NFL
Commercial
dwell
Up to date 21s in the past
The Washington Commanders, who’re with out the injured Jayden Daniels, journey to Kansas Metropolis to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on “Monday Night time Soccer.”
Observe alongside for the most recent play-by-play, evaluation, reactions and extra from our staff of reporters at The Athletic.
The Chiefs aren’t any stranger to Deebo Samuel, going through him twice within the Tremendous Bowl. He was held in examine in each situations.
In Tremendous Bowl LIV, he caught 5 passes for 39 yards, and in Tremendous Bowl LVIII, he caught simply 3-of-11 targets for 33 yards.
Commercial
Marcus Mariota’s final begin in opposition to the Chiefs got here through the 2017 postseason when he was the quarterback of the Tennessee Titans.
Dealing with Kansas Metropolis within the AFC Wild Card spherical, Mariota led his staff into Arrowhead and walked away with the win, throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
The Chiefs’ inactive record for tonight's sport makes one roster transfer official: Professional Bowl proper guard Trey Smith is not going to play due to a again damage. Smith, who left halfway by final week’s sport with again spasms, didn’t take part in observe all week and was listed as “uncertain” on Saturday's damage report. Mike Caliendo will take Smith’s place at proper guard, and although he had certainly one of his greatest professional video games final week, he was additionally inconsistent a season in the past whereas serving because the staff’s beginning left guard for the again half of the season.
Additionally, for a 3rd consecutive sport, rookie left sort out Josh Simmons might be out whereas away from the staff for a household matter. Offseason free-agent signing Jaylon Moore will fill in his spot on the left aspect of the road.
DL Daron Payne is lively. So is OL Brandon Coleman, for the primary time since Week 2.
Washington's inactive gamers:
Over the past two weeks, the Washington Commanders’ protection has not been in a position to cease the run, which might present a chance for the Chiefs’ working sport to get going.
In Week 7, Javonte Williams gashed Washington for 119 yards and a landing on 19 carries, per week after D'Andre Swift rushed for 108 yards on 14 carries.
General, the Commanders are permitting 126 yards per sport on the bottom.
Commercial
Unfold: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (-12.5)
Jayden Daniels is out for the Commanders, and Marcus Mariota is in, and this line spiked one other two factors Wednesday. In the meantime, everybody loves the Chiefs once more. All of their receivers are again, and Patrick Mahomes made the Raiders look foolish earlier than taking the fourth quarter off final week. Isn’t it attainable the Chiefs look forward to the Payments subsequent week and overlook Mariota was the final quarterback to beat them in a playoff sport that wasn’t the AFC Championship or the Tremendous Bowl? Look it up. 2017. Give me the 12.5 factors.
The decide: Commanders
Travis Kelce is coming off certainly one of his quietest video games of the season, however even at 36 years previous, he stays a dependable security valve for Patrick Mahomes.
Kelce caught simply three passes for 54 yards in Week 7, however total, he has tallied 31 receptions for 375 and a pair of touchdowns.
Rashee Rice’s return might imply large issues for the veteran tight finish, absorbing among the heavy protection Kelce has confronted.
Even at 34 years previous, Zach Ertz continues to supply high quality manufacturing and consistency on the tight finish spot for Washington.
Showing in all seven video games for the Commanders, the veteran has caught 23 passes for 229 yards and 4 touchdowns, persevering with to be a dependable crimson zone goal.
In Week 7 in opposition to Dallas, Ertz caught three passes for 37 yards and a landing.
Speak about a season debut …
After serving a six-game suspension, Rashee Rice returned to the lineup and wasted little time re-introducing himself to the tip zone.
The 25-year-old is projected to be the Chiefs’ go-to goal the remainder of the season ,and he confirmed why, catching seven passes on 10 targets, totaling 42 yards and two touchdowns.
Up to now, Rice has introduced a dynamic that completes the Chiefs’ offense.
Commercial
Terry McLaurin is again within the lineup after lacking the Commanders’ earlier 4 video games with a quad damage. This got here after a chronic contract negotiation through the offseason and a quiet first three video games of the season, totaling 10 catches for 149 yards.
The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala has extra on Washington’s veteran wideout under.
GO FURTHER
Commanders’ Terry McLaurin opens up about his damage and up-and-down 12 months
5 hours earlier than kickoff, the Commanders dominated out their kicker, Matt Homosexual, and signed Matthew Wright to the observe squad and elevated him to the lively roster for tonight’s sport. 5 hours.
Homosexual was added to the Commanders’ prolonged damage report on Friday with a again situation and listed as questionable. He traveled with the staff on Saturday, however Washington additionally flew out Wright to Kansas Metropolis as a contingency plan, in response to two league sources.
Wright has been considerably of a employed gun the final two seasons, making the rounds throughout the league. His profession to this point:
(*offseason or observe squad)
Regardless of having restricted reps at most of his NFL stops, Wright has made 87.5 % of his field-goal makes an attempt and 95.5 % of his extra-point makes an attempt. He’s hit 63.6 % from 50 yards out (7-of-11).
Washington has handled a string of accidents throughout the roster this season and is also with out defensive sort out defensive sort out Daron Payne tonight. He missed observe all week and was listed as questionable due to a toe damage. Defensive sort out Sheldon Day was elevated from the observe squad and vast receiver Robbie Chosen — who was primarily the Commanders’ fourth receiver in opposition to the Cowboys final week, catching 4 passes for 36 yards in 33 snaps — was launched.
Whereas Jayden Daniels is out this week, Washington’s prime two wideouts are returning to motion with Marcus Mariota below heart.
Terry McLaurin has not performed since Week 3 as a consequence of a quad damage, and Deebo Samuel missed the Cowboys sport with a heel damage, however each might be suiting up tonight.
McLaurin bought off to a sluggish begin earlier than his damage, catching 10 passes for 149 yards in three video games. Samuel has shone when accessible, catching 34 passes for 315 yards with three scores.
Rookie working again Brashard Smith continues to see an elevated position within the Chiefs’ offense, offering Kansas Metropolis with explosiveness that Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco have lacked at instances.
In Week 7, Smith rushed for 39 yards on 14 carries and caught 5 passes for 42 yards. He has caught 14 passes for 122 yards whole this season.
Isiah Pacheco was projected to play a big position within the Chiefs’ offense this season, however that has not been the truth up to now. That stated, he’s coming off his greatest sport of the season, speeding for 57 yards and a landing in opposition to Las Vegas at house.
Pacheco has been fairly environment friendly, averaging 4.1 yards per try, however he solely has 66 carries, discovering the tip zone as soon as.
Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith proceed to be an element, each close to the objective line and on passing downs.
Commercial
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has turn out to be the Commanders’ go-to working again after an offseason full of excessive expectations for the rookie.
After his breakout efficiency in Week 5, speeding for 111 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to the Chargers, Washington’s working sport has faltered in consecutive losses. “Invoice” is averaging simply 3.1 yards per carry in these two video games, closely impacted by unfavourable sport script and poor offensive performances total.
Whereas Croskey-Merritt is a gifted again, he would possibly face an analogous destiny in opposition to the Chiefs tonight on the street.
Patrick Mahomes was already off to a powerful begin this season, and now all of his offensive weapons are wholesome, making him as harmful as ever.
Towards the Raiders in Week 7, Mahomes accomplished 26-of-35 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns with out enjoying a down within the fourth quarter. Two of those touchdowns had been thrown to Rashee Rice, who was making his season debut.
General, the 30-year-old Mahomes has thrown for 1,800 yards and 14 touchdowns with simply two interceptions this season.
In Marcus Mariota’s two begins this season, the Washington Commanders are 1-1, with their lone win coming in Week 3 in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders.
In that win, the veteran quarterback accomplished 15-of-21 passes for 207 yards and a landing, including 40 yards and a rating on the bottom.
