The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens in what could be the game of the week.
Both teams will be looking to stay undefeated on the season. If the Chiefs win, it will be their third consecutive 3-0 start. Here are two Chiefs players, one on each side of the ball, to keep an eye on.
LT Cameron Erving
With left tackle Eric Fisher expected to miss a chunk of time with a groin injury, Erving will step in. Fisher is largely underappreciated because he is a former No. 1 overall pick, but make no mistake, Erving has big shoes to fill.
Erving played most of last week’s game against the Oakland Raiders and was solid overall. He had a bit of a shaky start, but that’s to be expected for a player coming off the bench. He would eventually settle in and played very well in pass protection.
He did, however, struggle with run blocking. To be fair, the entire Chiefs’ offensive line struggled in that department last week. Left tackle is the most important position along the offensive line, and Erving is blocking for the reigning MVP of the NFL. He’ll need to maintain his pass-blocking ability while finding a way to improve his run blocking.
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LB Anthony Hitchens
After a disappointing first season with the Chiefs, Hitchens seems more comfortable in new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 scheme. He’s second on the team in tackles with 12 and has made some impressive run stops in the first two games of the season.
He’ll face a tall task on Sunday against the Ravens’ rushing attack. Not only is quarterback Lamar Jackson the best running quarterback in the league, but Baltimore also has two solid running backs in Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards.
The Chiefs will need Hitchens to play fast but smart. If he keys too much on Jackson, Ingram and Edwards can burn the Chiefs’ defense. On the flip side, if Hitchens doesn’t respect Jackson’s running ability, Jackson can wreck the game with his legs.
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