Chiefs

After Taylor Swift concert & Royals game, Chiefs are finally home. Here’s the matchup

By Blair Kerkhoff

Updated September 20, 2018 4:53 PM

Home at last for the Chiefs, who play host to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

“We finally get to go home,” defensive lineman Chris Jones said. “We’ve been on the road forever.”

It’s only been two weeks, but the NFL prefers to have teams open with one game each at home and on the road. That didn’t happen for the Chiefs this year because of the Taylor Swift concert at Arrowhead during the first weekend of the season and the Royals playing at home on Sunday.

The Chiefs weren’t deterred, winning both games as underdogs, at the Los Angeles Chargers in the first week and taking their first victory at Pittsburgh since 1986 on Sunday.

Arrowhead Stadium has been good to the Chiefs in the regular season. The Chiefs have been 6-2 at home in each of the last four seasons.

Plus, home fans will get their first look at quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose first three NFL games have been played on the road.

The details

Who: 49ers at Chiefs

When: Noon Sunday

Where: Arrowhead Stadium

TV: Fox (Ch. 4)

Radio: KCFX (101.1 FM)

Line: Chiefs by 6

Mahomes field advantage

It’s been an incredible start for Mahomes, the second-year pro. He’s the first quarterback to throw for 10 touchdown passes in his first three NFL games, and he didn’t throw one in his debut in the 2017 regular-season finale at Denver. And talk about an equal-opportunity offense: Mahomes’ TD passes this season have gone to eight different players.

Teams are special

The first two games have started in special ways for the Chiefs, who won the coin toss against the Chargers and Steelers, deferred to the second half, and forced a three and out and punt on the opening possession. Tyreek Hill returned the kick against the Chargers 91 yards for a touchdown, and De’Anthony Thomas returned his 48 yards to set up a short-field score against the Steelers. No one’s postgame smile in the first two weeks has been bigger than special teams coach Dave Toub.

Sack opportunity?

The Chiefs got one against the Steelers when Allen Bailey got his arms around Ben Roelisthberger. That’s a week after Dee Ford got the team’s lone sack against the Chargers. Could this week be the game the defense steps up in a bigger way? In the 49ers’ 30-27 victory over the Lions on Sunday, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked six times and has been taken down nine times this season.