The latest
1. Chiefs (4-0)
Rashee Rice’s season-ending injury has ramped up speculation that the Chiefs will try to acquire a wideout before the trade deadline. A possible option is Panthers former Pro Bowler Diontae Johnson, although some have floated the idea of a possible Tyreek Hill reunion (Hill himself addressed those rumors this week).
While their receiving corps took a hit, the Chiefs have a formidable rushing attack led by the trio of Isiah Pacheco, Carson Steele and recently-acquired Kareem Hunt. Kansas City’s resurgent ground game should offset Rice’s absence while making them even tougher to beat when the weather gets cold.
Oh yeah, the Chiefs still have the league’s best player in Patrick Mahomes and a defense that has been stellar against the run and in the red zone so far.
Fantasy football: Best, worst potential landing spots for Davante Adams | The Athletic
Outside of those eight teams, is there another team (not listed) with a plausible need for Adams that you think would make a better fit? If so, why?
Obviously, the Chiefs make sense, but that’s not happening. The only other team I could see sustaining Top 25 value for Adams is the Falcons. Kyle Pitts is a mismatch at tight end but overmatched as a receiver, and it’s just not working using him hybrid-style. Put Adams with Drake London and Kirk Cousins, and, yeah, that could work. — Ciely
NFL stadium rankings: Football’s 30 venues from best to worst | USA Today
8. GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City Chiefs
“There’s a reason why young opposing quarterbacks pretty much never win on their first visit to Arrowhead. It’s the noise. Goes perfectly with the ‘Sea of Red’ visual in the stands. With the crowd noise once measured at a Guinness-record 142.2 decibels, one might find it difficult to think, let alone bark signals to be heard while in the midst of such a rowdy environment. Hand signals. That’s the ticket.
“Sorry, but despite the huge bucks dropped on the naming rights deal, I’m still challenged to call the home of the Kansas City Chiefs GEHA Field. I mean, it’s been Arrowhead since it opened. In any event, Taylor Swift apparently thinks it’s a cool venue. And no place in the NFL does tailgating like Arrowhead, which can boast the best-smelling parking lot in the league because, in these parts, the rabid fans know a thing or two about how to barbecue.” – Jarrett Bell
Tom Brady’s NFL Power Rankings: Who’s on rise, who tumbled out after Week 4? | FOX Sports
1. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) (Last week: 1)
Week 4 result: Defeated Los Angeles Chargers, 17-10
Brady’s thoughts: ”There’s no surprise. Patrick [Mahomes], Travis [Kelce], they got it going on Sunday. They’re 4-0. They’d be the first to tell you they haven’t played their best ball yet, but they’ve got experience at key positions. They know what to do. They’re going to grind them out, and they’re going to keep winning as they continue to find the best version of themselves.
“The big question for K.C. this week, though, is how they’re going to replace Rashee Rice. What a brutal injury last Sunday. It’s going to be tough, he’s a great player. They’ve got two big games coming up. They’ve got the Saints this week, they get a bye [week], and then they’re going to the Bay Area to face the 49ers on FOX. I’ll be there, too. And I know [49ers head coach] Kyle [Shanahan], he’s going to have everyone ready to go as he’s had that game circled since the schedule came out.”
Kansas City Chiefs
The three-peat is over with Rashee Rice’s injury
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
Rashee Rice’s knee injury is devastating to a Chiefs offense that relied on him to free up Travis Kelce and give Patrick Mahomes a much-needed target on the outside. Now that Rice is out, can the Chiefs offense be good enough to help out a great defense?
Kelce needs to continue his strong play from Sunday and get back to an All-Pro level. Xavier Worthy will also be factored more, but the loss of Rice is massive. As we learned, never doubt Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. They overcome things.
3 - Patrick Mahomes
Those who tune into Chiefs games for big plays got a few of them in Week 4, including a majestic 54-yard strike to burner Xavier Worthy, and Mahomes even rekindled his connection with Travis Kelce (seven catches for 89 yards). In between, though, Mahomes was harassed a lot and forced to use his legs to extend plays, pulling off the usual magic acts, including a pump fake on the run to freeze linebacker Troy Dye for a key gain. It wasn’t a pretty day overall, but Mahomes did a good job leaning on three top targets (Worthy, Kelce and tight end Noah Gray) and leading the Chiefs back from a 10-0 deficit.
Red Wednesday Raises $1 Million for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City | The Mothership
“Chiefs Kingdom showed up again for seriously ill children and their families at Ronald McDonald House - $ 1 million back-to-back - just like our beloved team!” CEO of RMHC of Kansas City Tami Greenberg said. “It’s incredible to see how the support from the Chiefs organization and our founding mission partner, McDonald’s, come together to help families with sick kids. We are so thankful to the Kansas City community for making a huge impact, one flag at a time!”
With this year’s donation, more than $6.5 million has been directed to assisting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City as they reduce the burden of childhood illness on children and their families by providing a “home away from home” while the children are receiving medical care in Kansas City-area hospitals. For more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City, please visit www.rmhckc.org/.
NFL Week 5 latest buzz, predictions, questions, fantasy tips | ESPN
Kansas City is indeed the easy answer, and one that I’ll take because of receiver need. But the next few weeks will be crucial. How do the Chiefs move the ball without Rice and Hollywood Brown? How fast can Xavier Worthy develop? The Chiefs are never keen on absorbing big contracts, so ideally they would look for a reasonably priced veteran. If Cleveland continues to slide, Amari Cooper could be an attractive option because his contract restructure has him playing on a minimum base salary. The Giants’ Darius Slayton ($2.5 million base salary) also comes to mind.
Around the NFL
NCAA imposes eight-year show cause order on Raiders coach Antonio Pierce | NBC Sports
For eight years, any NCAA program that hires Pierce will have to show cause as to why it should not be sanctioned. That punishment operates as a practical suspension of Pierce.
The announcement from the NCAA contends that Pierce “violated the principles of ethical conduct” while working for Arizona State.
“The majority of the violations in this case stemmed from a scheme in which Pierce, other members of the football staff and a booster arranged unofficial visits to the school for roughly one year during the COVID-19 dead period,” the announcement explains. “During those visits, which occurred over 15 weekends, staff members had impermissible recruiting contacts — including tryouts, football facility tours and entertainment — with 35 prospects and their families.”
The Falcons and Bucs now sit at 3-2 in what is shaping up to be a tight NFC South race that currently has Atlanta sitting at the top.
Both offenses had a solid showing, led by quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield. Cousins, in his first season with the Falcons and coming off an Achilles injury, is looking as comfortable as he has this season. He finished 42 of 58 for a career-high 509 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Before tying it up in dramatic fashion as time expired in the fourth quarter, the Falcons had a chance to tie things up with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, but Koo’s 54-yard field goal attempt was blocked. The failed attempt kept the Buccaneers’ lead at 30-27. The Falcons defense came up big just when they needed to, with Jessie Bates III forcing a fumble, recovered by Kaden Ellis with just under three minutes to play.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs Injuries: Clyde Edwards-Helaire set to return from NFI list
Wednesday’s NFL transactions report noted that Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was returning to practice with the team. As head coach Andy Reid confirmed when he met with reporters on Thursday, the team has opened a 21-day window where the fifth-year running back can practice with the team while he remains on the Reserve/NFI (non-football illness) list.
“We’ll practice him today with the scout team — give him some reps there — and let him just kind of get back into the swing of things,” added the head coach. “He’s in good shape; he’s been working out. We’re just getting him back to the football part.”
Kansas City put Edwards-Helaire on the Reserve/NFI list a few days before the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. Before then, he had missed a number of training camp practices with what the team had described as an “illness.”
Social media to make you think
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes:
"When I saw the replay, I felt like shit that I hit Rashee. I think that's pretty much all. I wasn't really worried about myself. I was worried about his injury and hopefully it wasn't as bad as it looked, because I was the one that hit him."
— Jordan Foote (@footenoted) October 3, 2024