On Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs sent a message to the Denver Broncos, the AFC West, and the rest of the NFL: they aren’t going quietly into the night. After a 31-10 blowout over their division rival, the roster of young, old, and new came together to deliver a resounding victory.
Let’s be honest, the story going into the Chiefs’ season opener against Denver centered on quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his surgically repaired knee. Nine months to the day, he screamed in pain at Arrowhead last December; he was back on the field, running, scrambling, and throwing touchdowns.
Even for the most enthusiastic die-hard Chiefs fan, it was both exhilarating and shocking that Mahomes, after struggling in the first quarter, came to life after his brilliant touchdown run on the team’s opening drive.
Yet, he wasn’t alone in making plays, and if you watched this game closely, you could see that for yourself. You had contributions on offense, defense, and special teams, though the latter struggled in their coverage assignments.
But I’m nitpicking.
On the field, the blend of experience, seasoned and inexperienced, was magical to watch if you’re a Chiefs fan. So, who stood out?
Left Tackle Khalil Benson had never started an NFL game or a college game at left tackle in his life. In fact, the last time he suited up at the position was back in High School. All he did was allow zero pressures and shut down Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonito to mortal status. Benson was a beast, and late in the game he carried backup running back Emmitt Johnson three yards to get a fourth-quarter first down, clock moving.
Defensive Tackle/ Fullback Khyiris Tonga was a man among boys last night. Yes, he had big moments on defense, but his run-game blocking let Kenneth Walker make play after play in short-yardage situations. His ability to seal the edge on Walker’s 60-yard, fourth-down touchdown was pure perfection.
Defensive End Feliz Anudike-Uzomah was brilliant in this game. He made two huge plays that created turnovers, and they were big moments for the defense. On the first defensive reps on the field, FAU crashed the middle of the backfield and forced Broncos quarterback Bo Nix to throw an interception right into the hands of rookie Mansor Delane. Second, he had a strip sack in the third quarter that Chris Jones landed on, and that was essentially the Broncos’ final gasp.
Running Back Emmitt Johnson didn’t have the night of Walker, but he clearly solidified his position as his back-up. The rookie from Nebraska ran hard and fast, showing a toughness that blends well with this offense. He did exactly what we saw in the preseason, and the Broncos could not stop him running or receiving the ball. He broke tackle after tackle and was a key cog in the offense that can be developed this season.
Defensive End R Mason Thomas might not be Derrick Thomas yet, but he had a big sack Monday night; that was remarkable to watch. On the play, the Chiefs rushed just three players and dropped eight in coverage. Mason Thomas went around the edge of the right tackle, but when Nix stepped up in the pocket, the Chiefs’ second-round pick peeled off his block, came back, and sacked the Broncos quarterback.
Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed came back to Kansas City in the offseason because he and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had a strong bond. That faith paid off Monday. Sneed was all over the field, and despite the injury to Delane early in the first quarter, he was the quarterback of the secondary. He made plays, directed younger defenders on where to line up, and made sure they were in the right position. That’s a veteran move, and it highlights what a great addition he will be to the Chiefs’ defense.
Other players stood out, including Tight End Travis Kelce, who, after his 59-yard scamper in the third quarter, is far from done making plays at the NFL level. It appears married life has been good to Kelce.
In summary, it is just one game, but with all the offseason noise that the Chiefs were done, they made a statement because the 53-man roster all bought into the concept, accepted the intense practices from their head coach, and came together to earn a statement win Monday night.
