How did Kansas City use its players in Sunday’s game against Cincinnati?
On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted their second straight home game, taking on the Cincinnati Bengals on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — and once again, pulled out a last-second win.
How did the Chiefs use their players in Week 2’s 26-25 victory?
Starters (offensive): WR Rashee Rice, TE Travis Kelce, LT Kingsley Suamataia, LG Joe Thuney, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jawaan Taylor, TE Jared Wiley, TE Noah Gray, QB Patrick Mahomes and RB Isiah Pacheco.
Starters (defensive): DE George Karlaftis, DE Michael Danna, DT Chris Jones, DT Mike Pennel, LB Nick Bolton, LB Drue Tranquill, LB Leo Chenal, CB Trent McDuffie, CB Jaylen Watson, S Justin Reid and S Bryan Cook.
Did not play: QB Carson Wentz.
Inactive: OL C.J. Hanson, OT Ethan Driskell, DT Marlon Tuipulotu and DE Cameron Thomas.
Offensive takeaways
- Without their uniforms, it might have been hard to recognize the Chiefs’ offense from its play-calling. The unit ran the ball 53% of the time. They ran it that much just twice in 2023, not at all in 2022 and just once in both 2021 and 2020. To be sure, Kansas City did this because Cincinnati was concentrating its defensive efforts elsewhere, essentially challenging the Chiefs to run the ball. Since the Bengals came close to beating the Chiefs — and for a while, someone other than Isiah Pacheco will be carrying the ball — could other teams adopt this strategy?
- We repeat: there is no indication that tight end Travis Kelce is getting time off. He was in for 88% of Week 1’s offensive snaps in Week 1 and 90% of Week 2’s. That’s a higher percentage of use than all but three of last season’s games. While his production hasn’t yet been noteworthy, it’s not because he hasn’t been on the field as much. Noah Gray and Jared Wiley’s percentage of use has also been consistent over the first two games: around 60% and 20% respectively.
- The Chiefs list Carson Steele as a fullback — and have given him the number that Anthony Sherman wore with distinction — but they’re not using him the way they used Sherman. The team’s longtime fullback was only rarely on the field for more than 10% of the snaps — and was consistently used for around 70% of the special teams reps. It’s only been two games, but Steele’s special teams snaps were cut in half after Week 1 — down to 35% — and he was in for 23% of the offensive plays. (This has little to do with Pacheco’s injury. The starter was hurt with only 2:00 left in the game). Even if another running back is brought in, it appears that Steele will be the starting running back against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.
- Among the wide receivers, it looked very much like Week 1: Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy got the...
Arrowhead Pride
