September 29, 2024; Inglewood, CA, USA; Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vast receiver Xavier Worthy (1) is tackled whereas catching a landing move within the first half at SoFi Stadium Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) on protection. Obligatory Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photographs The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have performed 4 single video games, whereas the New Orleans Saints are tied for essentially the most factors within the NFL.
Nonetheless, the Chiefs are 4-0 and the Saints are 2-2 as the 2 groups put together to face off in Kansas Metropolis on Monday night time.
The 2-time defending Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs proceed to search out methods to win video games, whereas the Saints have squandered leads down the stretch and misplaced their previous two video games.
The Chiefs have overcome a sequence of accidents to key gamers on offense. Operating again Clyde Edwards-Helaire has but to play in a recreation whereas on the non-football sickness checklist, however he did return to follow Wednesday. Operating again Isaiah Pacheco (fibula) and vast receiver Hollywood Brown (again) have each been positioned on injured reserve, joined Wednesday by vast receiver Rashe Rice, who was injured final week. He suffered a knee damage through the staff’s 17-10 victory over the Chargers.
“There’s not one other Lachey,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned, “however there are different guys which can be actually good, so we’ll be high-quality.”
First-round choose Xavier Worthy is averaging 17.1 yards per catch and has two landing catches, tight finish Travis Kelce is Kansas Metropolis’s main wholesome receiver, and veteran Justin Watson and JuJu Smith-Schuster give quarterback Patrick Mahomes confidence.
“These guys did it the fitting means,” Mahomes mentioned. “They’re all the time in the fitting place. They do what they’re alleged to do and I feel it is a luxurious to have these guys as a result of you realize they will be there, they will be open and they will be there when their quantity is named. Will come on stage.
The Chiefs have been one of many NFL’s most effective offenses since Mahomes turned the starter in 2018, however this season they’ve solely averaged 23 factors per recreation in scoring (23 factors per recreation) and solely 328.3 yards in whole offense (328.3 yards per recreation). Ranked 14th. Nonetheless, they’re unbeaten in productiveness, thanks partly to their seventh-ranked defensive ranking (18.0).
New Orleans ranks first in factors scored (31.8) and ninth in yards allowed (349.0), successful its first two video games, beating the Panthers 47-10 and the Cowboys 44-19.
However two weeks in the past, after the Saints took the lead with a landing with 2:03 left, Philadelphia rushed 5 occasions for a 69-yard landing to make it 15-12 with 1:01 left. win. Then, final week, New Orleans scored a go-ahead landing with 1:00 left, however Atlanta received 26-24 on Younghoe Koo’s game-winning 58-yard subject purpose with 2 seconds left.
“I am glad we gave ourselves an opportunity to win each recreation,” Saints head coach Dennis Allen mentioned. “We may have been sitting right here 4-0, however that is not the case and that is what’s irritating. Irritating issues.”
The loss to the Falcons was particularly irritating because the Saints protection did not enable a landing however a sequence of turnovers value them.
Rashid Shaheed smothered an Atlanta punt recovered in the long run zone, and a deflected Derek Carr move was intercepted and returned for a landing, Paulson A.D. Paulson Adebo’s 30-yard defensive move interference penalty gave the Falcons all of Library’s successful yards.
“Whenever you wish to be a great staff, you must play a variety of aggressive video games,” Allen mentioned. “Now we have to discover a method to win these video games.”
5 Saints starters missed Wednesday’s follow — tight finish Taysom Hill (ribs), linebacker Cesar Ruiz (knee), middle Sean Lemieux (ankle) , linebacker Willie Homosexual Jr. (hand) and kicker Blake Grupp (hip). Nobody on the Chiefs’ energetic roster missed follow.
–Scene-level media
