Giants face critical test in covering Travis Kelce as Chiefs visit MetLife

The New York Giants will try to slow Travis Kelce when Kansas City visits MetLife Stadium for a Sunday night showdown. Kelce, 35, has just six receptions through two games this season, as the Chiefs opened 0-2. Giants safety Tyler Nubin, likely to be tasked with covering the future Hall of Fame tight end, dismissed the idea that Kelce’s production has faded and warned that Kelce remains a savvy, on-the-page reader of defenses.

"He’s a savvy vet, and he can get open against any coverage," Nubin said. "He’s super smart. He and Patrick [Mahomes] are always on the same page it seems like. 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." Kelce’s enduring effectiveness is not just a matter of numbers; he did find the end zone this season after scoring just three times in 16 games in 2024. Nubin pushed back on the notion that Kelce is no longer a primary threat, emphasizing Kelce’s ability to read coverages and find space in non-traditional routes.

Nubin is coming off a marathon performance. He logged all 89 defensive snaps in the 40-37 overtime loss to Dallas and added 17 more on special teams, finishing with 106 snaps in the game. He said he didn’t realize he had reached that threshold until after the game. "It was fun," he said. "I honestly didn’t realize it was that much until after the game. When you’re in it you don’t actually feel that you’re going that long. I probably could have gone longer. I’m a young man; I’m going to be good."

[Image: Tyler Nubin]()

The Giants also cleared room for roster adjustments ahead of the game. Gunner Olszewski, who handles kick and punt returns, is listed as questionable with a back issue, and the team waived Xavier Gipson after previously adding him from the Jets. To deepen the depth chart, New York promoted three players from the practice squad: outside linebacker Tomon Fox, defensive lineman Elijah Garcia, and linebacker Neville Hewitt. If Olszewski is healthy, he would likely handle returns on Sunday.

The Chiefs have a curious history against the Giants: they have won in every NFL team’s home stadium except the Giants’ MetLife set-up, with Kansas City 0-7 in road games against New York. This does not reflect a lack of success in New Jersey, as the Chiefs beat the Jets at MetLife in 2023. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads the team in rushing this season with 123 yards, a dynamic element the Giants must account for as he sometimes tests defenders by toeing the sideline and pretending to go out of bounds.

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

The Giants understand that slowing Kelce will require a combination of man coverage, disguise, and help from the defense’s other players, plus pressure on Mahomes to limit the offense’s rhythm. Kelce’s production may be down in the early going, but his football intelligence and route mastery remain constant, presenting a persistent challenge for New York’s defense as they attempt to stabilize their early-season form and protect MetLife from a Chiefs team eager to regain momentum.

[Image: Travis Kelce]()