Nov 1, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (0) rushes the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Two embarrassingly bad losses to inferior opponents headline a three-game losing streak that has the New York Jets staring down the barrel of their season effectively being over at the halfway mark.
They head to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 9 on Sunday afternoon for a matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, who are surely grateful to see the Jets amid their own two-game losing streak.
The Chiefs sit firmly in second place in the AFC West division with a 5-2 record. After opening the season 5-0 and showing flashes of their former dynasty, the Chiefs have since dropped two crucial games against the Seahawks and Broncos, with offensive miscommunication and inconsistency contributing to their recent struggles.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes played well in their Week 8 loss following a week where he only threw for 165 yards. On the season, Mahomes has thrown for 1,795 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions across seven games. The 31-year-old is playing statistically well but has shown a decline in his former MVP performance.
Despite having a decent day on Sunday, the Jets’ run defense is in for a much tougher battle against Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. Walker has racked up 770 yards in seven games, the third-highest mark in the NFL. He ranks second in yards per play, averaging 5.5, while the Jets’ defense allows 5.03 yards per play. Despite a quiet two-game stretch, Walker could be poised to take over at home.
Their defense has allowed an average of 18.7 points per game, which ranks fourth best in football. Most notably, they boast one of the league’s strongest run defenses while forcing 10 turnovers along the way. However, the Chiefs’ pass rush has struggled heavily all season; they hit a season-low 6% pressure rate in their Week 8 loss to the Broncos. Jets quarterback Geno Smith needs to take advantage of a weak pass rush, especially considering how well he has played this season despite being sacked 23 times through eight games.
The Jets are expected to gain back two key pieces in Week 9 with the returns of running back Breece Hall and defensive end David Bailey. Hall has missed the past five weeks with a right quad injury and may have lost his starting job in the process with the breakout of Braelon Allen. Allen left last week’s game momentarily with an ankle injury before returning, but the two could see a split rotation in Hall’s return. Bailey, on the other hand, is questionable after one missed game. The rookie leads the team in sacks with 5.5.
The key to success for Gang Green will be riding Allen’s hot hand while capitalizing on the Chiefs’ recent mistakes. Limiting Mahomes ability to deliver his trademark late-game heroics could be the Jets’ best chance to pull off an upset in Kansas City.
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