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Jim Nantz says Chiefs vs. Cowboys will set Thanksgiving records | Chiefs Wire
“K.C. and Dallas, to put those two gigantic brands together on the most-watched day of the regular season in the NFL, it’s gonna set records,” said Nantz. “That’s not what I’m out for it to do. I just hope it’s a great football game. It will be a wonderful matchup to call on Thanksgiving. K.C. at Dallas, it’s the game we wanted.”
The current ratings record was set three seasons ago, as 42.1 million watched Dallas defeat the New York Giants 28-20. The Chiefs have earned a reputation for getting viewers tuned in over their Super Bowl runs, and Thanksgiving this season should set a new standard for the league.
NFL Football Power Index: 2025 projections, Super Bowl chances | ESPN
Could we see an Eagles-Chiefs repeat in the Super Bowl?
Two of the past three Super Bowls have been between Kansas City and Philadelphia. Will it be three of four? The 4.2% chance of a Super Bowl LIX repeat is the greatest of any combination of teams in our Super Bowl matchup projections, slightly besting the 3.6% chances of Ravens-Eagles and Bills-Eagles matchups. Top combinations are listed below and rounded to the nearest whole number.
One bounce-back candidate for all 32 NFL teams in 2025 | PFF
Kansas City Chiefs: RBIsiah Pacheco
A fractured fibula disrupted Pacheco’s 2024 season early on, and he didn’t quite look like himself after returning. He posted a career-low 65.2 rushing grade and forced just seven missed tackles on 96 carries. He was also a minimal factor in the passing game. That pass-catching role may shift to rookie Brashard Smith moving forward, but with a full offseason to recover, Pacheco is a strong candidate to bounce back as a runner in 2025.
PFF Running Back Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2025 NFL season | PFF
23.ISIAH PACHECO,KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Pacheco missed a significant chunk of time last season due to a fractured fibula in Week 2. He has been a solid player for the Chiefs over the past three seasons and is not afraid to lower his shoulder and secure tough yards. His 80.2 PFF rushing grade in 2023 was a career-best figure, but his yards-after-contact average has still been below 3.00 in each of the past two years.
Top 10 most complete NFL teams for 2025 season: Bills, Eagles, Lions among well-rounded squads | NFL.com
4 -Kansas City Chiefs
They continue to tinker with their wide receivers and offensive line. There will be new faces on defense, too. But the core of the 2025 Chiefs resembles the team that has forged its way into playing in five of the past six Super Bowls. They might be coming off a lopsided loss in Super Bowl LIX, but I don’t expect them to undergo a precipitous decline.
Kansas City’s defense had carried a bigger chunk of the load in recent years, but the Super Bowl LIX blowout proved the unit required reinforcements. Four draft picks, including three on Day 2, should help with depth. DT Chris Jones and CB Trent McDuffie are elite defenders, and the Chiefs also have solid to strong playmakers throughout the defense. New CBs Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams should help.
Patrick Mahomes’ production has slipped a bit from his absolute peak a few years back, but he remains one of the most dangerous QBs in the game entering his age-30 season. Back along his side is Travis Kelce, a better running back situation than the team had last season and plenty of talent at receiver. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown and rookie Jalen Royals all can be weapons. The offensive line has undergone big changes, but it could be better in 2025.
Some shakiness in the trenches keeps us from giving them an A across the board on the report card, but Mahomes and a handful of other elite players, combined with solid middle-of-the-roster talent, makes this crew a top-10 lock in my book. Drop them after the Super Bowl blowout at your own risk; there’s enough left in the tank for another run.
100 days until 2025 NFL kickoff: 100 most important players in upcoming season | CBS Sports
AFC West
80.Patrick Mahomes posted his fewest passing yards and lowest yards per attempt as a starter in 2024, and his 6.3 air yards per attempt were also a career low. He spent long stretches as a game manager — a title that shouldn’t be disparaging — and he is absolutely outstanding at that (10th in EPA per dropback) considering what he can do when he has to be more than a game manager. But with Xavier Worthy entering Year 2, Rashee Rice returning from injury, Marquise Brown healthy and Travis Kelce back, we’ll see if Mahomes returns to a more explosive version of himself.
81. The Chiefs have tried the veteran stopgap and the rookie development paths at left tackle, and none have really worked out as well as they hoped. This year, they are trying both, bringing in toolsy but little-used veteran Jaylon Moore as well as first-round pick Josh Simmons, who was outstanding at Ohio State but is coming off a torn patellar tendon.
2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Arch Manning Lands in Vegas, Browns Go QB at No. 1 | Pro Football Network
31) Kansas City Chiefs
Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M
While the Kansas City Chiefs remain the class of the AFC, they could stand to add some investments in the secondary going forward, particularly at cornerback alongside Trent McDuffie.
Will Lee III is a long 6’3″ corner with surprising agility and solid ball skills. He’s totaled four interceptions and 16 pass breakups across his last two college seasons, showing the traits needed to thrive on the boundary.
Around the NFL
Terry Bradshaw: Steelers’ interest in QB Rodgers ‘a joke’ | ESPN
The four-time Super Bowl-winning Steelers quarterback didn’t hold back in his assessment of the seemingly never-ending flirtation between Rodgers and Bradshaw’s former team. In a radio interview with 103.7 The Buzz in Arkansas on Tuesday, Bradshaw lambasted the Steelers for their interest in signing the 41-year-old.
“That’s a joke. That to me is just a joke,” Bradshaw said. “What are you going to do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me? That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.”
Kirk Cousins’s limited involvement in offseason is good for Falcons | NBC Sports
The Falcons are trying to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. as the starting quarterback. Having Cousins around will only make things awkward.
Cousins’s decision to not show up for the voluntary session, which had nothing to do with it happening on a Tuesday, should have been no surprise. Last week (as noted by Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com) offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said Cousins has been present for only a “handful” of offseason sessions.
Cousins wants to move on. The Falcons want to move on. Cousins wanted to wait until after the draft to explore potential starting jobs, given the manner in which the rug was pulled out from under him in 2024. By delaying the decision-making, however, Cousins is largely out of options. Unless Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign with the Steelers, there’s no current destination.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs Roster: What Elijah Young will bring to the team’s running backs
Young’s best trait is his first-step explosiveness: when he gets the ball, he can quickly shift into his top gear, using his speed to get to the sideline and beat top-down angles. While Young really only plays in his fifth gear, he gets there very quickly — and his instant explosiveness helps him get to the edge.
Young runs with a low center of gravity. While he doesn’t have the size to break a large number of tackles, it’s tough for defensive backs to bring him down in the open field when Young throws his weight into the defender.
Despite his small size, Young presents a solid presence in pass protection. His eyes are always where they should be — and he’s not afraid to lay a big, physical chip.
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