Chiefs-Jets players to watch: Time for a big game from Tyreek Hill? NY could be ripe
Chiefs coach Andy Reid all but dismissed the idea of players getting extra juice competing against former teams. Le’Veon Bell wasn’t mentioned by name, but he was the reason for the question.
“I think once the whistle blows and it’s time to start, I think you kind of put that in the back of your mind if that was kind of your plan,” Reid said. “You’re just playing and you’re playing to the best of your ability, and that’s what you end up doing.”
But don’t be surprised if Bell posts a big game against the team that cut him on Oct. 14 after a 17-game stint. Three days later Bell signed with the Chiefs and looked good in his debut against the Broncos last week.
Here are some other players to keep an eye on Sunday when the Chiefs and Jets kick off at noon inside Arrowhead Stadium:
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill
It’s been a productive year for Hill, especially when it comes to getting into the end zone. He has six touchdowns and is on pace to set a career best in that department. But Hill seeks his first 100-yard reception game this season. He had 99 against the Chargers. Perhaps it will come against the team ranked 24th in pass defense (259.4 yards per game). The last time Hill played against the Jets he piled up 185 receiving yards in a 2017 loss.
Chiefs safety Dan Sorensen
Will he make it three straight games with an interception? Sorensen heaped praise on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this week. “You never feel like you’re unprepared going into a week or practice because the coach’s preparation and the way that they teach it to us is the best that I’ve ever had,” Sorensen said. “When you have a coach like Steve Spagnuolo who is willing to do that and you’ve got players that are willing to put in the time, to learn and to digest what he’s teaching and coaching us, then you’ve got a recipe for success.”
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold
Usually we look beyond quarterbacks here, but are the Jets looking at the position beyond Darnold? With the team in a freefall and headed toward the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, the biggest prize will be quarterback Trevor Lawrence, assuming he doesn’t return to Clemson for his senior year. If that’s the scenario, the Jets will have wasted a quarterback on his rookie contract.
Outside linebacker Tarell Basham
Basham recorded a sack and forced a fumble in last weekend’s 18-10 loss to the Bills. The Jets didn’t allow the Bills into the end zone and held them to 3-of-11 on third-down conversions. Also, the Jets have done well in the takeaway department, with 10, which ranks eighth in the NFL. But the Chiefs will be their toughest challenge yet for a defense that has surrendered 30 points in four games this season. The Chiefs average 31.1 points per game.
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 5:00 AM.