5 things to watch for in Week 3

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the road again, this time traveling to Indianapolis to face the Colts in their home opener.

The Chiefs are looking to keep their winning streak alive, while Indy is looking to get their first win of the 2022 NFL season. The Colts have a 17-10 all-time record over Kansas City, but the Chiefs have won two of the past three games against them. What will it take for K.C. to come away with their third win of the season?

Here are five of the things we’ll be looking for during the course of the game:

Slowing down Colts RBs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines

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All week the Chiefs have been talking about slowing down the Colts’ rushing attack. They have the NFL’s 2021 rushing title winner in Jonathan Taylor and a solid backup in Nyheim Hines, who pose a formidable threat to their game plan. If Taylor and Hines get going and Indianapolis can play ball control offense, it’ll be their best shot at winning in Week 3. Even the pass-rushers in Kansas City are honed in on stopping the running game.

“Yeah, when you talk about the Colts, I think you have to bring up their running back (Colts RB Jonathan Taylor) first,” Chiefs rookie DE George Karlaftis said. “Really both of their backs (Jonathan Taylor and Colts RB Nyheim Hines). They have two talented backs. We’ve watched some tape, and that’s where it all starts with them. It starts with their run game, and for us, it’s all about stopping that and then getting to third down and stopping their passing attack. We’re really focused on stopping the run and then getting the quarterback. We have little packages and little things that we will be able to do when the time comes, but it all starts with stopping the run.”

The Chiefs have the league’s tenth-ranked run defense through two games so far. It’s been a pleasant surprise for Kansas City, but will it hold up against this talented rushing duo on Sunday? It will be a big test for the team, that’s for certain.

Patrick Mahomes vs. Gus Bradley’s defense (and in a dome)

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Patrick Mahomes has a lot going for him heading into this game.

First, he’s playing against a defense that is coordinated by Gus Bradley. Dating back to his days with the Seahawks, Bradley is known for playing the highest percentage of Cover 3 defensive looks in the NFL. Last season, Bradley was the defensive…