Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 20-17 Win Over the Giants
Heading into their Week 8 contest against the New York Giants, the Kansas City Chiefs were in desperate need of a win. After a blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans, things were looking bleak for one of the NFL's most talented, yet underwhelming, teams. Kansas City didn't put forth the most impressive performance against the New York Giants but nevertheless, Andy Reid's squad was able to emerge victorious by a final score of 20-17.
Here are four takeaways from Monday night's game.
1. Derrick Gore might be here to stay
With running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire still on the injured reserve list, the Chiefs relied heavily on the tandem of Darrel Williams and Derrick Gore against the Giants. Many would have expected free agent acquisition Jerick McKinnon to be the secondary back behind Williams, but it was Gore who emerged for the Chiefs in Week 8. In addition to scoring the first touchdown of his professional career, the 26-year-old toted the ball 11 times for 48 yards. It remains unclear what the team's running back picture will look like once Edwards-Helaire is eligible to return but at the very least, Gore has earned consideration to stay with the team and avoid being sent back down to the practice squad.
2. Willie Gay Jr.'s ascension continues, as does Nick Bolton's
For the second consecutive game, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. recorded an interception for the Chiefs. The 2020 second-round pick has slowly been getting acclimated after missing time earlier in the season due to injury, and the defense is undoubtedly more athletic when he's on the field. The team's 2021 second-round pick, rookie Nick Bolton, posted double-digit tackles again and is coming into his own as the Chiefs' MIKE linebacker while Anthony Hitchens is injured. Gay and Bolton each have their respective flaws and neither is a perfect player, but the youth movement in the team's linebacker room is starting to take shape. Both players work hard and are fearless, which should be a refreshing sight for a unit that has struggled immensely this year.
3. And so do the Chiefs' turnovers
Yet again, the Chiefs embarrassed themselves by committing some ugly turnovers. With a Patrick Mahomes interception and a Travis Kelce fumble, the team padded its lead for the most giveaways in the NFL by getting to a whopping 19 on the year. That's four more than the next-closest team. Mahomes' receivers didn't do him a ton of favors — not being on the same page as him and failing to gain consistent separation — but he also needs to continue improving. Despite a lackluster overall performance from the offense, the Chiefs' flashed the ability to make some progress. With that said, the elusive "clean game" still awaits.
4. Steve Spagnuolo needs to be better
Replacing Gay and Bolton with Daniel Sorensen and Ben Niemann simply isn't a great idea anymore. It never was but the more the latter two see the field on third downs, the more often the Chiefs' defense gets exposed. Even on non-third downs, Sorensen has gotten singled out in coverage and Niemann's athletic limitations get thrust into the spotlight. I've come to the defense of Steve Spagnuolo this season but at a certain point, opting for athleticism makes more sense than fielding low-ceiling players who aren't making enough of an impact. Spagnuolo's hands are tied in regards to his personnel right now, but now how he uses it. If the Chiefs are going to improve defensively, Spagnuolo needs to improve as well.
