The Washington Football Team (2-3) welcomes the Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) to FedEx Field for a chance to go back to .500 on the season.
The back-to-back AFC Champions have not looked like the team many predicted it to be this year, but their offense, which averages 420.4 yards per game, has lost none of its potency. Washington has also had a winding season, although it has occasionally shown its talent over the last five games.
Here are four things to know about the Chiefs ahead of this weekend.
1. Patrick Mahomes is still a playmaker.
Washington's secondary is going to face one of its toughest challenges of the season against quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But while Mahomes is off to another great start statistically, he has had a slight issue with turnovers that could be advantageous for Washington.
Through the first five games, Mahomes has thrown for six interceptions, tying the amount he threw in all of last season. Additionally, Mahomes ranks third in interceptions ahead of rookie quarterbacks Zach Wilson (9) and Trevor Lawrence (8). Despite the turnovers, Mahomes is a talented quarterback who is leading his offense several top five rankings. The former MVP leads the league in touchdowns (16) and is Top 10 in passing yards per game (298).
If the Washington secondary can contain Mahomes downfield, it may be able to generate more turnovers from this Chiefs' offense.
2. Facing a dynamic Kansas City offense.
As mentioned before, the Chiefs have one of the best offenses in the league, despite its 2-3 record. Kansas City is fourth in yards per game and with yardage comes points The Kansas City ranks fifth with nearly 31 points per game.
On top of that, they rank fifth in the league for passing yards per game (292.2) and seventh in the league for rushing yards per game (128.2), although that could take a hit with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who is 15th in rushing, missing extended time with an injury.
The Washington defense is facing a complete offensive package and will need to be creative in how they cover explosive offensive playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. It's not an area Washington has performed well in this year with its 27th-ranked defense. It's going to be a challenge, Kendall Fuller said on Wednesday, but he and his teammates are looking forward to it.
3. A vulnerable Chiefs defense.
While Kansas City's offense has lived up to expectations, its defense has not been as productive. The Chiefs are giving up just over 437 yards per game, ranking them at 31st in the league. What's more, the Chiefs are giving up an average of over 32 points per game, compared to Washington's 31 points per game. The Chiefs has performed poorly against the run and the pass, but with teams getting an average of 141 rushing yards per game, Washington should have the ability to move the ball down field with heavy doses from Antonio Gibson, who comes into the game 11th in rushing, and J.D. McKissic.
4. Coaches with a shared history.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera and Kansas City head coach Andy Reid have a history dating back to 1999. Reid, then the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, hired Rivera as a linebackers coach, and the two helped guide their team to four straight NFC Championship games from 2001-04.
While this is the first time Rivera will face Reid as Washington's head coach, they have met on opposite sidelines in the past. In 2012, Rivera took a victory over Reid and the Eagles while head coach of the Carolina Panthers. In their last meeting, Reid came out victorious defeating the Panthers as head coach of the Chiefs. When asked about Reid's impact on his career, Rivera said that he put him on the road he's on today.
"A lot of the things I do today are [because] I try to mimic him to a degree," Rivera said. "That's why he means so much to a lot of us."
