KC Reporter

The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for a Sunday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants, seeking to secure their first win of the season after an 0-2 start. The game will take place in New York, where the Chiefs have historically struggled against the Giants.

Injury updates for both teams are significant heading into the contest. The Chiefs will be without defensive end Mike Danna and cornerback Kristian Fulton due to injuries sustained last week. Wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals were initially listed as questionable, but Worthy has since been ruled out for Sunday’s game. On the Giants’ side, starting left tackle Andrew Thomas remains questionable with a foot injury and is considered a game-time decision according to Head Coach Brian Daboll. Additionally, linebacker depth is an issue for New York with Chauncey Golston (questionable), Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (doubtful), and Darius Muasau (out) all on the injury report.

The Giants’ offense has shown contrasting performances over its first two games. In Week 1 against Washington, they failed to score a touchdown and managed only 231 yards of total offense. However, last week versus Dallas, quarterback Russell Wilson led an explosive attack with 450 passing yards—his second-best career mark—and seven completions of at least 25 yards. Receivers Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson combined for over 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns in that game.

A key focus for Kansas City’s defense will be applying pressure on Wilson, as his effectiveness drops significantly when under duress compared to when he has time in the pocket. Last week’s defensive performance by the Chiefs showed improvement as they held Philadelphia to just 216 yards despite ultimately losing.

Offensively, Kansas City is looking to establish its running game beyond quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who leads all quarterbacks in rushing yards through two weeks. The Chiefs currently rank 17th in rushing yardage league-wide; Mahomes accounts for more than half of their total ground production so far this season. With New York allowing more rushing yards per game than any other team in the NFL this year, Sunday could present an opportunity for Kansas City’s running backs to make an impact.

Historically, the Chiefs have never defeated the Giants on the road since their first meeting in 1978—a streak spanning seven games. While Kansas City has won away games against other New York teams such as the Jets across various venues, they have yet to break through against the Giants on their home turf.

Although this marks Mahomes’ first experience with an 0-2 start as starting quarterback, slow beginnings are not new for Kansas City or other successful NFL teams. In previous seasons—including a notable turnaround from a 1-5 start in 2015—the Chiefs have overcome early setbacks to achieve playoff success or even vie for championships. Similarly, several teams that began seasons at 0-2 have gone on to reach or win Super Bowls.

Kansas City aims to reverse its fortunes beginning Sunday night in New York.