Gametime: Sunday, October 6, 2019, at 7:20 p.m. Arrowhead time
Location: Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO
Network Provider: NBC
Radio (Kansas City residence): Chiefs Fox Football Radio Network KCFX (101.1 FM)
A quarter into the 2019 season, the Kansas City Chiefs capped off the month of September with a weird game in Detroit to snag a late 34-30 victory over the Lions to start the season 4-0 for the third straight season.
What makes this season more impressive, is that the Chiefs were on the road for three of the previous four games with every opponent sporting an undefeated record at the time Kansas City played them.
The second quarter of Kansas City’s schedule will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in four of the next five games, heading into November.
The Chiefs start their homestand in primetime fashion on Sunday night, going against a familiar foe that hasn’t forgotten the last time they came down to Arrowhead. That of course, would be the Indianapolis Colts, who return to Kansas City for the first time since their 31-13 loss in the AFC Divisional round in the playoffs last season.
The Colts enter the October portion of their season with a 2-2 record to begin the year.
Indianapolis was one of the teams many pundits had as a lock for a potential championship run, that is until the franchise and the rest of the football world was blindsided by quarterback Andrew Luck’s unforeseen decision to announce his retirement during the pre-season. Thus, dawning a new chapter in Indianapolis with the Jacoby Brissett era getting off to a better start than most expected.
In four games, Brissett has completed over 65 percent of his throws for 911 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two picks.
Despite losing Luck, Colts offense still has plenty of weapons and with Brissett at the helm, they’ve been able to move the football fairly well.
Indianapolis’ ground game ranks seventh in the league with running back Marlon Mack leading the charge with 78 carries for 378 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mack will be going against the Chiefs 31st ranked run defense that has allowed 599 yards on the ground.
In the passing game, the Colts have sputtered a bit averaging 227.7 yards per game, currently ranking 25th in the NFL, they do have a few weapons for Brissett to throw to but none quite as lethal as wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who leads the team in the team in receiving with 20 receptions for 198 yards and four touchdowns.
Kansas City will also welcome back a familiar face on Sunday night with defensive end/linebacker Justin Houston returning to Arrowhead this time, as the visitor.
Houston spent the first eight seasons of his career in Kansas City and accumulated 381 combined tackles, 96 tackles for loss, 118 QB hits, 78.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, and 4 interceptions for 52 yards and a pick-six.
The Chiefs’ front office released Houston last offseason in order to free up cap space and when he was asked by the Indy Star about any old feeling upon his return, Houston said he isn’t going to the past be a distraction.
“I’m trying not to think about it,” Houston told the Indy Star. “I don’t want it to get in the way of what I’ve got to do. I’m going there to play a game and not really worry about my past,” Houston said.
Houston is off to a slow start through four games with 11 tackles, 3 QB hits, and one sack. Tonight, he’ll be going up against the least sacked quarterback in the National Football League in Patrick Mahomes, who has a sack rating of seven percent.
Houston plans to use all eight years’ worth of knowledge about his former team has the advantage to help his Colts teammates have a better insight into the NFL’s best offense.
“Whatever I know, anything that can help give them the edge,” Houston told the Indy Star.
The Colts defense currently ranks 16th in the NFL, allowing an average of 363 total yards per game. Their pass defense as allowed an average of 230.5 yards per game (13th) and on the ground, the Colts have allowed an average 132.5 yards per game (12th).
Kansas City will be getting some players back for Sunday night, cornerback Morris Claiborne was activated on the team’s active roster and is expected to help the Chiefs improve in the secondary and running back Damien Williams is expected to help carry the load on offense.
The Chiefs are also hoping to see some improvement from defensive end Frank Clark, who’s been off to a slow start this season with only nine combined tackles, two tackles for loss, two QB hits, a sack, and an interception.
Kansas City broke the bank, a five year $105 million contract, in order to acquire Clark in a trade that sent a first and second draft picks and swapping third-round picks with the Seahawks during the offseason.
Clark voiced his displeasure with how his season has gone so far and knows he needs to do better.
“You can always feel frustration,” he told the media. “I’m a competitor and I compete to be the best. At the end of the day, I don’t really trip — if I can say that. I don’t really trip as much because I understand this game. I’ve been good at this game for a minute playing these last five years. I’ve been playing at a high level for the last four. I’m one of the best in the league to do it and I’m going to continue to be.”
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo also spoke with the press regarding Clark’s lack of production.
”We tried a couple of things last week,” Spagnuolo explained. “I don’t know if you noticed, but we had him inside. I mean, we’re trying to find ways to find a one-on-one match for him. That’s not always possible. Offensive coaches are pretty smart in this league and I think that’s going to continue. What hopefully happens is that it opens up something for somebody else and when that somebody else gets enough of those, maybe they turn their attention away from Frank. But we’ll see,” he said.
Prediction
Last week, Patrick Mahomes threw for 315 yards and completed just over 50 percent of his throws in what many pundits considered to be an ‘off game’ for him. Yet, he still led a come back drive where he threw to five different receivers including Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, Mecole Hardman, and Byron Pringle in order to beat Lions.
Now on Sunday night, the Chiefs will be at home in their all-red duds and I couldn’t think of anything more fitting than for the offense to really get rolling on all cylinders and deliver an air attack that the Colts won’t be ready for. I wouldn’t sleep on Indianapolis necessarily, but I wouldn’t bet on them either.
Chiefs: 41 Colts: 20
