The Kansas City Chiefs host the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, November 8, at 1:00 p.m. ET. The matchup that should decide it is the Chiefs' passing game against a Jets secondary playing without safety VJ Payne and possibly cornerback Nahshon Wright.

The Matchup

New York Jets: 2-6 (1-3 road)
Kansas City Chiefs: 5-2 (3-0 home)
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Kickoff: Sunday, November 8, 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Line (DraftKings): KC -9.5, O/U 48.5

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What Decides It

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' passing game should find room against the Jets.

Kansas City throws for about 256 yards a game, while the Jets allow about 208 through the air. The Chiefs' passing output sits well above what this defense usually gives up, and that is before the injury report enters it.

The Jets' back seven is short-handed. Payne is on injured reserve with a knee injury, Wright is questionable with a back injury, and linebacker Trevin Wallace is out. Mahomes, with 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, should have chances to push the ball downfield.

Arrowhead has been a different place for Kansas City.

The Chiefs are 3-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. Their last two games were both road losses, 28-24 and 20-3, so the recent slide came away from Kansas City.

The only home game in their last five was a 22-6 win. The Jets, meanwhile, are 1-3 on the road, which makes this a tough setting for a team trying to stop a skid.

The Jets have lost 3 straight, and the defense is the problem.

New York's offense has scored in its recent losses, putting up 33 and 25 in the last two. The defense gave up 38 and 28 in those games, and it allows nearly 24 points a game on the season.

Kenneth Walker III adds another problem. The Chiefs run for about 134 yards a game, above the nearly 124 the Jets allow on the ground, so Kansas City can lean on the run if the passing game stalls.

Players to Watch

Kansas City Chiefs

Passing: Patrick Mahomes – 154-232, 1,795 YDS, 12-4 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Kenneth Walker III – 141 ATT, 770 YDS, 6 TD
Receiving: Travis Kelce – 29 REC, 410 YDS, 2 TD

Walker has 6 rushing touchdowns, and Kelce is the team's receiving leader. Those two give Mahomes options on both sides of the offense.

New York Jets

Passing: Geno Smith – 165-239, 1,913 YDS, 12-3 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Braelon Allen – 112 ATT, 565 YDS, 3 TD
Receiving: Adonai Mitchell – 16 REC, 265 YDS, 1 TD

Smith has thrown only 3 interceptions, and he gets a chance against a Chiefs secondary without cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and L'Jarius Sneed. He will do it without Garrett Wilson, who is out with a concussion.

Injury Report

Kansas City Chiefs

Mansoor Delane (CB): Out – Shoulder
Peter Woods (DT): Out – Neck
L'Jarius Sneed (CB): Injured Reserve – Knee
Omarr Norman-Lott (DT): Out – Knee - ACL
Brashard Smith (RB): Injured Reserve – Hamstring

New York Jets

Trevin Wallace (LB): Out – Groin
Nahshon Wright (CB): Questionable – Back
Garrett Wilson (WR): Out – Concussion
VJ Payne (S): Injured Reserve – Knee
Joseph Ossai (DE): Questionable – Ankle

Prediction

Kansas City wins at home against a Jets defense that has allowed 38 and 28 points in its last two games. The Chiefs' 256 passing yards a game against a depleted Jets secondary is the edge that holds, and Walker gives them a second way to win. Chiefs 27, Jets 17.