Arrowheadlines: Analyst pleads with Chiefs to manage Chris Jones’ workload after last play effort

Chiefs headlines for Wednesday, October 8

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Jaguars vs Chiefs overreactions: Lawrence back? Butker washed? | CBS Sports

Chiefs need to move on from Harrison Butker

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Butker has been awful for the Chiefs this season, having a kicking error in all five games. He cost the Chiefs on Monday night with his inability to get a kick in bounds or into the landing zone.

The Chiefs had just worn the Jaguars down on a 12-play, 86-yard drive capped by a Kareem Hunt touchdown to take a 28-24 lead with 1:45 left. They appeared

poised to survive a 12-round battle with the Jaguars.

On the ensuing kickoff, Butker couldn’t get the ball into the landing zone, as he kicked it out of bounds at the 5-yard line. Penalty on the Chiefs — and the Jaguars got the ball at the 40-yard line. All Trevor Lawrence needed was to go 60 yards in 1:45. He scored in just 1:17 in what seemed to be a stress-free drive, thanks to the good field position Butker gifted them.

This kickoff blunder adds to Butker’s struggles. He missed a kick in four straight games prior to Monday night, and perhaps his attention to detail on kickoffs has affected other aspects of his game.

The Chiefs will ride with Butker through his struggles because of his history with the franchise and his ability to turn things around. That leash is getting shorter by the week, however.

NFL Week 6 picks and score predictions: Lions stun Chiefs, 49ers upset Buccaneers in NFC showdown | CBS Sports

The Lions also have three different players who have recorded at least 200 receiving yards through five weeks and one of those players is Jameson Williams, who leads the NFL in yards per catch at 20.3.

The Lions also have a defense that can get after the passer, which is something the Chiefs haven’t really had to deal with over the past few weeks. Since Week 2, the Chiefs haven’t played a single team that ranks in the top-25 in the NFL in sacks. The Lions have 16 sacks on the season, which ranks second in the league this year. That could be trouble for Kansas City.

This game feels like it’s going to be a shootout, so I’m going to take the team that has more firepower, and for once, it’s not the team that Patrick Mahomes is playing for.

PICK: Lions 30-27 over Chiefs

Analyst pleads with Chiefs to manage Chris Jones’ workload after last play effort

The Kansas City Chiefs’ biggest strength has become one of their biggest weaknesses | NBC Sports

Kansas City’s current winless streak in one-score games provides some evidence for those who felt the team’s 15-2 record last season did not accurately reflect how beatable the Chiefs really were. In 2024, Kansas City had a plus-59 point differential, 11th-best in the NFL despite being tied with the Detroit Lions for most wins.

This year, the Chiefs are getting a taste of their own medicine. Kansas City is 12th with a plus-18 point differential, which is better than four teams who each have only one loss so far this season. (The Chiefs’ three losses have come by a combined total of only 12 points.)

Ultimately, much like how its two-season streak of winning every one-score game felt unsustainable, it’s more likely than not Kansas City will eventually even things out and start being on the right side of tight games again. Monday was at least another step forward for the offense, which has now scored 65 points in the last two games compared to only 63 in the first three.

The Ringer’s 2025 NFL Power Rankings | The Ringer

6. Chiefs

There were so many moments on Monday night when I was expecting the Chiefs defense to force a backbreaking turnover, or for Patrick Mahomes to break a few tackles on his way to the end zone. You know, the type of thing that we’ve gone numb to during Kansas City’s dynastic run.

But as Jacksonville returned serve late in the fourth quarter and took the lead with less than a minute to go, I was smacked with the realization that this Chiefs team may not have enough top-end talent to steal wins like it once did. So far this season, the Chiefs have been a pretty normal team that just so happens to have an incredible quarterback. That kind of vulnerability is a new world for the Chiefs.

Around the NFL

Bengals acquire Joe Flacco from Browns amid QB struggles | Yardbarker

The Bengals acquired Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. Cleveland will send Flacco and a sixth-round draft pick to Cincinnati in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

The Browns benched Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel for the team’s Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to make the switch after Flacco went 16-of-34 for 184 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in Cleveland’s 34-10 Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions. Flacco has just two touchdown passes compared to six interceptions on the season, and threw for fewer than 200 yards in three of his four starts with the Browns.

Ravens adding veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, agent says | ESPN

Free agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is signing with Baltimore Ravens on the practice squad, agent Kevin Conner told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The lack of experienced depth at safety has been an issue for a Ravens defense that has struggled mightily.

When Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton was sidelined Sunday with a groin injury, Baltimore started undrafted rookie Reuben Lowery in a 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans.

Gardner-Johnson could also help the Ravens even when Hamilton returns. By playing Gardner-Johnson deep with Malaki Starks, Hamilton can play closer to the line of scrimmage where he has made an impact in the past.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs-Jaguars: 5 things we learned in Week 5 defeat

1. Right now, special teams aren’t very special

This might have been the worst special teams performance I’ve seen in a game where the kicker didn’t miss a field goal.

However, Harrison Butker decided to take it a step further, kicking the ball out of bounds with under two minutes left to play when the Jaguars had only one timeout remaining. On top of that, the Chiefs committed so many holding penalties on kick returns that I had to double-check to make sure Jawaan Taylor wasn’t playing special teams.

At the end of the day, this performance falls squarely on special teams coordinator Dave Toub.