Jason Pierre-Paul is trying to hold down the fort as Big Blue tries to improve on their 1-8 record. Photo by Andy Lewis / contrastphphotography.com

The New York Football Giants are in of the worst funks in franchise history. They week Big Blue faces a familiar face in Andy Reid, now the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Reid comes to East Rutherford with a lifetime 16-13 record against the Giants – all as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs got out to a 5-0 start but have slumped to 6-3 losing to the Dallas Cowboys 28-17. Kansas City is coming off their bye week …Reid has lost only two times after the bye week in his career as a head coach.

When asked why, Reid simply replied, “Good players.”

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith enters the game with the top QB rating in the NFL at 113.9. The chiefs have serious weapons in rookie running back Kareem Hunt (800 yards on 155 carries, four TDs and tight end Travis Kelce (51 catches, 629 yards five TDs).

DE Jason Pierre-Paul was asked a few questions about Smith, Hunt and the rest of the Giants team.

How has Kareem Hunt been able to have such an explosive season? 
JPP: I don’t know. He’s very fast, quick.

Q: So it’s the speed that concerns you the most? 
JPP: Yeah of course. He can get out there on the edge. He’s very fast and we got to make sure we shut the edges on that.

Q: What do you notice about Alex Smith’s discipline?

JPP: I like that guy Alex Smith. I played against him a couple times and he’s a very cool cat. I like playing against him, but he knows what to do, man. He’s been in the game for a while, he’s a veteran of the game and we got to keep our composure. We can’t think everything is a passing play and we got to set the edge and make sure we stop the run.

Q: Do you feel like you’ve been getting on guys more in the last week or so?

JPP: I don’t really get on anybody, man. We all come to work for a purpose. Starting off to set a goal is to win a championship here, right? Coming up short, guys really got to motivate yourself to work and even if you’re losing, you have to motivate yourself and be the best that you can be.

Q: Has that been a challenge? 
JPP: Nah, it’s never been a challenge because I’m always going to go 100% no matter what.

Q: What about the rest of the team?
JPP: The rest of the team, yeah. I don’t think it’s been a challenge, but when I look at guys eyes I think they understand. It’s all about finishing, finishing the season strong and we’re all professionals. We’re ready to make some tackles this week. Y’all going to see me out there running.

BLUE NOTES

Tight end Evan Engram, the Giants’ first-round draft choice this season, has played only nine games. But he’s already scored five touchdowns, tying Tucker’s franchise record for rookie tight ends, set 47 years ago. Engram will enter the Giants’ home game against Kansas City Sunday with a touchdown reception in four consecutive games, the longest streak by one of the team’s tight ends since Bavaro did it in 1987. He leads the team with 40 catches, which have accounted for 443 yards.

Engram received an unexpected honor this week when Ben McAdoo selected him as one of the team’s three game captains, the first rookie to be so honored in McAdoo’s two seasons as head coach.

“That’s the kind of stuff that means everything to me,” Engram said. “I definitely appreciate the opportunity. It’s pretty cool to be asked to be a captain, so I definitely take pride in that. Hopefully, I can continue to keep showing them I can be a captain, and grow (into) a leadership role here with this team.”

“Evan’s come in, he’s done everything that we’ve asked of him so far,” McAdoo said. “He works hard, loves football and it shows.”

Jason Pierre-Paul