The Kansas City Chiefs are set to participate in preseason action on Friday night against the Arizona Cardinals. It should be a great matchup, as both teams will be evaluating their rosters for the regular season. As usual, the Chiefs have a stacked team and they plan to make another Super Bowl run in the third consecutive year in a row.
Kansas City faces some stiff competition this year as multiple franchises in the AFC look like Super Bowl contenders. After spending most of their attention on the offensive line, the front office hopes to have a better unit protecting Patrick Mahomes. Additionally, the defense hopefully shows improvement as well, as it will make the Chiefs a better team as a whole.
Outside of Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, there aren't too many exciting skills players on the Kansas City Chiefs roster. However, the running game might be improved from a year ago, which could make the offense more diverse. Meanwhile, the Chiefs need someone else to step up in the wide receiver room, as it'll open up the field for the offense in general. With that said, here are four bold predictions for the Chiefs preseason matchup against the Cardinals.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
4. The offensive line shows improvement
The offensive line has a nice challenge ahead of themselves in their Friday night game. Arizona has a stellar pass rush, but we'll see how many of the starters participate in the preseason. Either way, their exciting young rookies should be featured often. This gives Kansas City the opportunity to go head-to-head with a talented group. After numerous acquisitions in the offseason, the Chiefs should be able to show a glimpse of their improved offensive line on Friday night.
3. The defense plays great
Defense hasn't been a strong suit for Kansas City recently as they've finished in the middle of the pack in recent years. However, the Cardinals have plenty of talented skills position players to give the Chiefs defense a nice challenge. If they can bottle up the Cardinals' offense, the league might need to begin worrying about the Chiefs' defense as much as the offense.
2. Chiefs running game is on full display
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is set to be the starting running back, but the Chiefs have a plethora of rushers behind him as well. Kansas City might lean towards the run game more often this year to help control the clock. The running backs have been impressive throughout training camp and the coaching staff is hopeful that it translates to games. Look for the run game to be on full display, as the Chiefs hope to improve in that area. If Clyde Edwards-Helaire can take a step forward in his development, the Chiefs could have an elite running game.
1. Byron Pringle Shines
The Chiefs failed to reel in a replacement for Sammy Watkins this offseason, as each of their free-agent targets opted to play elsewhere. All eyes have been on Mecole Hardman, who has been an unpredictable target in the Chiefs' offense. Instead, Byron Pringle has been balling out throughout training camp, creating a possibility to become the starting wide receiver opposite Tyreek Hill. Look for Byron Pringle to capitalize on his opportunity on Friday night, as a solid performance could put him ahead of Hardmon on the depth chart.
Follow Us
Subscribe