Week 8 Keys to the Game

By: Sam Myer 10/24/2025

The Washington Commanders travel to Kansas City to face off against the surging Chiefs on Monday Night Football. This is big bounce back game for the Commanders after they got walloped by the Cowboys last week. The Chiefs look to continue their dominance after a 31-0 victory against the Raiders in week seven. These two teams are headed in opposite directions, which makes this game vitally important for both sides. Washington needs to recover and get themselves back on track towards making the playoffs in the NFC; however, the Chiefs need to continue their hot streak and build momentum towards a potential Super Bowl run.

Washington Commanders Keys to the Game

-            Attack the middle of the field in the passing game

o   With McLaurin and Samuel returning and Ertz getting into form, Washington will need to get the ball to their playmakers as much as possible in space.

-            Blitz Mahomes as much as possible

o   Without Dorance Armstrong for the rest of the season, the Commanders will need to manufacture as much pressure as possible.

-            No explosive plays

o   Explosive plays have been the killer for the Commanders in each one of their games this season and will continue to be if their pass coverage doesn’t improve.

Kansas City Chiefs Keys to the Game

-            Establish the run game with one of the running backs

o   None of the Kansas City running backs have been able to claim the #1 role, but Washington has struggled against the run in the last two weeks. Additionally, they struggle prevents quarterback runs and Mahomes has been excellent scrambling in 2025.

-            Dominate the line of scrimmage on defense

o   When Washington is unable to run the ball, they struggle to control possession. With a backup quarterback, it couldn’t be more imperative that Washington slow the game down as much as possible.

-            Put as much pressure on Mariota as possible

o   Truthfully, this game is going to come to down to if the Washington offensive line can give Marcus Mariota enough time to line up throws down field. If Kansas City can force him into quick decisions, it could be a long night for the Commanders.

Key Matchup to Watch

-            Chris Jones vs Sam Cosmi

o   Cosmi will make his second start this season on Monday after tearing his ACL in the divisional round of the playoffs in January. He had a good debut against Dallas in week 7 but will need to step up in a big way, going up against Chris Jones. While Jones hasn’t had his most productive season in sack totals so far, he has dominated in run game with 5 tackles for loss through the first seven games. This will be a key matchup for Washington’s offense as they will focus on establishing their run game with Jayden Daniels.

Key Players

-            Washington Commanders

o   Terry McLaurin – McLaurin is slated to make his return to action in Kansas City, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Washington has sorely missed his ability to separate and command attention from the defense.

o   Daron Payne – Payne has had a string of strong performances to start the year, dominating in the run game. Also, Chiefs guard Trey Smith is has yet to practice this week which would work perfectly into Washington’s hands.

o   Tyler Biadasz – Without Jayden Daniels, center Tyler Biadasz will take on extra responsibility calling out protections and potential blitzes. Additionally, he’ll likely be called on for double teams against Chris Jones.

-            Kansas City Chiefs

o   Creed Humphrey – After losing their top pass rusher in Dorance Armstrong, Washington will likely bring exotic blitz packages to disrupt Mahomes. Humphrey will take much responsibility to call these out and handle Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner coming up through the middle.

o   Travis Kelce – The Commanders have struggled covering backs and tight ends throughout the season and there is no one better in the history of the NFL better at finding holes in the zone.

o   George Karlaftis – Josh Conerly has had a rough beginning to his NFL career but has been slightly improving each week. He’ll get another tough test this week with Karlaftis lining up across from him.

Matchup Prediction

Score Prediction – Washington Commanders 23 – Kansas City Chiefs 31

This matchup certainly would be much more tantalizing with Jayden Daniels in the lineup and if the rest of Washington’s roster was fully healthy, but there’s still plenty of potential for an entertaining game. With Washington finally getting their top two receivers back on the field together, there is a great opportunity to open up their playbook. Unfortunately, this return is coming against a surging Kansas City Chiefs team that just got their top receiver back in Rashee Rice. With a fully healthy receiving core and Patrick Mahomes playing his best since 2022, this Chiefs team is a force to be reckoned with. I’m expecting Washington’s desperation to inspire them to put up a good fight, but at the end of the day the dynasty in Kansas City will be too much for them to slow down.