3 individual matchups the Saints have to win to beat the Chiefs in week 5

The Saints could be preparing for a mega Monday Night Football duel in Kansas City between two 4-0 teams as New Orleans (2-2) has lost its last two games by a combined five points. The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are 4-0, but they won two of those by a six-point total.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, by the way, has not exactly been lighting it up yet. And Kansas City is about as banged up as the Saints. So, I'm telling you the 5-point underdog Saints have a chance.

Mahomes is just 11th in the NFL in passing yards with 904, and he is 17th in Quarterback Rating at 52.9 on 83-of-121 passing for a .685 completion percentage with six touchdowns and five interceptions. And he will be missing top wide receiver Rashee Rice (24 catches for 288 yards) with a knee injury and leading rusher Isaiah Pacheco (34 rushes for 135 yards) with a broken right fibula (calf). Hollywood Brown is also out for the season with a shoulder injury, meaning the Chiefs receiving corps is depleted.

When Rice went down last week against the Chargers, tight end Travis Kelce suddenly became the man and caught seven passes for 98 yards in a lackluster 17-10 win. The Saints will be missing starting center Erik McCoy (groin), while starting right guard Cesar Ruiz (knee), starting left tackle Taliese Fuaga (back) and middle linebacker Demario Davis (hamstring) are questionable.

However, Kelce has not played up to his usual standard this season. All eyes will be on the Chiefs tight end against a capable Saints secondary this week.

S Tyrann Mathieu vs. TE Travis Kelce

Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu won Super Bowl LIV in the 2019 season as a member of the Chiefs with tight end teammate Travis Kelce. He will be trying to stop the connection between Kelce and Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kelce caught 93 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns last season. Mathieu has heard the talk of Kelce's demise in this his 13th season at age 34 as he had only eight catches for 60 yards.

"Father Time's probably going to catch up with all of us," Mathieu, 32, said on the Rich Eisen Show this week. He is also nursing a calf injury.

"But to dismiss Travis as being anything other than a valuable weapon, it's just nonsense to even think about," Mathieu said. "He's still a savvy player. I've played against him long enough to know he'll be the last person I fall asleep on Monday night. I know at any given moment, he can make that big time play on third down and in the red zone."

Mathieu knows not to think the player is over before it is with Mahomes and Kelce as well.

"Patrick and Travis do those secondary plays like nobody I've ever seen do it," Mathieu said. "No, I don't buy into that narrative about Travis."

RDE Carl Granderson vs. LT Wanya Morris

Right defensive end Carl Granderson is second on the Saints with three sacks this season and has forced a fumble. Mahomes has been sacked seven times this season for -41 yards, so Granderson needs to add to that total. He will be opposed by second-year left tackle Wanya Morris, who has started the last two games there and played well.

Morris replaced Kingsley Suamataia early this season, as the young player didn't prove capable enough to protect Mahomes blind side. Will Morris fill the void against a sack artist like Granderson?

RB Alvin Kamara vs. MLB Nick Bolton

Saints running back Alvin Kamara has flashed the form of his first few years in the NFL when he was one of the league's most dominant rushing and receiving backs. He leads the NFL entering this game in most yards from scrimmage with 536 - 362 on 80 rushes with five touchdowns and 174 receiving on 17 catches and a 57-yard score. He has been dominant every game.

Bolton has 19 solo tackles and 27 overall in the Chiefs' 4-3 defense and can blow up the interior of the Saints' limping offensive line and cause havoc. Kamara, by the way, is already nursing a hip pointer and broken ribs.

As capable as Kamara is when healthy, he will have to take his game to the next level against the strength that is the Chiefs defense.