I’m not sure why the Kansas City Chiefs scheduled a road game in Seattle during the rainy season, but they did and were heavily beaten by the Seahawks 33-16. It was a rough performance and didn’t reveal much about this team.
With many starters on the sidelines on Friday night, the Kansas City Chiefs seemed eager to leave Seattle as quickly as possible. The backups didn’t perform well, and the team suffered a few injuries, some that could impact the roster.
The biggest disappointment had to be the Chiefs’ defense. The Seahawks’ rushing game overwhelmed Kansas City with 268 rushing yards, and they also added 209 passing yards for good measure.
The defense was almost nonexistent, and once they began losing players to injuries, the backups couldn’t keep up with a Seahawks offense that was unstoppable. Conversely, the Chiefs only managed 88 yards passing and 68 yards rushing. The only bright spot of the game was Skyy Moore’s memorable play when he scored a touchdown on an 88-yard punt return.
The offensive line, especially Kingsley Suamataia, struggled in passing situations, and he often found himself on his backside when Seattle brought the blitz. Still, against the run, he was all nails.
I’m unsure what Andy Reid will do because Suamataia can’t protect Patrick Mahomes up the middle, and he can’t serve as the second-year guard to start the season. They don’t have another option at guard unless they move Jalen Moore to left guard.
If I were the Chiefs, I’d have left tackle Esa Pole work as the left guard in practice this week. He was the team’s best offensive lineman in the game. He dominated at left tackle, and he was better than the man ahead of him on the depth chart, Wanya Morris.
In the second half, the Chiefs lost another safety, Mike Edwards, who left the game with a hamstring injury, and cornerbacks Nohl Williams (concussion protocol) and Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder) also left the game.
Backup linebacker Jack Concrhane and defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzoma left the game with knee injuries. Suddenly, the depth of the Chiefs’ roster is gradually shrinking. It’s common to see injuries in the preseason, but now the team must wait for medical reports and adjust its depth chart.
Before his injury, Nohl Williams was outstanding, and fellow rookie Jeffrey Bassa finished the game with four solo tackles. Both young players will see plenty of action during the regular season. Omarr Norman-Lott aggravated an ankle injury but did return to the game. Of the three, he is the least polished among the draft picks.
Again, you always want to find silver linings in a loss like this, and I’ll say backup quarterback Gardner Minshew was the best performer of the night. In two drives, one that stalled on a failed short-yardage situation in the red zone, and his last one that produced the only passing touchdown on the night for the Chiefs, he looks comfortable in a Kansas City uniform.
Rookie running back Brashard Smith looked more comfortable running and catching the ball out of the backfield on Friday night. He, along with Carson Steele, led the Chiefs in rushing with 22 yards each.
Robert Tonyan led the Chiefs in receiving yards with 41 on five catches, and he’s closing in on a roster spot.
Injuries still plague this team, and if I were Brett Veach, I would pick up the phone and call the agent for safety Justin Simmons. After losing two safeties—one for the year—and seeing Bryan Cook’s underwhelming performance in two preseason games, securing a safety should become a top priority for the Chiefs.
After the game, Andy Reid said the starters, including Mahomes, would see action in Kansas City next Friday when the team hosts the Chicago Bears. With the rainy weather in Seattle, I can understand why Reid held out his stars, but in a couple of lackluster performances, I’d like to see the first-team offense and defense dominate their time on the field.
