Kansas City faces Monday Night Football against Jacksonville with Xavier Worthy's status up in the air after a shoulder/ankle update. If Worthy sits, Bashard Smith and Rashid Rice must rise to the occasion, while Mahomes and Kelce anchor a retooled attack and the line must lean on balance and playmaking from the backs. Devin Lloyd’s coverage challenge against Kelce looms large for the Jaguars, and Spagnuolo’s defense must pressure Trevor Lawrence while avoiding turnovers to pull a win on the road.

Whether Worthy suits up or not, KC leans on Kelce, Rice, and an adjusted motion game to keep Jacksonville off balance. If Worthy plays, the Chiefs still need a sharper run game and a plan to keep the offense from becoming one-dimensional. Jacksonville counters with Lloyd’s speed and a rising pass rush, while KC looks to a deeper receiving corps and a sharper game plan to stay atop the AFC West.

Baltimore's injury-ravaged front clashes with Kansas City's high-powered, back-healthy attack as both teams try to steady a season-tilting matchup. The Ravens lean on a patched interior and Lamar Jackson's poised play, while the Chiefs count on Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy to stretch the field for Mahomes. Third-down defense and red-zone execution will decide a game where edge pressure and field position swing momentum.

Key questions: can Baltimore pressure Mahomes enough to disrupt rhythm, or will KC's passing game force a defensive adjustment? Turnovers and clock management loom large as each team seeks to avoid letting the other dictate tempo. The winner will be the team that converts chances in the red zone and minimizes self-inflicted mistakes.

Chiefs win finally shows balanced offense and improved second-half adaptability. Thornton sparked the attack with big plays, while Mahomes built chemistry beyond Kelce. KC leaned into quick game and varied looks, including using Thornton out wide and in the backfield, to unlock Pacheco and Gray. Defensively, Jones, Karlaftis, and Watson pressed and pressured, creating multiple trips to the edge and turnovers that tipped the scales against the Giants. Ravens loom, but the blueprint feels more coherent.

Kansas City scraped out a win over the Giants in a game that finally sparked late, with the defense tightening and Taekquin Thornton delivering a breakout that could reshape KC’s receiver room. Thornton’s emergence gives Mahomes a true vertical threat as Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy return to full strength, expanding the offense beyond the usual targets. The defense anchored by Jaylen Watson and Nick Bolton looks a notch crisper, while the offensive line still battles penalties and inconsistent tackles from Jawan Taylor and Jaylen Moore.

Thornton’s five catches for 71 yards and a red-zone TD showcased his contested-catch ability and trust from Mahomes. Kingsley Suamataia flashed as a steadier guard, and Chris Jones and George Karloftis showed a semblance of pass-rush timing. The Chiefs must address the tackle duo’s penalties and monetize the depth with Worthy and Rashée Rice back, but the second half offered a blueprint: keep pressuring, diversify the route tree, and feed Thornton when the big plays loom.