Chiefs News: The Patriots have shown that the teams can stand up to the Bengals

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Five things to watch on Sunday | Bengals vs. Chiefs | The Mothership

2. The Bengals allowed 170 rushing yards last week.

The Patriots defeated Cincinnati last Sunday in one of the more surprising results of Week 1, and a major reason for that outcome was the performance of New England's running attack, which gained 170 yards as a team.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson was the best player, rushing for 120 yards on 25 carries and a 4.8 yards per attempt average. He also led the NFL in yards after contact (118) and forced tackles (10) last week. That performance also came at a cost, as Cincinnati was limited to just eight offensive possessions on Sunday – the fewest number of any team in Week 1.

The Chiefs averaged just 3:03 and 6.2 plays on their five scoring drives last week. So it's unlikely that Kansas City will employ a keep-away offense like New England, but a commitment to the running game could still make a difference. It's important to remember that running back Isiah Pacheco's best statistical game came in Week 17 of last season against the Bengals. In that game, he rushed for 130 yards on just 18 carries, a whopping 7.2 yards per attempt.

NFL Week 2 Picks, Schedule, Odds, Injuries, Fantasy Picks | ESPN

Chiefs storyline worth watching: Cincinnati's pass defense will dictate this game. In Burrow's only loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game of the 2022 season, he was sacked on 10.2% of his dropbacks (ESPN Research). That number dropped to 4.9% in Burrow's three wins as his touchdowns per attempt tripled due to his zone coverage. — Adam Teicher

32 thoughts ahead of NFL Week 2 | Bleacher Report

Kansas City Chiefs: I want to take this opportunity to explain how stupid it is that Patrick Mahomes is now only the 12th highest paid quarterback in the NFL! Watch him take advantage of his extra rest and destroy a shaken Bengals team on Sunday.

How Americans find their Premier League team based on the NFL: Manchester City are the Kansas City Chiefs of the Premier League | Barstool Sports

Let's start with the obvious. Both teams are led by absolute masterminds. Pep Guardiola at City is basically a scrawny European Andy Reid. These guys don't just train – they mentally abuse every team they play against. Pep redefined the way soccer is played and ruined football with his Haaland Tap-In Merchant Offense, much like Reid revolutionized the NFL with his pass-happy Patrick Mahomes Merchant Offense. They don't just train to win; they train to ruin football.

If you want to talk about superstars, these two teams are for you. Patrick Mahomes and Erling Haaland are basically the same person – one randomly throws balls, the other hammers them into the net. Both of these guys are pure cheat codes. Mahomes can throw a football while keeping his eyes on the big screen like Mintzy and still hit a target 55 yards down the field. Haaland? He's the Premier League version of Marshawn Lynch, he just runs through a wanker's face and puts goals in the net.

Fantasy Football: 10 players who will outperform/underperform projections in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season | NFL.com

Ja’Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals · WR

Frosted: Week 1 was a disaster for this team. Joe Burrow looked hampered and ineffective, Ja'Marr Chase had just 12.2 fantasy points, and the team managed just 10 real points in an embarrassing loss to the Patriots. With Tee Higgins likely to miss another start in Week 2, the hope for Chase is that he can bounce back against the Chiefs…but I don't believe in that hope yet.

Part of Chase's disappointing Week 1 performance has to do with the aftereffects of his offseason time, meaning things may not fully improve for a few weeks. I'll need to see him and Burrow at full speed in 2024 before I feel confident predicting a top-notch WR1 performance.

How Chiefs rookie Samaje Perine can help the offense – and defense – against the Bengals | The Athletic

“The entire defense,” Perine said with a laugh before practice on Thursday. He later added about the game against the Bengals: “It's going to be weird. This whole week has been very unusual.”

“Even when I saw them (last Sunday) – and I watched a couple of their games last year – where it's extra film work, it was very strange because I notice certain things that I've seen before and that I remember during practice.”

All about the NFL

Russell Wilson questionable, but Justin Fields will still start against the Broncos | NBC Sports

Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters Friday that Russell Wilson is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Broncos, but as has been the case all week, the team is still preparing to move Fields into the starting lineup.

“[O]obvious when [Wilson’s] Availability is questionable, then the launch is less questionable,” Tomlin said about Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune review. But we've been in that mindset all week, man. Like I said, we've been focused on getting Justin ready to play, and we'll keep that mindset as we move toward game time.”

Several reporters covering the Steelers noted that Fields will likely start with Kyle Allen as the team's backup and Wilson as the emergency No. 3, similar to last week.

Tua Tagovailoa and his family must (again) think about his future | USA Today

That's what all of us, but especially Tagovailoa and his family, have to think about. It's not my job to tell people what to do with their lives. But I'm not ignoring what I see with my own eyes, and you don't have to be a brain expert to understand that what Tagovailoa is going through is extremely dangerous. You don't have to be an expert to know that repeated concussions are not good for your long-term existence.

None of us should tell him to retire. But his family should. His close friends should. Everyone who loves him and cares about him should. Let's go over the risks again. About CTE. About Parkinson's disease.

In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs News: Defense prepares for challenge from Bengals' Joe Burrow

On Thursday, the Chiefs' biggest defensive star left no doubt that the Bengals are a major rival in the Kansas City locker room.

“It is [a] tough challenge and opponent,” said defensive tackle Chris Jones before training. “[They] always give us trouble. It's always a battle when we go up against these guys. Whether it's a regular season game or an AFC championship, we know it's going to be a battle over four quarters.”

Jones knows from experience that Sunday's game at the start of the season could have a direct impact on the final playoff placing.

“Whenever you meet an opponent,” he explained, “you can [be there] in the later part of the year your record may be affected. Whether it is a matter of having the same record or the positioning [in the playoffs]I think that is very important. Especially for us and for the goals we pursue and how [the playoffs are] only one week without a game. In addition, the home advantage is important for us.

“We would definitely like to stay home, but it's too early to worry about that. I think it's more about making sure we compete at a high level. [when] against a tough opponent – ​​and an AFC opponent at that.”

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