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Up to date 3m 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 Evening Soccer.”
Observe alongside for the newest play-by-play, evaluation, reactions and extra from our workforce of reporters at The Athletic.
Coming off his worst statistical season, Patrick Mahomes has bounced again in a significant option to begin this marketing campaign. Listed below are your views on the Chiefs’ quarterback:
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The Chiefs aren’t any stranger to Deebo Samuel, going through him twice within the Tremendous Bowl. He was held in test 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.
Marcus Mariota’s final begin towards the Chiefs got here in the course of 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 workforce 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 won’t play due to a again damage. Smith, who left halfway by way of final week’s sport with again spasms, didn’t take part in follow 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 one among his greatest professional video games final week, he was additionally inconsistent a season in the past whereas serving because the workforce’s beginning left guard for the again half of the season.
Additionally, for a 3rd consecutive sport, rookie left sort out Josh Simmons will likely be out whereas away from the workforce 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 last two weeks, the Washington Commanders’ protection has not been in a position to cease the run, which may present a possibility for the Chiefs’ working sport to get going.
In Week 7, Javonte Williams gashed Washington for 119 yards and a landing on 19 carries, every week after D'Andre Swift rushed for 108 yards on 14 carries.
General, the Commanders are permitting 126 yards per sport on the bottom.
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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 sit up for the Payments subsequent week and neglect 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 choose: Commanders
Travis Kelce is coming off one among 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 may imply massive issues for the veteran tight finish, absorbing a number of 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 towards Dallas, Ertz caught three passes for 37 yards and a landing.
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Discuss a season debut …
After serving a six-game suspension, Rashee Rice returned to the lineup and wasted little time re-introducing himself to the top 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.
Thus far, Rice has introduced a dynamic that completes the Chiefs’ offense.
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 in the course of 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 beneath.
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 follow 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 challenge and listed as questionable. He traveled with the workforce on Saturday, however Washington additionally flew out Wright to Kansas Metropolis as a contingency plan, based on 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 follow squad)
Regardless of having restricted reps at most of his NFL stops, Wright has made 87.5 p.c of his field-goal makes an attempt and 95.5 p.c of his extra-point makes an attempt. He’s hit 63.6 p.c from 50 yards out (7-of-11).
Washington has handled a string of accidents throughout the roster this season and may be with out defensive sort out defensive sort out Daron Payne tonight. He missed follow all week and was listed as questionable due to a toe damage. Defensive sort out Sheldon Day was elevated from the follow squad and large receiver Robbie Chosen — who was primarily the Commanders’ fourth receiver towards 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 beneath middle.
Terry McLaurin has not performed since Week 3 resulting from a quad damage, and Deebo Samuel missed the Cowboys sport with a heel damage, however each will likely be suiting up tonight.
McLaurin received 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 occasions.
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 complete this season.
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Isiah Pacheco was projected to play a big position within the Chiefs’ offense this season, however that has not been the truth to this point. That stated, he’s coming off his greatest sport of the season, dashing for 57 yards and a landing towards Las Vegas at residence.
Pacheco has been fairly environment friendly, averaging 4.1 yards per try, however he solely has 66 carries, discovering the top zone as soon as.
Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith proceed to be an element, each close to the purpose line and on passing downs.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has grow to be the Commanders’ go-to working again after an offseason stuffed with excessive expectations for the rookie.
After his breakout efficiency in Week 5, dashing for 111 yards and two touchdowns towards 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 detrimental sport script and poor offensive performances total.
Whereas Croskey-Merritt is a gifted again, he may face the same destiny towards the Chiefs tonight on the highway.
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.
