On the heels of consecutive losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs are back at home and have a lighter game in the 12:00 p.m. local slot against the New York Jets.

Just because New York doesn't have the makings of a playoff contender doesn't mean it can't give Kansas City a fight, though. The Chiefs know as well as any team that self-inflicted errors are the easiest way to hand a game over, so the hosts will have to put the pedal to the metal in order to secure a resounding triumph.

With kickoff just hours away, will it be the Chiefs or Jets that emerge with a victory? The Kansas City Chiefs On SI crew makes its predictions for Week 9 of the regular season.

Joshua Brisco: While there's only so much the Chiefs can truly prove against the 2-6 Jets, this is a game Kansas City simply has to win. A two-game losing streak to a pair of playoff teams is one thing. A home loss to a franchise that’s still a year away from even making the “in the hunt” playoff graphic? That would be disastrous.

I’ll be watching to see if the Chiefs’ pass rush can wrangle Geno Smith, who is tied for the second-most sacks taken among quarterbacks this season, while hoping to see more from rookie R Mason Thomas in that effort.

Will the Chiefs’ banged-up defense be able to hold down a lively group of weapons, even without Garrett Wilson, or will the KC offense need to score more than 24 points for the first time since before the bye week? I could see a bounce-back stat line for Kenneth Walker with another explosive play or two from the star running back.

Jordan Foote: The Chiefs typically have at least one game a year they have no business losing and somehow just don't seem to show up for. While it's possible that this is the one, it absolutely cannot be the case. Coming off ugly losses to the Seahawks and Broncos (for different reasons), this is a squad that desperately needs to rebound in a hurry. Fortunately, the matchup is there in Week 9.

The Jets' offense has had its shining moments, although it's virtually impossible to trust this version of Smith to go toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes if he's on his game. Add in that Kenneth Walker III may be due for another statement performance, and it's hard to see anything other than turnovers or penalties making this too close of a game, in my view.

Tyler Brown: The Jets have been more competitive than their 2-6 record suggests, with five of their six losses coming by one score, and Geno Smith has been a pleasant surprise. They can be dangerous on offense, with wideouts Omar Cooper Jr. and Adonai Mitchell playing well lately and running back Breece Hall returning, even as Braelon Allen's rushed for 565 yards.

This is also a real test for tackles Kahlil Benson and Jaylon Moore, who will face pass rushers David Bailey and Will McDonald IV. On the other hand, New York’s defense has been giving up production to opposing tight ends, which sets up Travis Kelce and Noah Gray well.

Andy Reid can wear the Jets down with Kenneth Walker and, in a perfect world, let Patrick Mahomes work the secondary off that. Smith is also among the league’s worst at turning pressure into sacks, so a Chiefs pass rush that's been waiting for a game like this should hypothetically get home a few times.

Neither team will run away, and the Jets will stay in it for a while. But Kansas City is the more talented team and needs the win more. The Chiefs have a stretch of must-win games ahead, and they find a way to handle this one.

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