3. Willie Gay, Linebacker
One of the more disappointing players on the Chiefs this season, for various reasons, has been Willie Gay. He hasn’t been awful but I don’t believe he’s taken the step forward that many expected him to. Nick Bolton has been reliable all season, but after him, there have been inconsistencies. Gay should see the second-most snaps of all linebackers for Kansas City and he will be asked to do almost everything. He will need to be near-perfect in coverage, defend the run effectively, and be able to chase down Jalen Hurts if/when he scrambles. If Willie Gay can play one of his best games of the season, the Chiefs should be good to go at the second level.
4. Juan Thornhill, Safety
Not many players have received more hate from fans this season than safety Juan Thornhill. He had issues tackling but seems to have cleaned them up in recent weeks and has also been solid in coverage. Both of those trends have to remain true against the Eagles or else the Chiefs will be in trouble. I expect the Chiefs to play a decent amount of cover-two and that means Thornhill will be in charge of ensuring the Eagles don’t have an explosive play on his side of the field. He will also need to play very well against the run at the second level. The Eagles have had many explosive plays in the running game this year, which could mean the safeties playing an invaluable role in that portion of the game. The team cannot afford missed tackles by their safeties in this game.
Justin Reid has been a solid addition and Bryan Cook has had a good rookie year but Juan Thornhill may be the odd man out for next season. He’s a pending free agent and this could be his last game as a Chief. If it is his final game in Kansas City, it needs to be a great one.