The Kansas City Chiefs are set to face the Carolina Panthers in a Week 12 matchup that could see the defending Super Bowl champions lose their lead for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
After losing its first game of the season to the Buffalo Bills last week, Kansas City is looking to “get right” against the 3-7 Panthers at Bank of America Stadium this afternoon.
Though Carolina is a relatively easy opponent for the Chiefs to face after their brutal defeat at the hands of Buffalo, Kansas City won’t be able to let its guard down in hostile territory.
Given the massive implications that a loss could have on the Chiefs’ playoff standings, fans can expect Kansas City to play a clean game on both sides of the ball.
Check out our official staff predictions for the Chiefs’ Week 12 matchup against the Panthers:
Oct. 5, 2008; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) runs the ball in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs are interested in starting a new winning streak this Sunday when they visit the Carolina Panthers. Carolina is fresh from two consecutive victories and a bye week and has plenty of momentum.
Patrick Mahomes will actively seek to get his star tight end in the mix early and often after his subpar performance last week against the Buffalo Bills. DeAndre Hopkins also hopes to have a bounceback performance against a Panthers team that has talent on the defensive side of the ball. Kareem Hunt expects his carries to increase after head coach Andy Reid feels he should’ve run the ball more in Week 11.
Defensively, the Chiefs need to put more pressure on Bryce Young and collect more sacks after weeks of being reminded that their performance was not as impressive as last year’s. The secondary will take advantage and get more takeaways, especially with a young quarterback under pressure.
Final score: Chiefs 38, Panthers 14
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 19: Priest Holmes #31 of the Kansas City Chiefs evades cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. #24 of the Carolina Panthers during the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 19, 2004 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 28-17. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs may no longer be undefeated, but Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers presents the perfect opportunity to bounce back.
The Chiefs’ offense struggled last week against a fairly good Buffalo Bills defense. The Panthers’ run defense, however, has been less-than-great this season and Kansas City will take full advantage of that. Running back Kareem Hunt will see plenty of action this weekend as quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to get his rhythm back.
Carolina has been, to put it nicely, bad this season. Quarterback Bryce Young has struggled all season and is just returning from being benched for Andy Dalton. Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will make a concerted effort to bring pressure on the young quarterback to hopefully relieve the struggling secondary.
Final score: Chiefs 32, Panthers 18
Oct. 5, 2008; Charlotte, NC, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (27) runs against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score, Carolina 34, Kansas City 0. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have the perfect opportunity to make their comeback this week against the Carolina Panthers.
While the Chiefs didn’t look their best when they faced the Buffalo Bills last week, they will not need to play their A-game to beat the Panthers. Carolina has numerous holes in its game for Kansas City to exploit, and every time it has faced a strong opponent this season, it has ended in a blowout.
The Panthers will be coming into this matchup with some confidence thanks to their wins against their past two opponents, but with an overall record of 3-7, it’s improbable that they will pose a serious threat to the Chiefs. Kansas City will enter this game hungry to win, using last week’s loss to the Bills as fuel to drive them to victory.
Final score: Chiefs 34, Panthers 14
Dec 2, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) carries the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
The Chiefs sometimes seem to lose games like this, and while I won’t predict an upset this week, I doubt that Kansas City will win by more than two possessions.
Despite their 9-1 record, something is a bit off with this Chiefs team. In a league full of deeply flawed teams, Kansas City has proven that, despite its past accomplishments, the defending Super Bowl champions are beatable, even if their opponents don’t play a perfect game.
The Chiefs need to tighten up their approach to earn their tenth victory of the season, and with the No. 1 seed in the palm of their hands, fans should expect Kansas City to take care of business against Carolina, even if they don’t win by a wide margin.
Final score: Chiefs 27, Panthers 19
December 02, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) goes under center in the first quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
