KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs started the season with five straight wins, nearly matching their total from all of last season, when their run of three consecutive Super Bowl appearances came crashing down with a forgettable six-win campaign.
Given such a debacle, it's not surprising the past two weeks have given some Kansas City folks an uneasy feeling.
The Chiefs were waylaid in Seattle by the defending Super Bowl champions in a game
that was never close, then went to Denver and blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in a 28-24 loss last Sunday that gifted the Broncos the top spot in the AFC West.
“We've still right there, 5-2, and we've won a lot of football games. Everything is out in front of us,” countered Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has been playing at a high level less than 11 months after tearing ligaments in his left knee.
"We just have to be better than we were last week and try to win a game," Mahomes said.
The Chiefs would have a hard time finding a better get-right opponent than the Jets on Sunday.
New York (2-6) has lost three straight, each a one-possession affair, and has struggled to stop anybody. And to make matters worse, star wide receiver Garrett Wilson was in the concussion protocol this week, offsetting the good news of the potential return of running back Breece Hall from a quadriceps injury that has sidelined him for the past five games.
“We know exactly who this team is, we know exactly what they’re about,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “They’ve created a sustainable winning situation over there. That’s a lot of credit to the players, the coaching staff and the organization.”
In short, the Chiefs represent the blueprint for what the Jets have spent years trying to achieve.
“Your record is your record regardless of what your roster is,” Glenn said, "and that’s the way that I look at it. We just have to keep fighting and keep having that hunger to try to finish these games. A lot of that comes with what we’ve talked about, of having that killer instinct. When we’re up, of being able to take a team out. When we’re down, being able to fight our way in to be able to get ourselves back into position. When you look at it, we’ve done that.”
The Chiefs have spent the past week searching for that same killer instinct.
After beating the Broncos in their season opener, the Chiefs had an opportunity last week to take control of the AFC West before reaching the midway point of the season. But their problems in short-yardage situations, another miss by kicker Harrison Butker, and tackling woes on the defensive side of the ball ultimately doomed Kansas City to a frustrating defeat.
“When you have losses — critical losses — early in the year, especially with this one, it's about finishing,” Chiefs pass rusher George Karlaftis said. “When you're up in the fourth quarter and you lose, it's on the defense. I know I felt it. I know the defense felt it.
"Scheme aside, I think that mindset of finishing on every single play and never letting up, I think that will benefit us greatly.”
New York Jets (2-6) at Kansas City (5-2).
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
Latest odds: Chiefs by 10.
Against the spread: Jets 4-3-1; Chiefs 3-4.
Last week: Jets lost to Raiders 38-33; Chiefs lost to Broncos 28-24.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat Jets 23-20 on Oct. 1, 2023, in New York.
Series record: Chiefs lead 21-19-1.
Chiefs RBs Kenneth Walker against the Jets defensive front. Walker started the season on a tear, but was held to 36 yards rushing by Seattle and 69 yards by Denver. He'll have a chance to bounce back against a Jets defense that allowed the Bears to run for 232 yards, the Dolphins to run for 156 and the Patriots to run for 148 against it.
— The Chiefs' Emmett Johnson had 128 yards receiving last week in Denver, the most by a rookie running back in franchise history.
— Kansas City has won three straight against the Jets at Arrowhead Stadium, outscoring them by an 83-22 margin.
— Chiefs TE Travis Kelce will be playing his 200th game on Sunday.
— Harrison Butker has missed 16 kicks since the start of last season for Kansas City, the most of any kicker in the NFL.
— DT Chris Jones needs two sacks to pass Tamba Hali (89 1/2) for the second most in Chiefs history.
— The Jets have been outscored 107-9 in the final two minutes of the first half in 25 games with Glenn as their coach.
— New York was 2 of 6 scoring touchdowns in the red zone against Las Vegas last week. The Raiders were 4 for 4 in such situations.
— Jets WR Adonai Mitchell had a breakout game with seven catches for 142 yards and a TD against the Raiders.
— Jets RB Braelon Allen ran for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown against Las Vegas.
— The Jets scored on their first six possessions — two TDs, four field goals — in their loss to the Raiders. They joined the 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (against the Giants) are the only teams since 2000 to lose after scoring on their first six possessions.
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AP Football Writer Dennis Waszak in Florham Park, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
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