The Chiefs have a quick turnaround, but they also have a clear blueprint after Monday’s Week 1 win over the Broncos: keep leaning on the run, then hit the Colts with answers once they start crowding the line.
Kansas City heads into Sunday night trying to protect a 2-0 start to the 2026 season, and the early signs from last week suggest the offense is built to control this one on the ground. The coaching staff has given no hint that plan is changing, which makes the passing-game wrinkles even more important against a Colts defense that could be vulnerable in the secondary.
One of the biggest opportunities is taking an early shot off play action. The Chiefs ran the ball exceptionally well against Denver, and the Colts should expect plenty of that again.
With Indianapolis leaning on two-high looks, Kansas City can try to draw defenders forward and punish them over the top, especially with Lou Anarumo now running the defense after arriving from the Bengals last season. Anarumo has had some success against the Chiefs in the past, but he has never seen Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid paired with a running game this strong.
The tight ends also need a bigger role this time around. Travis Kelce led the Chiefs in receiving yards on Monday, mostly because of his 59-yard catch late in the game, but the position group as a whole wasn’t featured heavily.
That should change against a Colts defense with a strong cornerback group in Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward, but softer spots among the linebackers and safeties. Kansas City can use its heavy multiple-tight-end sets to build the pass game off what worked on the ground.
On the other side of the ball, Jonathan Taylor is the center of everything for Indianapolis. He finished last week with just under 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and with Daniel Jones coming off a major injury, the Colts need Taylor to carry the offense.
For Kansas City, that means discipline up front. The Chiefs’ front seven has to close lanes and make sure Taylor doesn’t get loose.
Steve Spagnuolo can also lean into what Kansas City does well on the back end: man coverage. Rookie Mansoor Delane is expected to play, and even after losing him against Denver, the Chiefs’ defensive backs held up well. That gives Spagnuolo room to load the box in base looks or bring L’Jarius Sneed and Alohi Gilman closer to the line of scrimmage.
And when Daniel Jones drops back, the pressure should come from everywhere. Jones has long had issues against the blitz, and Kansas City has multiple ways to stress him. Sneed is a proven slot blitzer, Nohl Williams got the Chiefs on the board with a sack against the Broncos, and with Jones still working back from a major Achilles injury, the Chiefs have every reason to keep him guessing.
In Other News...
Arrowhead Opener Comes With A Chiefs Tribute Fans Wont Want To Miss
Sunday night at Arrowhead brings more than a season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. It also comes with the kind of full-game-day atmosphere Chiefs fans have come to expect, from gate opening times and parking plans to the pregame entertainment and the reminder that concessions inside the stadium are cashless. For anyone heading to the building, the schedule is built around making the most of the first home date of the year.
The spotlight, though, will belong in part to Derrick Johnson, who is set to be inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor as part of the evenings celebrations. Add in the ticket options for fans still looking to get in and the expected weather for kickoff, and the opener feels like a mix of football and ceremony, with the Chiefs trying to start the year in front of a crowd that will have plenty to take in before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Turn To Familiar Defensive Help As Injuries Test Depth
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Harris has been called up before when injuries hit the defensive line, while Christiansens promotion helps cover linebacker depth after Cooper McDonalds injury. Fullback Ben VanSumeren was also moved to the active roster, another sign the Chiefs are leaning back into a position that has recently found a place in their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Tight End Battle Is Starting To Put Jared Wiley In A Bind
Jared Wileys Chiefs tenure has already been complicated by injuries, and the early part of this season has only sharpened the pressure around his spot. He was inactive for Week 1 and did not play, while Jake Briningstool handled the third-tight-end role and saw the field, a small but meaningful sign of how Kansas City is sorting through its depth at the position.
For a team that is staring at a possible transition at tight end over the next few seasons, those little shifts matter. Wiley still has time to carve out a role, but the competition is real, Briningstool has been the more available option, and the longer Wiley stays on the sideline, the harder it becomes to make a clear case for where he fits in the Chiefs plans. [Read more 🡒]