For a team as accustomed to success as the Kansas City Chiefs, an 0-3 start to the season could feel like a death sentence. The good news is that the New York Giants are not on the level of the first two opponents on the Chiefs' schedule. Beating the Chiefs is basically the Super Bowl for the long-struggling Los Angeles Chargers, and the Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champs.
This isn't to make excuses, but rather is just the reality of how the 0-2 start was authored and why it isn't panic time just yet. The Chiefs will be heading to New York to take on the Giants on Sunday Night Football. In a marquee spot, it seems that this will be the fitting moment that the league's prestige franchise puts the season back on track.
Chiefs Will Be Far Too Much for Giants in Week 3
Chiefs fans may have experience hearing all the noise and doubt surrounding the franchise, and it can be easy to take it seriously after a couple of losses. But any other franchise would be getting some wiggle room here. Not only are they missing their top rookie receiver, but also their two primary pass catchers in Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice. Add in some unlucky breaks (like an interception off Travis Kelce's hands) and the Chiefs' record looks a lot worse than their play.
Doubting Patrick Mahomes is a dangerous business, and with Worthy expected to return this week, the offense is going to get back on track. New York's defense has been exposed in both of the first two weeks, with the Commanders and Cowboys easily moving the ball in either phase of the game. This sets Mahomes and the Chiefs up perfectly for a get-right game.
Expect the Chiefs to take control early, putting together long drives dinking-and-dunking their way down the field to exhaust the New York defense. After attempting to prove a point with the deep ball the first two weeks, now it is just about doing whatever it takes to win.
Mahomes' average depth of target so far on the season sits at 8.5 yards, per Pro-Football-Reference. That's on pace to be his highest mark since 2019:
- 2019: 8.8
- 2020: 8.4
- 2021: 7.3
- 2022: 7.2
- 2023: 6.5
- 2024: 6.2
- 2025 (two games): 8.5
Withy Tyquan Thornton as his primary deep threat and Worthy potentially still playing hurt, it's time to stop forcing the ball downfield. Expect plenty of looks for the Chiefs' receivers who are getting the short targets: JuJu Smith-Schuster (6.3-yard aDOT), Kelce (6.1) and Hollywood Brown (5.9).
This will not only get the Chiefs' offense firing in a way we haven't seen so far this season, but will also help win the field position and time-of-possession battles, which is going to keep the Giants' offense in check. Combining those together will make this one lopsided, disappointing non-Chiefs fans who might be hoping for a shootout on Sunday night.
Prediction: Chiefs 27 - Giants 13