By Canadian Press on September 18, 2025.
Kansas City (0-2) at N.Y. Giants (0-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC
BetMGM line: Chiefs by 6 1/2
Against the spread: Chiefs 0-2; Giants 0-2
Series record: Giants lead 11-4.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat the Giants 20-17 on Nov. 1, 2021, at Kansas City.
Last week: Chiefs lost to Eagles 20-17; Giants lost to Cowboys 40-37 in overtime.
Chiefs offense: overall (T17), rush (17), pass (17), scoring (24)
Chiefs defense: overall (13), rush (T15), pass (15), scoring (T19)
Giants offense: overall (6), rush (28), pass (1), scoring (32)
Giants defense: overall (32), rush (32), pass (29), scoring (T29)
Chiefs player to watch
DT Chris Jones has underperformed so far this season. Even worse, a mistake in the waning minutes in Brazil allowed Justin Herbert to scramble for a first down and the Chargers to run out the clock. The Chiefs only have four sacks through their first two games, and two came from linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Giants player to watch
QB Russell Wilson because which version of him will show up? Wilson completed 17 of 37 passes for 168 yards in the season-opening loss at Washington, then was 30 of 41 for 450 and three touchdowns against the Cowboys. Wilson also had a costly interception in OT at Dallas, which set up the game-winning field goal.
Key matchup
Giants WRs Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson vs. the Chiefs’ secondary. Nabers and Robinson combined to make 17 catches for 309 and three TDs last week. Kansas City kept Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to nine receptions for 80 yards. Getting to Wilson early and often could determine how this goes.
Key injuries
Chiefs: DE Mike Danna (quad) and CB Kristian Fulton (ankle) missed practice this week. … There’s a chance WRs Xavier Worthy (shoulder) and Jalen Royals (knee) will play.
Giants: LT Andrew Thomas could play his first game since foot surgery last October. … LB Darius Muasau is in concussion protocol. … LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles may be out with a calf injury.
Series notes
The Giants are the only franchise the Chiefs have not beaten on the road, going 0-7 at New York. … These teams haven’t played at the Giants’ home stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, since 2017. … That same season, now-Chiefs defensive coordinator was promoted from that position with the Giants to interim coach for the final four games. … This is set to be Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ second NFL game at MetLife Stadium after defeating the Jets there in 2023.
Stats and stuff
The Chiefs are off to their first 0-2 start since 2014, which was Andy Reid’s second season in Kansas City and the previous time they failed to make the playoffs. … Mahomes, who turned 30 on Wednesday, is 0-2 for the first time since his high school sophomore season in 2011. He has lost three consecutive starts going back to the Super Bowl for the first time since November 2016 at Texas Tech. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs two TDs to tie the franchise record held by Priest Holmes (83). Kelce needs 33 yards to tie Dante Hall (12,356) for the most combined yards in franchise history. … Jones needs six sacks to pass Neil Smith (85 1/2) for third most in Chiefs history. … Wilson became the sixth player with 400-plus yards and three-plus TDs in a game with three different teams. … Rookie RB Cam Skattebo had his first career TD among 45 yards rushing against Dallas. … Robinson’s 142 yards receiving were a career high. … LBs Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux each sacked Dak Prescott last week. … LB Bobby Okereke led the league in tackles through two weeks with 26.
Fantasy tip
Steer clear of anybody lining up in the Kansas City backfield. RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are not even providing third-string-level production at this point. In fact, Mahomes led the Chiefs in rushing in each of their first two games — and that only helps to offset his own limited production through the air.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
The Associated Press