What is Arrowhead Pride Premier? Arrowhead Pride Premier is our tri-weekly newsletter, one that provides analysis and exclusive insights directly from Arrowhead Stadium, delivered straight to your inbox. Below is a preview of the latest addition.
BY PETE SWEENEY
Not only are bye weeks better when you’re undefeated; they’re also better when you’re undefeated having dealt with the sheer number of health issues the Kansas City Chiefs have faced throughout the 2024 NFL season.
The Chiefs began their preseason by immediately losing wide receiver Hollywood Brown, who had been brought aboard to alleviate some of the offensive issues the team encountered in 2023 when it seemed that they did not have enough weapons at the wide receiver position.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire began the year on the non-football injury list, and two games in, fellow running back Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula. Starting defensive end Mike Danna had to miss last week’s game due to a calf injury, and in the game, wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a nasty knee injury.
If Kansas City knocks off the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, they will enter their bye week with a 5-0 undefeated record, an improbable feat considering the injury adversity it has faced.
And that’s where we start our Chiefs-Saints game preview:
I think the plan has to change when you lose a player the caliber of Rice.
Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers offered a glimpse of how the Chiefs might aim to win games moving forward after losing Rice, who still leads the team with 288 receiving yards.
Head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes made it a point to get tight end Travis Kelce and running back Kareem Hunt involved, unlocking their production with the threat instilled from the 54-yard bomb score to rookie Xavier Worthy.
It helps that despite a season-high 89 yards, Kelce was unsatisfied with the performance.
“A big game is like, I score a touchdown or something,” Kelce said on this week’s edition of New Heights. ”I was accountable this game, I didn’t have any drops, which is what happened in Atlanta to make me feel like I had a bad game. I didn’t have an outstanding game.”
It can’t just be Kelce contributing, though. If the Chiefs are to continue to win despite all the injuries, they will need production from the secondary receivers such as Justin Watson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, too.
I asked Mahomes about their importance during his press conference on Thursday.
“Those guys are always the guys that do it the right way,” answered Mahomes. “They’re always in the right position. They do what they’re supposed to do. They get guys lined up, and I think having those guys is a luxury. You know that they’re going to be there, they’re going to get open, and they’re going to make plays when their numbers are called.
“I think (general manager) Brett Veach did a great job of continuing to build within that receiving room. Obviously, [I was] not expecting two big injuries (Rice and Hollywood Brown) earlier in the year in that receiving room. But having the support of the guys to come in and step up and make plays whenever those guys aren’t in there.”
Smith-Schuster’s only touchdown of the season came against the Atlanta Falcons when Rice had to miss a play.
What else is in this edition?
- Pete has two more preview points to watch on Kansas City’s Week 5 matchup against New Orleans.
- Rocky Magaña highlights the return of former Chiefs players to Arrowhead Stadium.
- John Dixon explores the matchup of Kansas City’s defense vs. Derek Carr all over again.
The Editors Show has returned!
Here is a preview of this week’s Editors Show featuring Pete Sweeney and John Dixon.
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You can expect 3 weekly newsletters during the season. In addition to our Thursday preview newsletter...
- Brandon Kiley is back with Arrowhead Pride as a Tuesday columnist. Here’s an excerpt from his offering this week:
The Chiefs are vulnerable. It’s not fun to hear, but we all know it’s true.
Their No. 1 wide receiver will be out for an extended period of time, and their best running back will be on the shelf for the next month. They already made a change at left tackle, and it took nearly a month before we saw Travis Kelce featured in the passing game.
This team is ripe for the taking, but is anyone in the AFC up for the challenge?
The Chiefs’ 4-0 start, while uneven, gives them some margin for error. The only other teams in the AFC currently boasting a record above .500 are the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. The Bills just got humiliated on the road and have a date next week against the Texans. The Steelers have scored more than 20 points in a game once through the first four weeks and just lost on the road at the Colts. The Texans are 3-1, but their offense has sputtered, and their defense leaves something to be desired.
So, I’ll ask again – does anyone in the AFC have the goods? The Chiefs remain the best team in the AFC until proven otherwise. But, honestly, that says more about the rest of the conference right now than it does the Chiefs.
- In our post-game newsletter, Pete shares his three thoughts stemming from each performance, Ron Kopp delivers his very first look at the film — and Jared Sapp captures everything being said about the turning point of the game.
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