Hopkins, a new cornerback + more to watch when KC Chiefs tackle Las Vegas Raiders
With the buzz over the acquisition of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the loss of cornerback Jaylen Watson to an ankle fracture got somewhat pushed to the background.
But the Chiefs will meet the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday with a new starter at Watson’s position.
It could be Nazeeh Johnson, who would be making his first NFL start, or Joshua Williams, who has taken no defensive snaps in three of the Chiefs’ six games.
“Somebody is going to have to step up,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “Nazeeh will get in there, Josh will get in there. We may rotate some guys and do some different things. We’ll have to find a guy who can be as effective as Jaylen was.”
As the Chiefs sought to fill a hole in the secondary left by the departure of L’Jarius Sneed, Watson emerged from a preseason battle with Johnson and Williams. Since then, Watson has earned praise from coaches and teammates for his play this season.
“Jaylen was having a heck of a year,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.
Those three corners were products of the same NFL Draft class. In 2022, the Chiefs selected Williams, from Fayetteville State, in the fourth round. In the seventh, they took Watson from Washington State and Johnson, their final of 10 picks, from Marshall.
Others who figure to slide up the depth chart in the wake of Watson’s injury include rookie Chris Roland-Wallace, who collected an interception last weekend against the San Francisco 49ers, and Keith Taylor Jr., who was elevated from the practice squad. Taylor is in his second year with the Chiefs and was a fifth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2021.
Here are some other players to watch when the Chiefs meet the Raiders on Sunday:
Chiefs player to watch: Center Creed Humphrey
When he played for the Chiefs in 2017 and 2018, running back Kareem Hunt ran behind an excellent offensive line that included Mitch Morse at center.
Part of the reason Hunt looks like he hasn’t missed a step six years later is the strength of the Chiefs’ interior offensive line, led by Humphrey. According to Pro Football Focus, Humphrey has won more than 98% of his battles this season and is “in a tier of his own” at the position.
His four-year, $72 million contract extension — signed in August, making Humphrey the game’s highest-paid center — looks like a wise investment.
Raiders player to watch: DE Maxx Crosby (of course)
The Crosby-to-Lions trade rumors got so loud this this week, Crosby said on his podcast, that he no longer looks at his phone. He also emphasized he wants to stay put. “I’m not trying to leave … I wanna be here, I wanna be silver and black. I’ll say it loud and clear, I wanna be a Raider.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says he enjoys competing against the NFL’s best players, and Crosby is having another stellar year. Crosby has 6 1/2 sacks and is tied for the NFL lead in tackles for loss with 10.
“It’s a high level of respect,” Mahomes said. “I mean, I respect guys that are going to leave it out there every single snap and do whatever they can to let their team have a chance to win.”
Special teams player to watch: Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman
A good hang time for a punt is about five seconds.
In that time, a return specialist must find and follow the ball while surveying the field and his teammates’ blocking and determine whether to risk the return or signal for a fair catch. Hardman did it about as well as could be done on his 55-yard return last week against the San Francisco 49ers.
Here’s his return-man checklist:
“Once the ball is punted you want to know what the gunners (outside defenders) are doing,” he said. “Are they free? Do they get blocked?
“Once you locate the ball you figure out exactly where it’s going to land, then peek again to see what’s in front of you and see if you have enough room in front of you to make something happen. If you figure out you’ve got enough room, you go.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 11:35 AM.