Giants seek to slow Kelce as Nubin lines up against Chiefs in MetLife primetime

The New York Giants will try to slow Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce when they host the Chiefs on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Giants safety Tyler Nubin is expected to draw the assignment, stepping into a spotlight moment as he lines up opposite one of the NFL’s most prolific playmakers. Kelce, who turned 35 this season, has just six receptions through two games, but experts and teammates alike insist the drop-off in production has not diminished his impact.

"He’s a savvy vet, and he 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 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." There is no denying Kelce is past his prime by some statistics, yet his feel for the game remains sharp. He caught 97 passes last season but for only 823 yards, the fewest since 2013 when he appeared in only one game as a rookie. Kelce has already found the end zone once this season after a three-touchdown 2024 campaign. Nubin emphasized that Kelce is more than a numbers game, pointing to his ability to read coverages and create separation with timing.

Nubin’s preparation for the matchup went beyond film study. He delivered a telling reflection on the workload from the Week 2 overtime loss to Dallas, a game in which he did not leave the field for defensive snaps and logged significant special-teams time.

"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."

Nubin’s endurance was on full display in Dallas. He played all 89 defensive snaps in the 40-37 overtime loss and added 17 more on special teams for a total of 106 snaps in the game. He said the last time he played that many snaps was in high school, when he was a two-way player in Illinois.

"It was fun,” he said. “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 probably could have gone longer. I’m a young man, I’m going to be good.”

The Giants appear to be leaning on Gunner Olszewski to handle most kickoff and punt returns on Sunday, provided he is healthy. They waived Xavier Gipson on Saturday after adding him earlier in the week following the Jets’ release. Olszewski is listed as questionable with a back issue, and New York added three players from the practice squad: outside linebacker Tomon Fox, defensive lineman Elijah Garcia and linebacker Neville Hewitt.

The Chiefs’ history in New Jersey adds a layer of intrigue. 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, a stat that underscores how unusual the Chiefs’ visits to East Rutherford have been for a franchise that otherwise dominates on the road. The Chiefs did win at MetLife in 2023, beating the Jets, but Sunday brings a different opponent and a different test, with Kelce directly involved in every game plan.

Patrick Mahomes continues to be a central part of the equation for Kansas City. He leads the Chiefs in rushing with 123 yards this season and has repeatedly put defenders in positions where they feel compelled to respect his mobility on the edge and beyond the line of scrimmage. Some defenders have noted that Mahomes baits defenders into making hits near the sideline, a dynamic that has become a micro-controversy about rules and safety.

"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. He’s going to test you on the sideline, and that’s part of the chess match with him and [Travis] Kelce. You’ve got to be disciplined and under control, but you also have to trust your teammates to keep him in front of you.”

The matchup carries the weight of a prime-time test for the Giants, who are 0-2 and looking for a signature win to stabilize a season that started with high expectations after a strong offseason. The Chiefs, meanwhile, bring a seasoned offense that thrives on misdirection, timing and tempo, with Kelce often serving as the focal point even when his own production hasn’t yet matched last year’s ceiling.

The Giants’ coaching staff has stressed the importance of situational football and communication against a quarterback-planting, field-stretching attack that can pivot in an instant. The goal is to limit explosive plays, keep Kelce from breaking off big chunk gains, and force the Chiefs to rely on other weapons and Mahomes’ improvisational skills.

As kickoff approaches, the Giants must balance coverage responsibilities with their own playmaking opportunities. A functional defense against the Chiefs requires precision in pass rush, disciplined eye discipline in coverage, and an ability to adapt when Kelce lines up in unconventional spots or when Mahomes extends plays with his legs.

All of this unfolds under the bright lights of a Sunday-night stage that often reshapes narratives in the NFC East. For Kelce, it’s another chance to extend his legacy against a team that has studied him closely over the years. For Nubin, it’s a chance to prove he can handle one of the league’s most difficult assignments in a high-stakes environment. And for the Giants, it’s a test of their resilience and game-planning against a perennial Super Bowl contender that, despite a rough start, remains among the league’s most dangerous offenses.