(Photo: MARCA)
AFC Game Of The Week
Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
Eagles (1–0)
Last Thursday night was a movie, wasn’t it? It was opening night, which meant the NFL returned, a championship banner was unveiled to celebrate last season’s accomplishments, and the Dallas Cowboys were in town for a rivalry game. After the opening kickoff, Jalen Carter made a boneheaded decision—he spit at Dak Prescott and was ejected. We’ve all done dumb things on the football field, but I’ve never seen anyone do that. What made it worse? He’s their best defensive player, and the game plan was built around him. I was speechless—just disappointed in Jalen. I hope he’s learned a lesson from this. The win wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done. As I watched the first half, I thought we were in for a shootout. Neither defense could get off the field. But what do I always say? The team that makes the key halftime adjustments is usually the one that comes out on top—and that’s exactly what the Eagles did. I loved the offensive game plan. They knew Dallas would overcompensate to stop Saquon Barkley, and that opened the field for the other weapons. Jalen Hurts had a big impact as a runner. Now, let’s talk about the Eagles defense. It’s a different unit from last season—they’ve lost a lot of pieces from the group that helped win the title. That’s just how it goes in the NFL. Still, they’ll be a tough out this year, especially once they tighten the screws a bit more. This Sunday, they face a familiar face—Andy Reid—in Week Two.
Chiefs (0–1)
When have I ever shied away from being blunt? I didn’t like what they put on display last Friday night in Brazil, and here’s why: I just didn’t see a sense of urgency. They coasted, like they were waiting to hit the switch—just like last year. But this time, it caught up with them. The offense changed the moment Xavier Worthy left the game with a shoulder injury. After that, they looked lost. Xavier gives this offense that downfield threat they haven’t consistently had since the Tyreek Hill days. The defense wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t good either. At one point, they were 0-for-7 on third down conversions. I call third down the “money down” because it keeps drives alive and wears down a defense. When opportunities came, they didn’t capitalize—which is why they left Brazil 0–1. That said, my panic meter is low. I’m not counting them out after one game. It’s a long season. This is still a Chiefs team that’s represented the AFC in the Super Bowl three straight years. As long as Patrick Mahomes is under center, they’ll always have a shot. I’ve seen the social media posts. People are already counting them out. It’s one game! If this were mid-December, I’d understand the concern. But after Week One? Not at all. They return home for their season opener on Sunday.
Eagles X-Factor: Jahan Dotson
I’ve said it before: the Eagles have the best offensive core in the NFL—Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith. Add Dallas Goedert to that mix. But don’t forget Jahan Dotson. He’s their slot specialist, and when he’s open, he’s getting the football—especially with all the defensive attention going to Saquon and A.J. I love Jahan’s ability to position himself for contested catches. He’ll go up and get the ball. Jalen Hurts has three high-level receivers to distribute to, and Dotson is a key part of that.
Chiefs X-Factor: Isiah Pacheco
I was telling Cole Johnson this: if the Chiefs offense is going to thrive this year, they need to lean more on Isiah Pacheco. There’s nothing wrong with running the football. Defenses focus so much on limiting Mahomes—which makes sense—but football is about keeping your opponent off-balance. That’s where Pacheco comes in. He’s a hard runner who can wear down a defense if you keep feeding him. He’s the kind of guy who can swing momentum with his physicality and effort.
Final Thoughts
These two teams have seen a lot of each other in recent years. The Chiefs escaped with a three-point win in Super Bowl LVII. They met again in the 2023 regular season, and the Eagles came away with the victory. Then came last year’s Super Bowl rematch, where the Eagles got their revenge on the biggest stage. Now, we’ve got another early-season showdown between two of the league’s top contenders—and the last two Super Bowl champions. In February, the Eagles were more physical, and the Chiefs had no answer. If I’m Philly, I’m using the quick passing game and trying to win the time of possession battle. That’s what I think this game will come down to. For the Chiefs, I’d come out aggressively and attack this Eagles secondary, which still has questions across the board. If the Cowboys could exploit them, what do you think a more dangerous passing attack like the Chiefs can do? This won’t be as lopsided as the Super Bowl. I expect a close game throughout. However, the Chiefs will be without two of their top receivers—Xavier Worthy (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (suspension). That’s a big blow. The Eagles are the healthier team, and I believe they’ll prevail in this Super Rematch on Sunday.
