Giants Brace for Travis Kelce as Chiefs Visit MetLife Stadium

Sunday night at MetLife Stadium will be a pivotal test for the New York Giants as they host the Kansas City Chiefs and tight end Travis Kelce. Tyler Nubin, the Giants' second-year safety, is expected to draw Kelce in coverage. Kelce, 35, has just six receptions in Kansas City's 0-2 start this season.

Nubin said Kelce is a savvy veteran who can get open against any coverage. "He's a savvy veteran who can get open against any coverage," Nubin told The Post. "He's super smart. He and Patrick Mahomes are always on the same page, it seems. He's going to run something that's probably unorthodox in the route tree, but Patrick's going to put it right on him because they're right on cue with each other. It's going to be awesome to go against him." He added, "He just knows how to read coverages. It's not going to be your typical out-routes. It's going to be out, pivot, turn up the field, stop, probably get open and the ball's going to find him." Nubin also spoke about his durability, noting the last time he topped 100 snaps in a game was back when he was a two-way player in high school. "I honestly didn't realize it was that until after the game. When you're in it you don't actually feel that you are going that long. I'm a young man, I'm going to be good." He played all 89 defensive snaps in the 40-37 overtime loss to the Cowboys and 17 more on special teams for a total of 106.

It appears the Giants expect Gunner Olszewski to be healthy enough to handle kickoff and punt returns on Sunday night, while Xavier Gipson was waived after being claimed by the Jets earlier in the week. Olszewski is listed as questionable with a back issue. New York added three players from its practice squad, signing outside linebacker Tomon Fox and elevating defensive lineman Elijah Garcia and linebacker Neville Hewitt.

Strange but true: The Chiefs have won in every NFL team’s home stadium — except the Giants. Kansas City is 0-7 in road games against New York, though it did beat the Jets in 2023 at MetLife Stadium. Mahomes leads the Chiefs in rushing with 123 yards, and the Giants know he will test defenders by trying to push the edge and force improvised plays.

"Quarterbacks I feel like are starting to abuse that rule," Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns said. "It's a feel thing. You should know when you can hit him and when you have to pull up."

If the Giants can bottleneck Kelce and force Mahomes to stay patient, the matchup could hinge on the rest of New York's defense, including how well Nubin sits in on Kelce's routes and how quickly the rest of the secondary converges on playoff-caliber throws. The game Sunday night at MetLife Stadium will offer a clear measuring stick for a Giants squad trying to prove it can contend with the defending champions.