Chiefs vs. Cardinals: Three key matchups for Week 1

These matchups are most likely to sway the outcome of the game. Here we’ll unpack the three matchups to watch when the Chiefs and Cardinals take the field.

Welcome to Week 1, where every team has Super Bowl aspirations and nothing is certain. The Chiefs open at the Arizona Cardinals, who advanced to the playoffs in 2021 despite playing in a very competitive NFC West. This year, the AFC West can boast of being the most competitive division, making it all the more important that the Chiefs get off on the right foot in Week 1.

Each week, we’ll unpack three key matchups to watch during the upcoming Chiefs game. These matchups are most likely to sway the outcome of the game. Let’s take a glance at the three matchups to watch when the Chiefs and Cardinals take the field.

Andrew Wylie vs. J.J. Watt

Offensive lineman Andrew Wylie has exceeded every expectation with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has started games at four positions on the offensive line over the extent of his career, and since taking over at right tackle in 2021 (after Lucas Niang’s season-ending injury), he has cemented his grip in the lineup. It’s through no fault of his own that Wylie is still the weakest link on the Chiefs’ o-line. That’s not a dig on the former undrafted free agent; rather, it’s a testament to the strength of this team’s front five. Orlando Brown, Jr., Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith are each excellent at their respective positions (left-to-right across the line), but it is Wylie who will presumably be tasked with blocking future Hall-of-Famer J.J. Watt on Sunday.

Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All Pro during his ten seasons in Houston, brought his talents to the desert in 2021 and started the first seven games of the season before suffering a dislocated shoulder as well as torn labrum, biceps, and rotator cuff during against (ironically) the Texans. Watt did make a miraculous return in order to face the Rams in the playoffs, but his impact was minimal.

And that’s where the question lies with Watt, is how much gas is left in the tank? The Cardinals’ star defensive end is officially questionable to play with a calf injury, but he also knows a thing or two about playing hurt. This is a 33-year-old player whose injury list at the pro level includes:

• dislocated elbow
• herniated disk
• broken hand
• abdominal muscle tears
• another herniated disk
• dislocated finger
• broken leg
• torn pec
• sprained hip
• hamstring strain Grade 2
• aforementioned array of injuries in 2021 Texans game

That is an Eric-Berry-esque catalog of boo-boos. To make matters worse, Watt did not play a single snap of preseason football. He did not take the field in the Cardinals’ first match against the Bengals, missed the final two games of the preseason with Covid, and hasn’t practiced all week.

But if there is anyone in the NFL who could make it back to the field after all of that, it is Watt. And let’s be honest, 75% of J.J. Watt is still a monumental task for most offensive linemen. The Cardinals will have to keep tabs on his snap counts, but they are potentially short-handed up front. Edge rusher Markus Golden is also questionable with a toe injury, and if he can’t suit up, Watt will be even more important to the Cardinals’ pass rush.

Wylie may appear overmatched with the 6’5″ 290-lb. Watt on paper, but he held his own in 2021 against marquee players like Maxx Crosby and T.J. Watt. After an entire offseason of preparation at tackle, Wylie’s effort to neutralize Watt will give us an excellent early-season glimpse into what we can expect from him in his first full season starting at tackle instead of guard.

George Karlaftis and Frank Clark vs. Kyler Murray

The Chiefs are favored to win Sunday’s game, and if the injury report bears any truth to it, Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury will have to pull out all the stops on offense in an effort to keep pace. That recipe would result in a valid test for four rookie Chiefs in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is expected to rely heavily on first-round pick Trent McDuffie, as well as three other rookies who figure to play situational snaps: safety Bryan Cook (who could fill the third safety role in Spagnuolo’s nickel packages), and cornerbacks Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson.

That said, the pivotal element to the Chiefs’ success in this case will be the Chiefs’ ability to pressure and contain Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. The 5’10” 205-lb. quarterback is well-known for extending plays, and against a rookie-laden secondary, Murray could do serious damage if he is able to get out of the pocket and make plays on the run.

All eyes are on Karlaftis, the first round pick, as he begins his pro career, and Clark, who has made some positive changes in his life and is needing a bounce-back season in 2022. The Chiefs will rotate Carlos Dunlap and Mike Danna on the edge as well, but expect to see #55 and #56 to receive the bulk of the snaps outside. They will square off against Arizona tackles DJ Humphries and Kelvin Beachum, who have each been serviceable and remarkably durable for the last several years. Karlaftis’ ability to crush the pocket and Clark’s tendency toward outside contain will help in the Chiefs’ attempt to keep the Arizona signal-caller in check. The Cardinals’ pathway to a victory in this situation will have to go through Murray, so the Chiefs must get more from their pass rush than they came to expect in 2021.

Travis Kelce vs. Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson

One on-field result that is bound to come from the offseason trade of Tyreek Hill is that teams will be giving Travis Kelce even more attention on 3rd downs than they used to do, if that is even possible. Where that becomes interesting is that the Cardinals’ strength is in the middle of the field, with linebackers Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, and safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.

In 2021, defensive coordinators (finally) figured out that 7-man or 8-man coverages were the only way to defend Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Opposing two-high safety looks altered Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ offensive approach, and while it didn’t stop the Chiefs, it certainly slowed them.

And that’s where things get interesting. The Cardinals’ safety tandem is among the best in the league, and it is more likely that they will occasionally roll the dice and vary their usage in coverage in hopes of forcing a mistake. If the Cardinals utilize the two-high method with Baker and Thompson, that will put a lot of pressure on Simmons and Collins to cover Kelce, the most consistent and productive tight end in the league. Expect the Chiefs to look Kelce’s way on first and second downs, in anticipation of the Cardinals giving him extra attention on third down. If the Cardinals hyper-focus on doubling Kelce (presumably with Baker), Mahomes will be able to exploit deep zones, as he has done with ease throughout the course of his career.

Therein lies the conundrum for defensive coordinators all season long, and one of the reasons this Chiefs offense will be so interesting to follow as the season unfolds.