his career and he has thrown for 18 touchdowns. He can return to his MVP form this year, but he will have to cut the turnovers down to do it.

Giants Come In Banged Up

The good news for the struggling Chiefs defense is the Giants come into this game banged up on offense.

The Giants will be without star running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Kenny Golladay again on Monday. It will be the fourth straight game that both Barkley and Golladay have missed.

Their other top receivers, Sterling Shepherd and former Gator Kadarius Toney are questionable with injuries as well. If Shepherd and Toney miss out, New York will be without their top three receivers in yardage against Kansas City.

All the injuries have severely impacted third-year quarterback Daniel Jones. Jones enters the game as the teams leading rusher and his 48.7 QBR is the worst of his career. Jones has thrown five touchdowns to just four interceptions so far and ranks 17th in the league in passing yards per game with 246.7.

Without Barkley, the Giants’ offense has struggled to run the ball effectively. The Giants’ 91.7 rush yards per game ranks 26th in the league and Jones is their only rusher with more than 200 total yards this season.

New York’s offense has scored just 13 touchdowns this season, which is the same amount of touchdowns Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown all season.

The Giants have a very good opportunity to get the offense going against a really bad Chiefs defense tonight. Kansas City also has a really good chance to get their defense going against a putrid Giants offense.

Both the Chiefs and Giants will look to reverse their poor starts with a win in primetime. Coverage begins on ESPN Radio at 7:30 p.m.