CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Kansas City Chiefs are no longer perfect, suffering a 30-21 defeat to the Buffalo Bills last week. Despite this setback, their ambitions for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory remain undeterred, and may even be strengthened.
Set to return to action this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, the Chiefs (9-1) are looking to regain their momentum as they navigate toward the playoff season. Patrick Mahomes is eager to make his debut at Bank of America Stadium, where Kansas City holds a slender half-game advantage over the idle Buffalo Bills (9-2) for home-field playoff positioning. “It’s a long season, and as you get to this backstretch you want to be playing your best football,” Mahomes noted, emphasizing the importance of continual improvement as the postseason approaches.
On the other side, the Panthers (3-7) are riding a surge of their own. After a dismal start to the season with a 1-7 record, Carolina has now claimed back-to-back victories and will head into this game well-rested after a bye week. Bryce Young, although not yet racking up impressive statistics, achieved two significant wins against the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants, equal to his total for his previous 19 NFL games. His growing confidence is starting to positively influence his teammates. “The Chiefs are a great team, and they seem to do everything right at times,” remarked Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard. “But we’re a hungry team as well. We’re coming off a win and now we’re trying to take this to another level.”
As Kansas City prepares for this matchup, they are 11-point favorites according to Bet MGM, a line that some might find surprising considering the Panthers’ performance. The Chiefs have struggled to put up high scores this season, failing to exceed 30 points in a game and winning by just over seven points on average. Panthers linebacker Josey Jewell observed, “Their offense has not been the best the last couple of weeks, but their defense has played pretty well. However, their offense can explode at any point, especially with their new additions and guys returning.”
The Chiefs hope to see running back Isiah Pacheco return to the field for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in Week 2. Additionally, pass rusher Charles Omenihu could make his comeback after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL from last season’s playoffs. The presence of Pacheco could invigorate a Kansas City offense that has struggled to establish early-game intensity. “He wants to be out there as much as possible, but at the same time, he wants to win,” said Mahomes. “We want to get him back at the best time for him.”
Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy made a significant impact in the previous game against the Bills, catching four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Despite some rookie mistakes, the team feels he is overcoming challenges typical of first-year players. “He can do it all, man,” Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster praised. “He can go deep, open the field for all of us. He’s starting to get rolling.”
On the Panthers’ side, there’s optimism for the return of players post-bye week, including rookie running back Jonathon Brooks, who is set to debut against the Chiefs. Brooks has been recovering from a torn ACL incurred while playing for Texas. His addition could create a dynamic one-two punch with Hubbard, who has been effective on the ground with 818 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Moreover, key players like wide receiver Adam Thielen, left tackle Ickey Ekwonu, and linebacker Amare Barno have returned to practice, with Ekwonu appearing most likely to play. This would allow utility lineman Brady Christensen to revert to a supporting role, while Cade Mays remains at center.
Lastly, Carolina’s kicker Eddie Pineiro has quietly taken the title of the most accurate kicker in NFL history, with an impressive career accuracy of 89.3%. This shift came after a missed attempt by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker last week, propelling Pineiro to the forefront. Acknowledging Tucker’s accomplishments, Pineiro humbly remarked, “He’s the goat.”