Chiefs vs. Giants: A clash of limited front sevens
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants will both be without a few key players when they face off on Sunday afternoon in Week 11.
Both the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Giants have dealt with a number of serious injuries that have taken their toll on the team’s overall success and productivity so far in 2017. For the Giants, that understatement will likely make fans laugh, but the Chiefs have also dealt with serious losses from Eric Berry to Chris Conley to Spencer Ware. But together, the franchises will even be dealing with new injuries as both front sevens will be seriously limited as the two teams clash on Sunday.
For the Giants, run stuffer Damon Harrison is questionable and emerging linebacker B.J. Goodson, who has started his first five games this year, has been listed as out on the injury report. Linebacker Devon Kennard is also questionable, further thinning out a linebacking corps that will be challenged by running back Kareem Hunt on Sunday, a tailback who excels at shedding first contact and getting to the second level.
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Chiefs fans, however, will likely get a good look at the promise of Dalvin Tomlinson, who will be a force in the middle for the Giants for years to come. He was a home run pick in the second round, a la Chris Jones, for the Giants and will help lock down the defensive front to counter Hunt’s running ability.
For the Chiefs, three members of the front seven will be out although a couple of those players are rotational guys. That said, all three of them should be solid contributors to the Chiefs pass rush, so once again K.C. will be hard pressed to generate much pressure outside of Justin Houston’s presence. Dee Ford will sit with a lingering back injury despite having two weeks off to heal at the bye week. Allen Bailey and Tamba Hali are also out, surprising moves considering Hali just returned from the Physically Unable to Play list and the former is simply a new injury listing.
If Tanoh Kpassagnon can build upon his season high 10 snaps from two weeks ago, the Chiefs could use him as a bit of extra help on pass rushing downs. Once again, expect Frank Zombo to play the lion’s share of minutes opposite Houston.
If the Chiefs find themselves too thin, once again, at pass rush after this week to the point where it put the team in a position to potentially lose—especially against a one-win team like the Giants—then it might help the Chiefs decide to activate Dadi Nicolas sooner than later for Week 12 and beyond.