KC Chiefs: Players who need to have career games vs Titans

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Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) can’t hold on to a potential interception (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

TYRANN MATHIEU

Another key player on defense that needs a big day is the Honey Badger himself. Last Sunday, Tyrann Mathieu came tantalizingly close to picking off Deshaun Watson more than once, but this week, Mathieu needs to come down with that ball like we all know he can. He HAS to make those grabs because it could be a game changer if he does.

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If the Titans are driving and Mathieu reaches up and snatches one out of a clear blue sky, that is the difference between a possible Derrick Henry touchdown and the Chiefs offense coming back on the field to possibly go up a score. Every score you can get against a team that is primarily a running team is monumental.

Not only can Mathieu help in providing those crucial turnovers, if Henry makes it into the secondary, the Honey Badger might be the last line of defense. Not only can Mathieu serve for tackling the running back, he can also live up to his nickname, and the reason he was awarded that moniker in college, by getting after the ball in Henry’s hands and doing whatever it takes to pry that baby out of there or force a fumble.

HARRISON BUTKER

Lastly, a player that is talked about very little, but has a huge part to play in the success of the Chiefs is the NFL’s leading scorer, Harrison Butker. This game will not be a runaway fireworks display like last week’s was, but rather a human chess match. In games like those, sometimes it comes down to the strong leg of a skilled kicker to give the Chiefs those last three points, and Butker is just the man for the job.

In week nine, when Mahomes was out with his dislocated knee cap and Matt Moore filled in for him admirably, it was a field goal by Butker that tied the game, and another field goal that ultimately won the game at the final whistle.

A well-placed field goal be the difference between a trip to Miami and a trip home. Butker could also make an impact with his kickoffs, which could be used to pin the Titans deep and give them a long way to go, fighting for every blade of artificial grass.

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If these players have career games and step up to the challenge, then the Kansas City Chiefs will need to pack their bags because they will be headed to Miami.

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