Last QB Chiefs beat in regular season is next one they face & what else to watch
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- Chiefs face Russell Wilson’s fourth team, the Giants, on Sunday night.
- Wilson enters with momentum after 450-yard outing in overtime loss to Cowboys.
- Chiefs aim to pressure Wilson without blitz reliance against Giants' offense.
In a bit of an oddity, the Chiefs will face their fourth different Russell Wilson-quarterbacked team this weekend when they visit the New York Giants.
Wilson has started games against the Chiefs while playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. He enters this game with a 2-5 record against KC in those games. But he’s never faced the Chiefs coming off a game like the one he had last week.
Wilson finished with one of the most productive outings of his 14-year career, passing for 450 yards in the Giants’ 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Seven of Wilson’s completions went for 25 yards or more.
“He’s trusting his arm, letting it sling, trusting his guys and getting the ball to his go-to guys as well,” Chiefs safety Bryan Cook said. “I think he found his groove.”
The Chiefs last confronted Wilson in Week 17 of the 2024 season, on Christmas Day when he was with the Steelers. They matched a season-high with five sacks, including two from Mike Danna, who may not play this week because of an injury.
The Chiefs won that game 29-10, their biggest margin of victory of the season. It also was their most recent regular-season win.
Keeping Wilson in the pocket and not giving him time to let his receivers get loose will is a key to the Chiefs, who have the NFL’s highest blitz rate.
“I’m trying to pick the right situations to do it because they don’t always work,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “If they did, then everybody would be running them every down.”
Here’s what else to watch when the Chiefs visit the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is 7:20 p.m. (Central) and the game is on Channel 41 in Kansas City.
Chiefs player to watch: tight end Travis Kelce
No lack of motivation for any Chiefs player this week, but perhaps there’s a little more for Kelce, who has turned the podcast he shares with his brother Jason into a confessional to explain mistakes in the first two games: barreling into teammate Xavier Worthy and injuring his shoulder in the first game, and turning a possible touchdown into a bobbed interception against the Eagles.
What’s more, Kelce returns to the scene of one of his more forgettable plays: MetLife Stadium is where he threw an interception in a 12-9 loss to the Giants in 2017.
Look for the future Hall of Famer to have his best game against the Giants.
Giants player to watch: wide receiver Malik Nabers
Nabers is off to a hot start, topping the NFL with 238 receiving yards in two games, and was dynamite against the Cowboys last week when he got behind the defense for a long touchdown reception that gave the Giants a lead late in the fourth quarter. He’s been exceptional against press coverage, which the Chiefs like to employ.
“I didn’t realize how big he was,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said of the 6-foot, 200 pound second-year pro from LSU. “He’s rock solid. He’s a physical guy who can go up and get the ball. He’s a game-breaker.”
A big question for the Chiefs: Can they get to quarterback Wilson without blitzing? The Chiefs have blitzed at the NFL’s highest rate, on 44 percent of passing plays, according to Next Gen Stats. It worked against the Eagles last week, not so much against the Los Angeles Chargers and Justin Herbert in Week 1.
Special teams player to watch: Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker
Butker has played a part in the malaise of the Chiefs’ 0-2 start. His missed an extra point that would have tied the game in the opener, and a 58-yard field goal that gave the Eagles good field position last weekend.
“I don’t have any concerns,” said Dave Toub, the Chiefs’ special teams coordinator and assistant head coach.
After all, on the next series, Butker hit one from 56 yards.
This story was originally published September 19, 2025 at 9:44 AM.