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Lessons the KC Chiefs Can Take Into Sunday’s AFC Championship Game Against Cincinnati Bengals

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Lessons the KC Chiefs Can Take Into Sunday’s AFC Championship Game Against Cincinnati Bengals


The AFC Championship Sport on Sunday would be the fourth assembly between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals for the reason that starting of 2022. The Bengals are 3-0 within the earlier three conferences, together with final 12 months’s AFC Championship Sport, successful all three contests by three factors. 

Whereas looking for their first win on this current rivalry, the Chiefs had been initially the underdogs for the primary time on this sequence. Whereas the road has been transferring, this presents a novel alternative for Kansas Metropolis to play the “doubters” card and present why they’re the highest canines within the AFC this week.

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The main query mark heading into Sunday is Patrick Mahomes’s well being. He left the Chiefs’ first playoff sport of this 12 months with an ankle harm earlier than returning for the second half. He was hampered whereas on the market, however all indicators level to him enjoying in opposition to the Bengals. The excellent news for Kansas Metropolis is that there are methods to gameplan round having a less-mobile Mahomes.

That plan will begin with the working sport. Andy Reid is infamous for preferring to go and shying away from the run sport. The reliance on Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon goes to be crucial. Within the Week 13 assembly between these two groups, the Chiefs had success on the bottom — even with out arguably their greatest offensive lineman in Joe Thuney. Each Pacheco and McKinnon averaged greater than 4.5 yards per carry. Reid ought to lean on the bottom sport early to decelerate the Bengals’ skill to get after Mahomes.

Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) breaks away to the outside in the fourth quarter of a Week 13 NFL game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit:Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

Outdoors of Travis Kelce, Pacheco and McKinnon stands out as the Chiefs’ most vital offensive talent gamers, together with within the passing sport. The Bengals have proven an inclination to drop eight into protection in opposition to the Chiefs. They did this within the second half of final 12 months’s AFC Championship Sport and gave the offense issues. Mahomes wasn’t keen to take the check-down that day. Nonetheless, he has proven that he will achieve this this season. Getting the ball out to the working backs in area when nobody is open downfield shall be key to extending drives.

Just like check-downs, the short passing sport must be used lots. With the attainable return of Mecole Hardman and the emergence of Kadarius Toney, the Chiefs have playmakers who could make performs with the ball of their fingers. Count on the Chiefs to run lots of pop passes, jet sweeps and screens to let their playmakers work to take strain off of Mahomes. The Bengals have but to see the Chiefs this season with both Hardman or Toney, which can provide them an edge on this matchup.

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (19) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Las Vegas Raiders with tight end Travis Kelce (87) during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Switching over to the defensive facet of the ball, all of it begins up entrance. In that Week 13 assembly, the Chiefs’ line of defense performed considered one of its worst video games this season. The entrance barely acquired strain on Joe Burrow and sacked him simply as soon as. That one sack got here on the finish of the sport, the place Burrow went right down to hold the clock working. The line of defense must be at its peak to place Kansas Metropolis in one of the best place to win. Chris Jones has been the Chiefs’ greatest defensive participant this season and can possible get many of the consideration from Cincinnati. Meaning Frank Clark, George Karlaftis, Carlos Dunlap and the opposite pass-rushers should win their one-on-one matchups.

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Although the line of defense performed poorly, they weren’t the worst unit on protection that week. The Chiefs’ linebackers, to place it flippantly, had been horrible. Burrow and the Bengals’ weapons took advance of their struggles over and over. They had been passive in opposition to the run and allowed Cincinnati to achieve additional yards with poor tackling. The linebackers performed on their heels in go protection and had been exploited in protection all through all the sport. The younger unit should play at the next stage on Sunday to stop a repeat efficiency.

Nov 27, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) celebrates with defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) after a sack against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Everybody is aware of the energy of the Bengals is their passing assault with their deadly weapons mixed with their elite quarterback. In that earlier sport in Cincinnati, the secondary performed very properly, particularly in man. The Chiefs have been a major zone crew this 12 months, but they need to play extra man protection on this matchup. The Bengals sliced up the Buffalo Payments’ mushy zones in final week’s Divisional Spherical matchup. 

Enjoying passive and afraid in opposition to the Bengals’ offense will enable them to march up and down the sphere. Kansas Metropolis has to take the battle to them and may play press and man protection for many of the sport. Belief the defensive backs to carry up in protection and make the throwing home windows tighter, as Burrow likes to get the ball out rapidly. If the Chiefs can do this, in addition to observe a couple of different keys, they’ve a great probability of snagging their first win on this ongoing sequence.



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Kansas State Alternate Uniforms In Rate Bowl Draw Mixed Reactions From Fans

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Kansas State Alternate Uniforms In Rate Bowl Draw Mixed Reactions From Fans


The Kansas State Wildcats decided to switch things up a bit by wearing alternate uniforms for Thursday’s Rate Bowl against Rutgers in Phoenix.

The biggest difference was trading in silver for a white helmet. While most fans liked the look, there were some who weren’t impressed. They felt the Wildcats unis were fine as they were.

Many were more concerned with the Wildcats’ bad luck wearing new digs. They entered having lost the previous four games in a different uniform. It didn’t help K-State trailed 27-17 at halftime to make more fans dislike the new look.

Here are some first-half highlights:

RUTGERS 27 – WILDCATS 17

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Rutgers added to their lead with a field goal after picking off Wildcats quarterback Johnson.

RUTGERS 24 – WILDCATS 17

Raymond rushes for another touchdown with a 24-yard run to regain the lead.

RUTGERS 17 – WILDCATS 17

Jayce Brown’s 34-yard rush set up a Dylan Edwards touchdown reception. The offense gets creative utilizing receivers in the run game and the backs coming out the backfield.

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RUTGERS 17 – WILDCATS 10

Running back Raymond’s 65-yard run sets up the score by Ja’shon Benjamin.

RUTGERS 10 – WILDCATS 10

The Scarlet Knight failed to capitalize on Ian Strong’s 60-yard reception, and instead have to settle for a field goal to start the second quarter.

RUTGERS 7 – WILDCATS 10

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Avery Johnson caps off a Wildcats touchdown drive with a red zone rush. He connected with top receiver Jayce Brown.

RUTGERS 7 – WILDCATS 3

Rutgers running back Antwan Raymond put the Scarlet Knights up 7-3 midway through the first quarter. A few big runs by quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis highlighted the touchdown drive.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Kansas City Chief’s Hollywood Brown Has A Real Estate Investment Company And Wants to Empower Other Athletes To Invest

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Kansas City Chief’s Hollywood Brown Has A Real Estate Investment Company And Wants to Empower Other Athletes To Invest


Kansas City Chief’s Hollywood Brown Has A Real Estate Investment Company And Wants to Empower Other Athletes To Invest

The statistics aren’t kind. Eighty percent of pro athletes go broke soon after retiring. Kansas City Chiefs‘ Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will not be among them. Despite NFL stars’ eight-figure contracts, in most cases, their financial literacy does not match their salaries. Brown wants to change that.

“Players often leave their finances up to financial advisers who tend to invest in more traditional avenues, like stocks, because those methods also earn money for the advisers,” Brown told Mansion Global.

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“It hurts, seeing the stories of these guys who end up with nothing,” he said. “It’s a problem within the NFL, specifically for guys like myself who come from a background without a lot of money. We’re not educated on how to handle finances,” Brown, who has earned $25 million during a five-year career, continued.

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The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, who was first drafted to the NFL in 2019 – first playing for the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens before signing with the Chiefs this year – has cofounded Platinum Pro Capital, a private equity real estate firm with his wife, real estate influencer Zoei Brown. The firm has joined Jason Caraway of Island Sky Investments to educate professional athletes on the advantages of luxury real estate investing – in their case – in the Caribbean and other resort areas.

See Also: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.

According to Bloomberg, the company has backed an oceanfront luxury condo development in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is renovating a resort in Grand Bahama Island and is planning other projects in South Florida and Costa Rica.

Player investors are not urged to buy high-end rental properties from Brown’s company. Rather, they invest in his fund passively for returns on their money and the option to stay in vacation properties for free during the off-season.

“A lot of guys in our field, they like luxurious things, they are drawn to attractive places,” Brown said. “And a lot of us travel in the offseason, so instead of having a traditional house, they are drawn to places that feel like a vacation. That’s appealing to guys. I feel like it creates a sense of unity. So, owning property on Caribbean islands saves money in the long term because that’s where everybody wants to travel in the offseason. It really caught the eye of a lot of people.”

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How to Watch Kansas State vs. Rutgers: Rate Bowl Time, TV Channel, Live Stream – December 26, 2024

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How to Watch Kansas State vs. Rutgers: Rate Bowl Time, TV Channel, Live Stream – December 26, 2024


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Avery Johnson and the Kansas State Wildcats and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will meet for the Rate Bowl on December 26, 2024, with kickoff at 5:30 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN.

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You should check out ESPN in order to watch this matchup.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.

USMNT goal filled weekend: Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Johnny Cardoso & more! | SOTU

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse broke down the United States Men’s National Team’s goal-filled weekend, where Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Johnny Cardoso, and Brenden Aaronson scored for their respective clubs. The guys are excited, as the USMNT players continue to stack strong performances one after another in Europe.

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Learn more about the Kansas State Wildcats and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

How to Watch Kansas State vs. Rutgers

  • When: Thursday, December 26, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona
  • Live Box Score: FOX Sports

Read More About This Game

  • Kansas State vs. Rutgers Predictions

Kansas State’s 2024 Schedule

Date Opponent Score
8/31/2024 vs. Tennessee-Martin W 41-6
9/7/2024 at Tulane W 34-27
9/13/2024 vs. Arizona W 31-7
9/21/2024 at BYU L 38-9
9/28/2024 vs. Oklahoma State W 42-20
10/12/2024 at Colorado W 31-28
10/19/2024 at West Virginia W 45-18
10/26/2024 vs. Kansas W 29-27
11/2/2024 at Houston L 24-19
11/16/2024 vs. Arizona State L 24-14
11/23/2024 vs. Cincinnati W 41-15
11/30/2024 at Iowa State L 29-21
12/26/2024 vs. Rutgers

Kansas State 2024 Stats & Insights

  • Kansas State is compiling 417.3 yards per game on offense (42nd in the FBS), and rank 38th on defense, yielding 338.6 yards allowed per game.
  • Kansas State is compiling 212.8 passing yards per game on offense, which ranks them 84th in the FBS. The defense ranks 78th, giving up 223.7 passing yards per contest.
  • The Wildcats are totaling 29.8 points per game on offense this year (50th in the FBS), and they are giving up 21.9 points per game (35th) on the defensive side of the ball.
  • The Wildcats have the 34th-ranked defense this season in terms of rushing yards (128 rushing yards allowed per game), and they’ve been better on the other side of the ball, ranking 16th-best with 204.5 rushing yards per game.
  • Kansas State ranks 75th in third-down efficiency (39.6%) on offense and 50th in third-down conversion rate allowed (36.7%) on defense this year.
  • With 14 forced turnovers (90th in the FBS) against 15 turnovers committed (40th in the FBS), the Wildcats’ -1 turnover margin ranks 65th in college football.

Kansas State 2024 Key Players

Name Position Stats
Avery Johnson QB 2,517 YDS (59.1%) / 22 TD / 9 INT
548 RUSH YDS / 6 RUSH TD / 45.7 RUSH YPG
DJ Giddens RB 1,343 YDS / 7 TD / 111.9 YPG / 6.6 YPC
21 REC / 258 REC YDS / 1 REC TD / 21.5 REC YPG
Jayce Brown WR 42 REC / 763 YDS / 5 TD / 63.6 YPG
Dylan Edwards RB 350 YDS / 3 TD / 31.8 YPG / 6.3 YPC
17 REC / 106 REC YDS / 1 REC TD / 10.6 REC YPG
Austin Romaine LB 72 TKL / 4 TFL / 2 SACK
Brendan Mott DL 37 TKL / 7 TFL / 8.5 SACK / 1 INT
Desmond Purnell LB 35 TKL / 7 TFL / 3.5 SACK
Marques Sigle DB 42 TKL / 4 TFL / 3 INT / 3 PD

Rutgers’ 2024 Schedule

Date Opponent Score
8/29/2024 vs. Howard W 44-7
9/7/2024 vs. Akron W 49-17
9/21/2024 at Virginia Tech W 26-23
9/27/2024 vs. Washington W 21-18
10/5/2024 at Nebraska L 14-7
10/12/2024 vs. Wisconsin L 42-7
10/19/2024 vs. UCLA L 35-32
10/25/2024 at USC L 42-20
11/9/2024 vs. Minnesota W 26-19
11/16/2024 at Maryland W 31-17
11/23/2024 vs. Illinois L 38-31
11/30/2024 at Michigan State W 41-14
12/26/2024 vs. Kansas State

Rutgers 2024 Stats & Insights

  • Rutgers ranks 72nd with 381.2 total yards per game on offense, and it ranks 83rd with 382.4 total yards allowed per game on the defensive side of the ball.
  • Rutgers ranks 92nd in the FBS with 204.9 passing yards per contest on offense, and it ranks 95th with 234.1 passing yards given up per game on the defensive side of the ball.
  • In terms of points scored the Scarlet Knights rank 70th in the FBS (27.9 points per game), and they are 57th defensively (23.8 points allowed per contest).
  • The Scarlet Knights are putting up 176.3 rushing yards per game on offense this season (46th-ranked). Meanwhile, they are allowing 148.3 rushing yards per game (67th-ranked) on defense.
  • Rutgers is putting up a 42.9% third-down conversion rate on offense this season (40th-ranked). Meanwhile, it is surrendering a 41.8% third-down rate (91st-ranked) on defense.
  • After forcing 12 turnovers (109th in the FBS) and turning the ball over eight times (second in the FBS) this season, the Scarlet Knights own the 44th-ranked turnover margin of +4.

Rutgers 2024 Key Players

Name Position Stats
Kyle Monangai RB 1,279 YDS / 13 TD / 116.3 YPG / 5 YPC
14 REC / 75 REC YDS / 1 REC TD / 7.5 REC YPG
Athan Kaliakmanis QB 2,459 YDS (54.8%) / 17 TD / 6 INT
233 RUSH YDS / 3 RUSH TD / 19.4 RUSH YPG
Dymere Miller WR 57 REC / 731 YDS / 4 TD / 60.9 YPG
Ian Strong WR 37 REC / 563 YDS / 5 TD / 46.9 YPG
Dariel Djabome LB 90 TKL / 5 TFL / 2 SACK
Shaquan Loyal DB 64 TKL / 3 TFL / 2 INT / 3 PD
Michael Dixon DB 54 TKL / 0 TFL / 1 INT / 1 PD
Desmond Igbinosun DB 55 TKL / 3 TFL

FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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