Preseason Game Two is in the Books! It’s a Mixed Result
David Bell
Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Washington Commanders 24-to-14 in Preseason Game Two, but as I anticipated the game this week, I didn’t anticipate miracles to be viewed by either club. I expected to see the starters for both teams extend into the second quarter and Andy Reid said they would get to the second quarter, but he also didn’t say they would finish it… and that’s what actually happened. We knew that Patrick Mahomes II would helm the first 2, or 3 possessions (turned out to be two), but before the base group of starters were pulled, Reid indicated we would get to see 3rd string QB Shane Buechele be inserted to get game-time experience with starters. Later on, Crum got his opportunity, which is how it played out.
As the Game Unfolded
The defense got a stop on the Commander’s 4th offensive set (7 plays). I was not pleased with the run defense to that point.
Then, the Chiefs drove the ball and had offsetting penalties extend the drive and with Mahomes, under pressure from a blitz, found Justin Watson for a first down. The drive culminated with a TD pass from PMII to Jody Fortson. Both Watson and Fortson came up big on the first drive.
The Chiefs defense stopped the WFT on the next drive with Nick Bolton ripping the ball from a WR. That was an excellent defensive set, and two LBs, including Nick Bolton, were closing in on the catch point along with two players from the secondary.
The Chiefs second possession started in great field position. Mahomes did the Mahomes drill with 4 seconds in the pocket, then fled to the left. Patrick threw a sidearm pass around a charging defensive lineman to connect with Justin Watson.
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The Chiefs got to scoring position quickly on another first-down pass to TE Travis Kelce. I again notice that the OL is not getting their blocks for the running game. Again, I am observing the lack of cohesiveness by the players on the OL. Early in the series, RB Isiah Pacheco was stood up at the LoS. Isiah made two catches on the drive, so he fits the multi-tool service that the Chiefs need from the backfield. The drive stalled to a 3rd and goal, and Patrick Mahomes hit TE Jody Fortson for another TD with 13:42 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter.
That’s 2 TD passes by Mahomes on the first two drives and his stats were: 12-of-16, for 162 yards, and 2 TDs.
The WFT (now called the Commanders… whew, or is that phew) appears to have a very solid DL that the Chiefs OL couldn’t master. As expected, the offense demonstrated its versatility. On the ensuing Kick Off, Joshua William’s speed exerted itself as he covered the kick, forced the return man to the left, and closed him off with a tackle that demonstrates why the Youth Movement has occurred with the Chief’s roster.
A penalty negated William’s success, but it was a great play.
Watching them play without Chris Jones, the defensive pass rush seemed stymied. Still, the defense has played well, forcing the commanders into 3rd down-plays almost every offensive set. Keep in mind, though, that the Chiefs are a superior team. On the ensuing Washington possession, the Commanders drove to the Chiefs 35, but George Karlaftis recorded his second preseason sack. It was an all-effort, never stop type of sack — just what you’d expect from the Greek Freak.
On the third possession after the Karlaftis Stop, the Chiefs began the next residency with Shane Buechele under center, Patrick and Travis Kelce were standing on the sidelines together. On that third drive, Pacheco was stopped with a 1-yard gain. This drive stalls and the Chiefs were forced to punt.
The OL line is not opening holes for the RBs. Again, I am not pleased with the OL blocking.
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This is a problem that I was not expecting to see. I need to see the coach’s view of the game to make judgments, but the first two possession featured the basic starting OL. Meanwhile, Rashad Fenton was injured and left the field, not to return to play.
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That covers the first half of the play and the two possessions with Patrick Mahomes under center. The rest of the way, I am interested in the depth players, which will point to the tier-two player personnel. The starters departed to the sideline.
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Tier-two Player Personnel
The Chiefs played man-up defense with the secondary, meaning they needed an effective pass-rush. The latter was missing from the equation. I am impressed with Leo Chenal (LB) after watching specific players in the second half. Khalen Saunders has made plays but is ineffective in Rushing the passer.
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[Editor’s Notes: On Saturday Morning I stated that “Kahlen Saunders must show DC Steve Spagnuolo that he’d be crazy to release him” and in my mind, he did just that in this game. Craig Stout from ArrowheadPride said of Khalen Saunders following this game:
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“It’s a tough room for him [Saunders] to be in because he’s not a true nose tackle. They brought Danny Shelton in, he barely played. Khalen Saunders got a lot of reps and he flashed, he flashed a lot. He just levels, he absolutely levels the back-up quarterback, in a very clean and legal hit, that he got flagged for. I thought he [Saunders] looked really good… if there’s going to be a numbers game, we’ve talked a little bit about the Linebackers and the Defensive Line and how many they’re going to keep… if it has to rely on who’s done what in the preseason, Khalen Saunders, right now, has one foot in the door.”
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You can find Craig Stouts’ post game comments here, which begin at the 24:00 mark. – Laddie Morse]
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As the game wound down, 4th string Dustin Crum became the QB and Mike Caliendo was at the center position. Crum moved the ball and got under 5 minutes down to 3:28. After that, the Commanders had the ball deep in their own end when Chris Lammons intercepted a pass and returned the ball to about the 5-yard line.
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From there, with Crum under center, the Chiefs finished out the game. Finally, Fleet-Davis scored from about 1 1/2 yards but there was a mixed-up hand-off exchange. Chiefs go up 24-14 with just over two minutes left to play on the Butker PA. That’s the game as I saw it.
Beyond that? With the “Twos” and “Threes,” the pass rush was dismal, as has been the pass defense, especially considering the depth players of the Commanders faced them. In the 3rd Quarter, these depth defenders gave up a TD. The offense hadn’t scored since the FG that put the Chiefs up 17-0 at the half. Finally, at the end of the game, KC scored their 3rd TD to secure the win.
I’ve got to call attention to –> CB Joshua Williams.
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He played some great football in the first half. Watching Williams in this game buttresses my view of the excellence that our Scouting Staff worked wonders in the draft. Drafting Joshua Williams appears to me to be an “Ace.”
From that point in time onward, Andy Reid pulled the starters. What we saw were players who were fighting for a roster spot. My particular focus was on OT Geron Christian. His performance was disappointing because he gave up a sack during the game and lacked the grit I was looking to see. I wanted to see how well Rookie OT Darian Kinnard played. I saw nothing that impressed me.
What Did We See?
On Offense
For the starters, it mattered to see them operating in cohesion – successfully. Beyond that, I was not concerned with how much they played, especially as the first three possessions demonstrated the players were all on the same page. Overall, I felt comfortable with the job done by our OL, but I did not see them block well in the run game. Then it was a matter of seeing Christian, Johnson, and Kinnard inserted. I don’t think Christian played well, and I have no real boost for Kinnard.
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I anticipated that the Chiefs would score 17 points in those first three possessions. Perhaps more. However, the vital thing we witnessed was the Offensive line exerting its will on the Commanders. With Mahomes, the team moved the chains with each trip downfield and getting into the Red Zone.
Examining the need for playing time for the offense, I want to see the offensive line perform with the four C’s –> Cohesiveness, Coordination, Continuity, and Communication — start to finish. With Andrew Wylie getting the nod at ROT, he is the player I most fervently wish for early success.
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Beyond that, The WR Corps requires scrutiny, especially rookie WR Skyy Moore. I fervently want to see all receivers make catches and contribute to each drive. Beyond that? I think seeing Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco was a force on the ground and a target for Mahomes’ aerial attack.
Success will come from each facet of the offense performing well. It’s true, and I believe this offense will be as productive as the 2018/19 Chiefs team was. It will be different. At this juncture, after the loss of a Super Bowl and an AFC championship, the change is what was needed. In this game, I did not see enough positives from the depth players to believe they are not a WiP (Work in Progress), however, it just wasn’t a good enough outing. This means a lot will depend on how well the tier-two players fare against the Packers next week.
On Defense
It makes a difference because the Chiefs will field five players that need time against NFL completion. Those players are:
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George “He Has No Off Switch” Karlaftis
Leo “He’s Coming for You” Chenal
Trent “He’s Super Freaky” McDuffie
Joshua “He’s Better Than His Draft Position” Williams, and
Bryan “He’s a Really Hot” Cook.
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The starters played well as should have been expected against a lesser foe. The more time they get against another NFL team, the better the test. The fifth player I’ve added to this list is rookie 4th rounder CB pick Joshua Williams. Williams had a good performance in this game, with two major plays in the first half. Williams has been a bright spot for the CB group that was unanticipated.
By observing these players, I have no qualms about starting McDuffie and Williams (or Cook) when three safeties are called for in a particular defense set (Nickel, dime, or hybrid). Also, I am firmly convinced that Leo Chenal will be a massive factor in the LB corps–getting him tested and playing with aggressive tenacity will be part of the Chief’s defensive forte for 2022. Leo played well in this game. Aside from this linebacker observation, LB Elijah Lee needs ample playing time. He has the speed that the Chiefs need in the LB rotation. As for Lee? We need to see the third preseason game to know more.
Are These Projections a Reach?
As I reviewed the players taking plays in camp, I think not. How Brett Veach and the Scouting Crew created the player list for the Chiefs Big Board-2022 is challenging to fathom truly. Before the 2022 season starts, I cannot envision a team of scouts doing a better job. Of course, we must wait and see the season unfold and reach its completion to adequately understand the value the rookies being brought to the table. I anticipate rookie mistakes, but at the same time, I believe the Chief’s rookies will excel as newcomers to the NFL.
McDuffie and Karlaftis appear to me to be ‘draft aces.’ Moving on from there, I think Skyy Moore will become a far better fit for the Chiefs WR corps than most pundits will allow. Moore would be the 3rd ‘ace’ in the draft. At the same time, Safety Bryan Cook was on my draft board, and I was ecstatic when Veach pulled him aboard. I mentioned Joshua Williams above, and you could not hope for a better outcome for him than being part of the three-man rotation at CB. Wouldn’t that make Williams an ‘ace’ pick too? What if Isiah Pacheco becomes the #2 RB for the Chiefs in 2022? That’s got to be an ‘ace’ in its own right for a round 7 draft pick.
The Game against the Commanders demonstrated that the *4 C’s are not yet integrated into the starters’ play. Beyond those men, it is a WIP.
Sure There is Risk!
Expecting too much from Rookies can be a dangerous prospectus. Moore on offense and Leo Chenal in the LB group, as well as three starters (McDuffie, Williams, and Cook) in the secondary, carries an inherent risk. The Coaching staff went all-in on the youth movement, and we can see this in the Veterans that have been released. I believe the Chiefs have an invaluable coaching staff who have invested in the team with an ‘Edge’ the same as the players they are cultivating. An Edge is the watchword of the season.
As camp went on, I fervently became a believer in the 2022 Chiefs team. Mitch Holthus made this observation about the Chiefs and the 2022 season. I earmark this for all of us, fans, pundits, experts inside the Chiefs and beyond, and for those who see the Chiefs faltering in 2022:
“Edge – It’s a word that’s all over the place in meaning and usage. This year the Chiefs have adopted the word “EDGE” as their season battle cry. We all know in the Kingdom, the Chiefs have been the NFL’s most successful team for the past four seasons. And yet, the NFL prognosticators are forecasting gloom and doom for 2022 for the Chiefs Kingdom. You can dislike the Chiefs, you can disrespect the Chiefs, you can doubt the Chiefs, but you’re going to have to deal with the Chiefs — A team looking for an EDGE.”
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Mr. Holthus? Despite the faux pas we witnessed in the game versus the Commanders, I am a 2022 believer. I have become a passionate Chiefs supporter –> once again!
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You could also call the Chiefs Preseason Game Two, The Jody Fortson Game: especially since it was in a week 6 game one year ago vs this same Washington Football team, when he went down with an Achilles Injury. Consequently, his comeback game was made that much sweeter. As Jackie Gleason used to say: “How sweet it is!“
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*The Four C’s: Cohesiveness, Coordination, Continuity, Communication
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne