2024 NFL Season, Week 5: Key Takeaways from Chiefs' Victory Over Saints on Monday Night

2024 NFL Season, Week 5: Key Takeaways from Chiefs' Victory Over Saints on Monday Night

### REWATCH: Saints-Chiefs on NFL+

**READ:** Saints' Carr Exits in Fourth Quarter with Oblique Injury  

**READ:** JuJu, Hunt Shine with 100-Yard Performances in Win

The Chiefs continue to grind out wins. Despite selecting **Xavier Worthy** in the first round to spark their offense, Kansas City hasn't quite found the explosive playmaking expected. Yet, they remain undefeated at 5-0 after racking up 460 total yards against the Saints, even if the execution left something to be desired. **Patrick Mahomes** navigated Andy Reid's offense with skill, making plays with a mix of familiar faces and new ones (besides the ever-reliable **Travis Kelce**). However, red zone struggles were evident, with the Chiefs failing to score touchdowns on four consecutive trips and missing a field goal. Despite that, they managed to secure the win, reminiscent of previous tight victories against teams like the Chargers, Falcons, and Ravens. While their style may not be aesthetically pleasing, they continue to show why they are back-to-back champions.

The once high-flying Saints have hit a wall. After a strong start, scoring 91 points in their first two games, they've only managed 49 in their last three, all losses. Monday night was particularly disheartening, with the Saints being dominated in time of possession and struggling to establish a run game. **Derek Carr** faced relentless pressure from the Chiefs' defense, leading to an unproductive night. The Saints appear unbalanced and, apart from occasional deep shots to **Rashid Shaheed**, look more like the struggling team from last season. At 2-3, they need to find solutions fast.

Let's assess **Patrick Mahomes** honestly. While his stats might not reflect the superstar we expect, consider the supporting cast he’s working with—**Kareem Hunt** and **Carson Steele** as his top ball carriers. The Chiefs have leaned heavily on two-tight end sets, and with **Rashee Rice** sidelined, Mahomes' task has grown more challenging. Fortunately, **JuJu Smith-Schuster** stepped up with his best performance in nearly two years, shaking off a critical drop. Mahomes' playmaking ability is essential to keeping this offense viable, as he threw for 331 yards with a mix of familiar and less-recognizable targets.

**Steve Spagnuolo's** defensive strategy continues to impress. Pressuring the quarterback over 50% of the time typically indicates a strong performance, and the Chiefs achieved just that against the Saints, pressuring them 21 times for a 55.3% rate. The secondary effectively stifled Saints receivers, allowing only 2.8 yards of average target separation. Though Spagnuolo dialed up 14 blitzes, the rush's effectiveness made it feel like more. While the Chiefs' defense had been average in prior weeks, this performance could signal an upward trajectory, similar to last season's Super Bowl run.

On the other hand, **Dennis Allen's** defense is struggling. Missing key players like **Pete Werner**, **Willie Gay Jr.**, and **Payton Turner** hurt their efforts. Entering Week 5, the Saints ranked 17th in total yards allowed and 24th in passing yards, surrendering an average of 233.8 per game—well below the 331 yards Mahomes achieved. While New Orleans showed resilience in the red zone, their inability to prevent yardage is concerning, and with the offense in a slump, the defensive struggles compound the issue.

### Next Gen Stats Insight:

**Khalen Saunders**, at 324 pounds, hit a top speed of 15.79 mph on his 36-yard interception return—the third-fastest speed by a player over 320 pounds since 2016.

### NFL Research:

**JuJu Smith-Schuster** had seven catches for 130 yards, marking his first 100-yard game since Week 7 of the 2022 season, breaking a 24-game drought without hitting the century mark.