GAME Overview ::
By MIKE JOHNSON >>
- The Chiefs have locked up the AFC’s top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
- If Denver wins this game, they clinch the No. 7 seed in the AFC while a loss would allow the Dolphins or Bengals to pass them.
- Kansas City has next week off due to the bye week and hasn’t played since Christmas Day, so the Chiefs may play this like a preseason game and give some key players a quarter or two to stay sharp before pulling them.
- Broncos QB Bo Nix has had his biggest games against weaker defenses and could be in a sneaky good spot against a Chiefs team with a lot of backups on the field.
HOW KANSAS CITY WILL TRY TO WIN ::
The Chiefs have had a charmed season with several games coming down to the wire and one or two plays going their way as they have locked up the AFC’s top seed and home-field advantage, along with a first-round bye. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions have nothing to prove and have done it all before, so they are going to use this week for the extra rest that they have earned. The Chiefs have also achieved their current record while not scoring 30 points in a single game at all this season. While some will point to those stats as indicators that the Chiefs have been “lucky”, the reality is that winning is a skill and the Chiefs execute at a high level, are extremely well-coached, and have a great culture of competitiveness that should be consistent throughout the roster – something that is relevant in a week where a lot of backups will be on the field.
Veteran QB Carson Wentz will start this game and it’s unclear who his top weapons will be. It would make sense if Travis Kelce sits this one out. Meanwhile, RB Isiah Pacheco has battled injuries all year, so giving him the extra rest would make sense. That would also apply to veteran RB Kareem Hunt, who has had a big role most of the season. The rest of the receiving corps is harder to decipher. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown has been back for two games now and looked good while playing a sizable role. He hasn’t played much, so reps would make sense, but he’s been fragile throughout his career so rest would also seem wise. Veteran DeAndre Hopkins would seemingly be a perfect rest candidate, but he can hit a $250K contract incentive with a touchdown reception in this game. Perhaps he is active but plays sparingly and specifically in the red zone? Rookie WR Xavier Worthy is finally finding his groove and playing very well. His speed is critical to this offense at this point, and it seems unlikely that he would play. Tight end Noah Gray has played 59% of the offense’s snaps this season and is an integral part of the team, but there are only so many spots on a roster and only so many people can rest. He seems like another one who may be active but play limited snaps/situations.
Expect Andy Reid to have a good game plan built around the strengths of Wentz, whose rushing ability was on display last year in Week 18 for the Rams. Rookie running back Carson Steele seems like the obvious choice for lead-back duties, while Justin Watson and a wide cast of backup WRs are candidates for bigger roles in the passing game. The matchup with the Broncos’ defense is a tough one and Denver has a playoff berth on the line, so offensive production may be tough to come by in this one. Expect a conservative approach for the Chiefs as they try to make this another moderate-scoring game and win by letting the pressure on their opponent force them into mistakes.
You must be logged in to view collective notes about a game.
You must be logged in to add notes about a game.