Biggest matchup Chiefs must exploit in Week 3 Sunday Night Football vs. Giants

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Biggest matchup Chiefs must exploit in Week 3 Sunday Night Football vs. Giants

Garrett Kerman, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Fri, Sep 19, 2025 ·

4 min read

Giants Run Defense: A Glaring Weakness

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Giants defense was expected to be a strength entering 2025, but their run defense has been among the league's worst. New York allowed 220 rushing yards to the Washington Commanders in Week 1 and 135 rushing yards to Dallas in Week 2, ranking dead last in the NFL with 455 yards allowed per game. This represents a continuation of last season's struggles, when they finished 27th in run defense, allowing 136.2 yards per game.

The Giants' investment in their pass rush—featuring Brian Burns , Kayvon Thibodeaux , Dexter Lawrence , and rookie Abdul Carter —has come at the expense of run stopping ability. While their pass rush has generated 31% pressure rate (16th in NFL) and six sacks through two games, their inability to stop the run creates cascading problems. When offenses succeed on early downs, it keeps the Giants' highly-paid pass rushers off the field in obvious passing situations, negating their primary defensive strength.

Chiefs' Ground Game Opportunity With Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt

Despite Kansas City's own rushing struggles—ranking 17th with just 94 yards from running backs Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt on 28 carries (3.36 YPC)—they possess a unique weapon in Patrick Mahomes' scrambling ability . The Chiefs quarterback leads all NFL signal-callers with 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 attempts, averaging 9.5 yards per carry. All of Mahomes' rushes have been scrambles, highlighting his improvisational skills when facing pressure.

The Chiefs have struggled mightily on third downs, converting just 34.6% of attempts (26th in NFL), a dramatic decline from their 47% conversion rate between 2022-2024 that ranked second-best in the league. However, the Giants' poor run defense creates an opportunity to stay ahead of the chains on early downs, making third-and-manageable situations more achievable.

Kansas City ranks second in the NFL in explosive rushing plays (10+ yards), with seven of their nine such plays coming from Mahomes scrambles. This scrambling threat becomes even more dangerous against a Giants defense that allows 38.7 yards per drive to opponents and has surrendered six red zone touchdowns on seven opportunities.

How the Chiefs Can Exploit This Matchup

The Chiefs must commit to establishing the run game early, utilizing both designed runs for Mahomes and traditional handoffs to keep the Giants honest. Running the ball effectively serves multiple purposes: it controls the Giants' talented pass rush, keeps drives alive, and creates play-action opportunities downfield.

Kansas City's offensive line has faced criticism, allowing pressure in an average of 2.45 seconds (fifth-quickest in NFL), but running the ball is the most effective way to neutralize pass rush pressure. The Giants have shown vulnerability to both inside and outside zone concepts, particularly when they're forced to respect Mahomes' scrambling threat.

The Chiefs should also exploit the Giants' tendency to bring extra rushers. New York's defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has deployed pressure packages frequently, but this aggressive approach can leave running lanes open for both designed runs and Mahomes scrambles. Kansas City must identify these opportunities pre-snap and audible to running plays when appropriate.

Success in this matchup hinges on the Chiefs' ability to establish early-down efficiency through their ground game. If Kansas City can consistently gain four-to-six yards on first and second down, they'll create manageable third-down situations where their struggling conversion rate becomes less critical.

The Giants have scored touchdowns on just 14.3% of red zone possessions (league average is 58.5%), meaning the Chiefs don't need explosive plays to build leads. Sustained drives featuring methodical rushing attacks can wear down the Giants defense and control game tempo.

Moreover, establishing the run sets up Kansas City's play-action passing game, which has been effective when utilized. Mahomes has completed passes to 11 different receivers this season, but the lack of a consistent ground game has limited the Chiefs' ability to use their diverse passing attack effectively.

The Chiefs' championship pedigree and coaching advantage under Andy Reid become amplified when they can dictate pace through ball control. Against a Giants team that has struggled with penalties and missed assignments rather than talent deficiencies, Kansas City's discipline and execution advantages should prove decisive if they commit to exploiting New York's run defense weakness consistently throughout the game.