Chiefs vs. Broncos: Making sense of snap counts

The Kansas City Chiefs improved to 7-1 by defeating the Denver Broncos, 30-23, on Sunday afternoon.

Here were the snap counts for the Chiefs:

Offense

Defense

Special teams (only)

Starters (offense): WR Tyreek Hill, LT Eric Fisher, LG Cam Erving, C Austin Reiter, RG Andrew Wylie, RT Mitch Schwartz, TE Travis Kelce, TE Demetrius Harris, WR Sammy Watkins, QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Kareem Hunt

Starters (defense): LDE Chris Jones, NT Derrick Nnadi, RDE Allen Bailey, LOLB Dee Ford, LILB Anthony Hitchens, RILB Reggie Ragland, ROLB Breeland Speaks, LCB Kendall Fuller, RCB Steven Nelson, S Jordan Lucas, S Ron Parker

Active, but did not play: QB Chad Henne, C Jimmy Murray

Inactive: S Eric Berry, RB Darrel Williams, LB Justin Houston, LB Nate Orchard, OL Mitch Morse, OL Kahlil McKenzie, DT Justin Hamilton

Takeaways (in no particular order)

• When left guard Cam Erving (57 snaps) “dinged his shoulder,” Jeff Allen (one snap) was the first offensive lineman off the bench.
• 20 offensive snaps is the most time wide receiver Demarcus Robinson had on the field since last game against the Broncos, when he had 45 offensive snaps. Perhaps the Chiefs like the way Robinson matches up against Denver.
• After weeks of 16 and 22 offensive snaps, respectively, running back Spencer Ware only saw nine plays on offense against the Denver Broncos.
• The two Chiefs iron men (100 percent of defensive snaps) on Sunday were safety Ron Parker and cornerback Steve Nelson.
• Safety Jordan Lucas started the game but only ended up with 24 defensive snaps (33 percent). Safety Eric Murray had 52 snaps (71 percent).
• Rookie linebacker Dorian O’ Daniel had a career-high 28 defensive snaps (38 percent) after being on the field for 24 last week.
• Rookie linebacker Ben Niemann was on the field for five defensive snaps due to the rib injury to Anthony Hitchens.
• Outside linebackers: Dee Ford had 68 defensive snaps (93 percent), Breeland Speaks had 65 defensive snaps (89 percent) and Tanoh Kpassagnon had only eight (11 percent).
• Those Chiefs with more than 20 or more special-teams snaps are (obviously) your most important special-teamers because they play on multiple units. They are: TE Demetrius Harris, FB Anthony Sherman, S Eric Murray, LB Dorian O’Daniel, CB Charvarius Ward and WR Marcus Kemp.