The Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) are gearing up for one of the most anticipated early-season matchups as they host the Baltimore Ravens (1-2) at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Kansas City is coming off its first win of the year last weekend against the New York Giants on “Sunday Night Football,” which was fueled by a strong defensive effort that held New York’s offense to just nine points in a 13-point victory.
The Ravens, however, present a much different challenge.
Led by two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, Baltimore has also struggled to close out games early this season. This Week 4 clash also serves as a rematch of the AFC Championship Game from two seasons ago, which Kansas City won.
Ahead of the Week 4 matchup, the NFL announced a punishment for Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt, fining him $8,172 for what the league deemed a “violent gesture” during Kansas City’s Week 3 win. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter at the 6:07 mark where he did a throat-slash gesture after scoring a touchdown.
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This fine comes just a week after Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce was fined over $14,000 by the NFL for his on-field actions. The league has placed a stronger emphasis on cracking down on violent gestures this season, and Hunt is the latest example.
In total, 20 players were fined in Week 3, and across 2,550 plays, 0.78% resulted in fines.
The Chiefs’ run game has been underwhelming through the first three weeks, with Hunt and Isiah Pacheco splitting the workload. The duo combined for just 79 rushing yards last week on 10 carries each and they barely eclipsed 50 yards total in Week 2.
That said, the Ravens allowed over 200 rushing yards against the Detroit Lions on Monday night while giving up 38 points in the loss. This could present an opportunity for Hunt and Pacheco to finally establish a threat on the ground — something Kansas City has struggled to do so far.