The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs for their second Monday Night Football matchup. Here are three keys to pulling off an upset.
1. Stay on the field.
After starting the season 0-2, the Chiefs are beginning to look like the juggernauts they've been for the past decade, particularly on offense. They're a top 10 scoring unit heading into the Monday night matchup, and they're preparing to play a Commanders defense that is performing near the bottom of several categories.
Although the Commanders have promised changes on defense that will improve the unit's performance, perhaps the best way to beat the Chiefs' offense is to keep them off the field. That's where Marcus Mariota and the Commanders' offense comes into play, although maintaining drives has not been their strength through seven games like it was last year. They currently rank 26th in time of possession compared to ninth at this point in the 2024 season.
Part of the solution could come from getting Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel back on the field together -- something that hasn't happened since Week 3. The absence of one, or as was the case last week, both players, has resulted in teams overcommitting to the run game, preventing the Commanders from establishing consistent drives. For example, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has faced eight defenders in the box on 31.5% of his snaps -- ninth highest in the league.
The hope is that McLaurin and Samuel's presence will help alleviate some of that pressure, and since the Chiefs are around the league average at defending the run, there's a chance the Commanders can exploit that weakness to keep Mahomes on the sideline.