The dynastic Kansas City Chiefs have begun the 2025 season winless through two weeks. It’s an odd feeling that Chiefs fans are somewhat familiar with, tracing back to the 2014 season. KC started 0-2 in Andy Reid’s second year as head coach and went on to finish 9-7, falling just short of a playoff berth.
The Week 2 loss to the Eagles left a sour taste in my mouth, and I’m sure it didn’t bring much joy into the work week for many. It was nice to see the defense come together, hit harder, and communicate effectively. Throughout the game, Steve Spagnuolo and his squad got stop after stop and gave Patrick Mahomes and the offense plenty of opportunities to score and take control of the game. Alas, as I’m now used to saying after three straight regular seasons, the offense couldn’t get it done.
While the New York Giants find themselves in a similar situation as Kansas City in terms of seeking their first win of the season, their two losses have come very differently. Week 1 was a masterclass by the G-Men’s defense, holding Washington to 21 points but amassing just two field goals on offense, leading many to question if Russell Wilson should be benched.
After getting the nod by head coach Brian Daboll to start once again, Wilson decided to have his renaissance game, tossing for a whopping 450 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2. Of course, the Giants couldn’t get out of their own way and gave up 40 points to Dallas, losing on a game-winning field goal in overtime. New York is a team that has shown greatness on both sides of the ball, but hasn’t been able to marry the two in a single game. KC cannot let that happen on Sunday night.
Chiefs Offense vs. Giants Defense
Through two weeks, New York has given up a league-worst 178 rushing yards per game and three touchdowns to running backs. If there was ever a game for Isiah Pacheco and this Chiefs front to come alive in the run game, it’s now.
Xavier Worthy, according to reports, suffered a torn labrum in week one’s opener when he ran into Travis Kelce. He was held out last week, but Worthy seems to be all systems go for this matchup, where he’ll likely wear a brace on his shoulder throughout the game. Whether he is 100 percent or not, Worthy adds a unique combination of speed, route running, and true star power that this offense desperately craves.
In no means do I expect the Chiefs to put up massive points in this matchup, and that’s solely because of the defensive line New York has to offer. Dexter Lawrence is a 340 lb nose tackle who moves much too well for a man his size. The trio of pass-rushers, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter, has combined for five sacks through two games. They pose a truly terrifying threat when you account for the fact that RT Jawaan Taylor is a penalty machine, and LT Josh Simmons, while very talented, is inexperienced dealing with sack technicians such as these three.
If the Chiefs' O-line can hold off the Giants' D-line for just a few seconds every time Mahomes drops back in the pocket, this Giants secondary is ripe for the picking. Paulson Adebo is the Giants' best corner and was given a three-year $54M contract by the team this season. While Adebo is a fine player, he’s not worth that money and certainly hasn’t shown it on the field.
With Worthy back, Hollywood Brown, who has performed quite well this season, with a team-leading 15 catches, is given the advantage of lining up against number two and three corners. Tyquan Thornton has consistently gotten open downfield and connected with Mahomes on a 49-yard score last week.
Travis Kelce has been the source of a lot of frustration these first two games with costly mistakes and game-losing drops. But in terms of when he has caught the football, Kelce looks like himself from 2022, rather than the aging, slower version of himself, specifically last year. The Giants' number two linebacker and main coverage backer, Micah McFadden, was placed on injured reserve earlier this season. Kelce should be able to feast in the middle of the field and show off his receiving prowess once again.
Giants Offense vs. Chiefs Defense
It’s hard to expect how this Chiefs defense will come to play based on the disparity between the tape in weeks one and two. KC ranks smack dab in the middle in most major defensive categories, but where they shine most is in their run defense. Saquon Barkley managed just 88 yards on 22 carries with a long run of 13, and Chargers lead back Omarion Hampton racked up 48 yards on 15 carries in week one. The Giants average 79 yards a game on the ground, a bottom-three mark in the league. The Chiefs would do themselves a favor by shutting this run game down and forcing Wilson into long 3rd downs.
The single best player on this offense is hands down WR Malik Nabers, who leads the league in yards at 238 with two magnificent touchdown grabs last week. While Trent McDuffie is the Chiefs' best one-on-one cover corner, he is simply too small to deal with Nabers over the span of four quarters. Kristian Fulton seems like a long shot to play this week after leaving last week with an ankle injury, so expect Jaylen Watson to follow Nabers around for the majority of the game with safety help over the top.
Fourth-year receiver Wan’Dale Robinson has started to come into his own in two games with 14 receptions and a touchdown. At 5’8 185 lb, Robinson works primarily out of the slot and should be soundly locked up by McDuffie throughout the game. Where the Chiefs have a major advantage in this game is at the linebacker position.
The Giants' tight ends have a combined 54 yards through two games and shouldn’t be hard to cover for Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, and Leo Chenal. This will allow for the Chiefs' backers to help in other areas of the field, whether that be plugging up a gap in the run game, shading a zone in the middle of the field in coverage, or being able to have the bodies to cover Russell Wilson when he scrambles out of the pocket.
Aside from Andrew Thomas at left tackle, this Giants O-line is certainly at risk of giving up constant pressure, specifically on the inside. Chris Jones has yet to record a sack, nor have a very good game to be perfectly honest. He’ll get his usual high dose of double-teams, but Jones should be able to feast in this game.
Rookies Ashton Gillotte and Omarr Norman-Lott have grown exponentially in just two games. Norman-Lott basically speared Jalen Hurts to the center of the earth last week for his first career sack. Gillotte has been stellar in the run game and has gotten consistent pressure when rushing the passer. Add in George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu, and this D-line should be prepped to take a step into becoming true game-changers.
How Can the Chiefs Beat the Giants?
- Get the run game going to take the pressure off of Mahomes
- Lose slowly against these elite Giants edge-rushers
- Contain Malik Nabers with multiple looks throughout the game
How Can the Giants Beat the Chiefs?
- Get pressure with four and force Mahomes into being Superman
- Spread the ball around on offense
- No turnovers
Score Prediction: Chiefs win 27-20