What We Saw: Giants at Chiefs

A win is a win, but this isn't your usual Chiefs team...

Corey Saucier
What We Saw 3 Years Ago

Giants @ Chiefs

Final Score: Chiefs 20, Giants 17

Writer: Corey Saucier (@Deputy_Commish on Twitter, /u/Lights_Kamara_Action on Reddit)

 

The Chiefs’ offensive struggles continued on Monday night, even if Kansas City did just enough to edge the lowly Giants in front of a home crowd that appeared less-than-enthused at times. QB Patrick Mahomes‘ first-quarter INT extended his streak to seven straight games with an interception – and he had two or three more near-interceptions in the first half alone. Mahomes just seemed a bit off on Monday night. Even some of his completions were slightly ahead or slightly behind his receivers. While Mahomes leaned heavily on WR Tyreek Hill, their longest hookup of the night went for just 15 yards. Mahomes’ longest pass of the night was a touch-pass to WR Mecole Hardman who scampered for 24 yards afterward.

On the other side of the ball, Giants’ QB Daniel Jones‘ two turnovers put a damper on his fantasy production. This offense is still down a lot of firepower with RB Saquon Barkley and WR Kenny Golladay out with injuries. WR Sterling Shepard went down with a quad injury just before halftime on Monday night and didn’t return. WR Dante Pettis injured his shoulder on a muffed punt return and also didn’t return. WR Kadarius Toney also left the game and was taken to the locker room to look at an injury to his left thumb, but Toney was ultimately able to return.  Jones answered Mahomes’ goal-line INT on Kansas City’s first drive with an immediate INT of his own on the Giants’ second play from scrimmage – setting up the Chiefs on the Giants’ 13-yard line. Jones did salvage a modest fantasy output with two short TD passes to TEs Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph. Neither Mahomes nor Jones added any meaningful fantasy production on the ground.

Both teams had a ton of penalties on both sides of the ball that affected the game in meaningful ways (NYG: 10-88, KC: 12-103). A phantom facemask call against Chiefs’ TE Travis Kelce extended the drive for Kansas City that ultimately led to their game-winning FG. A taunting call against Giants’ RB Elijah Penny wiped out a first-down play while the game was tied late in the 4th. In the end, the Giants couldn’t muster a last-minute drive to get into FG range and try to tie it. Did your squad get enough production to achieve your Monday night miracle? Let’s dive into what we saw:

 

New York Giants

 

Quarterbacks

 

Daniel Jones: 22/32, 222 yards, 2 TD, INT | 5 carries, 22 yards, Fumble

 

It was a rough night for Giants’ QB Daniel Jones and the Giants’ offense. The Chiefs’ own struggles helped Jones and the Giants hang around until late in the game, but Jones couldn’t string together a drive at the end. Jones did lead a couple of solid TD drives, both ending in short, tidy TD passes to his TEs, starting with this one-yard strike to Kyle Rudolph to tie the game early:

 

 

Then he hit Evan Engram with this early 4th-quarter dime to put the Giants ahead:

 

 

Jones hadn’t shown enough value to be a fantasy starter to this point in the season, and Monday night did nothing to change that. That could change once this offense gets back to full strength.

 

Running Backs

 

Devontae Booker: 15 carries, 60 yards | 6 targets, 5 receptions, 65 yards

 

No other back received any touches for the Giants than Devontae Booker on Monday night, and while Booker failed to find the end zone, he had a respectable outing in PPR formats. Booker’s 125 yards from scrimmage were easily his most of the season, and Booker continued to perform admirably as an RB2 in fellow RB Saquon Barkley‘s absence. Booker’s biggest play of the night was this 41-yard scamper on a screen pass from Jones:

 

 

If Barkley isn’t ready to return next week against the Raiders, Booker should continue to provide steady RB2 value.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

John Ross: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 72 yards

Kadarius Toney: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 26 yards | 1/1, 19 yards

Sterling Shepard: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 25 yards

Evan Engram: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 15 yards, TD

Kyle Rudolph: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 12 yards, TD

 

If you started WR Kadarius Toney on Monday night you were probably disappointed, but if you needed him to go off to win, you definitely took an L this week. Toney put up a dud in an anticipated matchup with the Chiefs’ porous secondary, even in a game that saw fellow WR Sterling Shepard ruled out just before halftime with a quad injury. At least Kadarius was kind enough to show off his arm and gift us these 19 passing yards:

 

 

If you were forced to start Engram or Rudolph to cover a bye week, they at least got you around 10 points in PPR formats, but neither one of them was consistently getting looks throughout the game. The same can be said of WR Darius Slayton – who was only targeted twice on Monday night and neither came until the 4th quarter. It was WR John Ross who led the Giants in receiving yards, mostly in part to this wild 53-yard bomb where he somehow pulled it down while being held:

 

 

Kansas City Chiefs

 

Quarterback

 

Patrick Mahomes: 29/48, 275 yards, TD, INT | 3 carries, 10 yards, Fumble

 

Mahomes’ night actually got out to a decent start as he was 8/8 until his INT bounced off his teammate’s helmet and straight up into the air:

 

 

The Giants’ defense was determined to stay in their two-safety zone and not allow Mahomes to take any deep shots behind them. Mahomes was only sacked twice, but the Giants’ front was able to get pressure consistently and flush Mahomes from the pocket. This Kansas City offense hasn’t looked nearly as dynamic this season as it has in years past, and unless they can get it together, Mahomes may not return to his consistent, elite, top-tier status.

 

Running Backs

 

Darrel Williams: 13 carries, 49 yards | 6 targets, 6 receptions, 61 yards

Derrick Gore: 11 carries, 48 yards, TD

 

The Chiefs actually ran the ball relatively well against New York on Monday night. RB Darrel Williams finished with 100+ yards from scrimmage for the first time in RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s absence. Williams ceded some first-half work to RB Derrick Gore who had a bit of a coming-out party of his own on Monday night. Gore’s TD run capped a drive where he completely took over and finished with 5 straight carries:

 

 

As long as Edwards-Helaire remains on IR, Williams is the back to roster – but Clyde will be eligible to come off of IR next week and could be available for Kansas City’s Week 9 matchup with the Packers.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Tyreek Hill: 18 targets, 12 receptions, 94 yards, TD

Mecole Hardman: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 63 yards

Travis Kelce: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards, Fumble (Lost)

 

Chiefs’ WR Tyreek Hill had a big night on Monday, even though the big play was lacking for the Chiefs’ offense. Hill’s astounding 18 targets against the Giants were the most he’s had since Week 9 of the 2020 campaign and tied for the second-most of his career. Hill put the Chiefs on the board with this six-yard TD grab in the first:

 

 

Hill was crucial in sustaining drives for Kansas City and picked up 8 total first downs. It was not such a productive night for Chiefs’ star TE Travis Kelce, however. Kelce struggled to get involved throughout most of his rare off-night, and got the ball punched out on this fumble when he did:

 

 

— Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)

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