Seahawks vs. Chiefs final score: drops much of the story in 26-13 loss

After a promising first two games of the preseason for the Kansas City Chiefs, the third provided some valid concerns, as the team fell 26-13 to the Seattle Seahawks at Century Link Field.

Get full game stats here.

Here are five takeaways from the Chiefs’ loss:

Spencer Ware left the game in the first quarter on a cart.

The last thing you want to see in a preseason game is one of your starters leaving the game on a cart. That’s what happened early in the first quarter in Seattle.

UPDATE: Chiefs don’t think it’s his ACL. More details here.

On the play, Alex Smith passed to his right in the flat to Ware, who was immediately surrounded by defenders. In trying to batter his way to the first-down marker, Ware seemed to step wrong on his right leg, and he stayed down after the play grasping his knee.

Here’s the play:

The Chiefs quickly announced he was done for the game.

Drops much of the story on a bad night for the first-team offense.

The Chiefs’ first-team offense did not come out of the gate playing well, but it shouldn’t all fall on the shoulders of Smith. Though Smith finished the game 7 for 17 (44 yards) and certainly did have some errant throws, I counted five drops, including a very uncharacteristic three by Tyreek Hill.

Worrisome stat: Hill and Travis Kelce had a combined eight targets, resulting in just two receptions and 20 yards.

What shouldn’t be lost here is Seattle’s defense is very good, and Smith seemed to be under extreme pressure the entire half.

Still, if you want to consider your team one of the best, you have to succeed against the best, and there’s no denying the Chiefs’ first-team offense struggled Friday night.

DAT returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Hey, a bright spot!

The Seahawks had just scored a touchdown to make it 13-3 late in this game’s second quarter, and all seemed grim in Seattle...

...that was until this:

De’Anthony Thomas provided a ray of sunshine on an otherwise gloomy night in the form of a 95-yard kick-return touchdown to cut the Seahawks’ lead to 3. Don’t forget, Thomas has become a special teams guru for the Chiefs as of late and should be the primary kick returner this year with Hill relinquishing those duties.

The Seahawks led 16-10 at the half.

Pat Mahomes and the second-team offense started the second half.

Despite Andy Reid saying the Chiefs’ first team would play three quarters of football earlier this week, the twos got the nod to start the second half, and that meant that Patrick Mahomes came on a little earlier than expected. Here’s a look at his first pass:

Mahomes’ first two drives resulted in punts, but he looked to find a little bit of a rhythm on drive three. Though he did fumble the ball on a key third down, one thing I learned about Mahomes Friday night is that he’s unfazed by defensive pressure in his face and more than willing to take a hit:

Mahomes’ final line: 8 for 15 for 70 yards.

The defense as a whole had an OK night and Phillip Gaines looked a little better.

The Chiefs’ first-team defense had an OK night, allowing 16 points during its time on the field in the first half.

On the only drive the Seahawks scored a touchdown, the Chiefs took four defensive penalties (Chris Jones, Dee Ford, Daniel Sorensen and Steve Nelson), including two for offsides. The Chiefs, as a team, took 14 penalties resulting in 126 yards on the night.

Phillip Gaines once again played in the place of a scratched Terrance Mitchell, and he looked better to me than he did last game. He probably should have had an interception early in the second quarter, but the ball went in and out of his hands at the goal line. Mitchell continuing to sit out due to the hamstring is suddenly concerning.

A couple highlights for the Chiefs defense— Chris Jones, in his first game back, sacked Russell Wilson in the third quarter. De’Vante Bausby had a diving interception off of Trevone Boykin in the same quarter.

A final thought

This is very much the last type of game you wanted to see Friday night.

Many times, head coaches will rest their starters in the final game of the preseason heading into the regular-season opener, but I just don’t know how I feel about this being the last time the Chiefs’ starters will be on the field before opening at a raucous Gillette Stadium.

Interested in seeing how Reid plays it.