Sunday Night Football brings the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks together in a game that carries plenty of weight for both teams. Kansas City is trying to keep its spotless start intact, while Seattle is aiming to climb back above .500 and knock off the last unbeaten AFC team.
The Chiefs arrive at 5-0 after a 22-6 divisional win over the winless Los Angeles Chargers. Even after missing the playoffs last season, Kansas City has settled back into the role of one of the league’s biggest threats as the regular season nears its midpoint.
Seattle is trying to bounce back after a 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks have dropped two straight, including a Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but they do have a little extra recovery time after playing Denver on Thursday Night Football last week.
Oddsmakers still opened Seattle as the favorite despite the records. Kansas City will be missing wide receiver Rashee Rice for a second straight game because of a hamstring/knee injury, and starting right tackle Jaylon Moore is out with a concussion. Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was limited all week with a knee injury and is questionable, while tight end Travis Kelce was limited all week with an ankle issue but carries no game designation.
Seattle has its own injury questions. Safety Nick Emmanwori landed on the report Friday as a limited participant with a hip injury and is questionable. Quarterback Drew Lock, along with linebackers Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Connor O'Toole, were all limited Friday as well and are also questionable.
The last time these teams met was in 2018, when Seattle won 38-31.
A big storyline belongs to Sam Darnold, and not for a good reason. After a turnover-filled outing against the Broncos, the old “seeing ghosts” line has resurfaced for a reason.
Back when he was with the New York Jets, Darnold said he was "seeing ghosts" in a game against the New England Patriots, and the quote quickly turned into a meme. Against Denver, he finished without a touchdown and threw two interceptions.
He now has seven picks on the season, which ranks second in the league. The issues are glaring, but there’s still belief he can clean things up; the concern is that the mistakes have to stop.
On the other side, Kenneth Walker is returning to Lumen Field in a very different jersey. The running back was recently named the MVP of Super Bowl LX in a Seahawks uniform, and now he’s back in Seattle as an opponent for the first time.
The Seahawks’ ground game has not just slipped without him; it has fallen behind him. Seattle has 643 rushing yards as a team, or 107.2 per game, while Walker has 665 yards himself in one fewer game, which comes out to 113.0 per game.
He also leads the NFL with 52 forced missed tackles and tops the league with 183 yards and six touchdowns against stacked boxes, defined as eight or more defenders.
The defenses on both sides bring another layer to the matchup. Seattle leads the NFL in fewest total yards allowed per game at 237.3, while Kansas City ranks sixth in that category at 306.0.
The Seahawks are especially stout against the pass, giving up just 141.3 yards per game through the air. Kansas City’s defense has done its best work against the run, allowing the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game at 88.8.
That matters because the Chiefs are also first in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 159.8, so their ground attack could be the deciding edge against a Seattle defense that is stronger versus the pass.
The pick here is the Chiefs, even with Walker expected to make his presence felt back in his old home. Darnold should look sharper, but another turnover feels likely.
Kansas City’s next game is a divisional matchup with the Broncos, who enter Week 7 at 4-2. Seattle gets another primetime spot next week and will host the Chicago Bears, who come in at 5-2 after beating the Patriots and having a few extra days to prepare following Thursday Night Football.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Running Back Decision Fans Didnt Expect
With the NFL trade deadline approaching and the backfield picture starting to shift, the Seahawks are suddenly in a position where they may have to decide whether to add at running back or move pieces out to make room. Injuries around the league, the possible return of healthier options in Seattle, and the chance to chase a bigger name all have the front office looking at a group that includes Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Zach Charbonnet.
What makes this a little more intriguing is the contract side of it. Wilson, Holani and Charbonnet are all on expiring deals, which gives Seattle some flexibility if it wants to pursue another runner, whether that means a splashier target or simply more depth. Charbonnets recovery from ACL surgery only adds another layer to the discussion, because the Seahawks still have to weigh what he can be coming off the injury against what the roster might need in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Painful Kenneth Walker Reminder From Mike Macdonald
Kenneth Walker III has stayed in the conversation around Seattle even after moving on, and Mike Macdonald made sure of that during a recent SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance. The Seahawks coach was complimentary about the running backs work with the Kansas City Chiefs, pointing to Walkers strong play and the way he has backed it up with some of the leagues top statistical production.
For Seattle, the reminder stings a little because Walker was not kept on the franchise tag earlier this year before landing a three-year deal with Kansas City. Macdonalds comments arrived just as the Chiefs are set to face the Seahawks, adding a little extra weight to a matchup that already carries an obvious layer of familiarity and second-guessing. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Put Perfect Start On The Line Against Walkers Former Team
Kenneth Walker III has helped fuel Kansas Citys 5-0 start, giving the Chiefs another dynamic piece as they try to keep their perfect opening intact. The matchup also brings some familiarity for Seattle, which is trying to settle in as defending Super Bowl champions while navigating a 3-3 beginning that has been shaped by uneven quarterback play from Sam Darnold and injuries in the backfield.
The Seahawks have still had a dependable presence in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose value has only grown as the offense works through its issues. Still, this is the kind of game that can sharpen the questions around Seattles early-season identity, with the Chiefs carrying momentum and a back who knows exactly what his former team is trying to do on the other side. [Read more 🡒]