Arrowhead Pride
The second week of the preseason is in the books. The Kansas City Chiefs got an extended look at some of their younger players on a rainy night in the Pacific Northwest, but fell to the Seattle Seahawks 33-16. The game kicked off at 9 p.m. Arrowhead Time, which probably played into head coach Andy Reid’s decision to sit his most important starters — including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill, defensive tackle Chris Jones and others.
In the long run, this probably helped the team get a better look at the young men who did play.
Here are five things we learned.
Here’s a news flash: the Chiefs’ starting linebackers are important to the success of their run defense.
I know… this is cutting-edge analysis. But the Seahawks emphasized controlling the line of scrimmage and imposing their will on the ground. Against a defense without its general (and its best players), Seattle ran roughshod over Kansas City, collecting an embarrassing 268 yards on 48 carries.
At its core, run defense is more about will than skill. It’s lane discipline, winning one-on-one matchups, flowing to the ball, shedding blocks and making tackles. On Friday, Kansas City failed at every one of these steps — especially at the beginning of the game. Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet is a talented player, but in the first quarter, the Chiefs made him look like peak Jim Brown.
It’s just preseason, so I’m not hitting the panic button. But the Chiefs need Nick Bolton healthy this year.
Who would have thought taking the NFL’s premier interior pass rusher out of the mix would cause the team’s overall pass rush to suffer?
Shockingly, that’s precisely what happened.
With Jones on the sideline, the pass rush was utterly ineffective. I’m not saying the pass rush was bad. I’m saying the pass rush didn’t exist. On Friday night, Kansas City accumulated one quarterback hit. And zero sacks.
Veterans like George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu struggled to get any push against Seattle’s offensive line, while rookies Ashton Gillotte and Omarr Norman-Lott looked like developmental players who are not ready to be among the team’s primary pass rushers.
Also, where is Jerry Tillery? Did he make the trip to Seattle? Through two preseason games, he’s been on a milk carton. He feels like a guy who could be on the roster bubble at the final cutdown.
Are you noticing a trend yet?
Early in the game, the Seahawks didn’t just run the ball at will. They also moved the ball through the air very effectively. But let’s be clear: it wasn’t just McDuffie’s absence that hurt the Chiefs. They also played another week without cornerback Kristian Fulton on the field, too.
The Chiefs just don’t have the depth to shoulder the absence of...
