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Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Anthony Hitchens had a strong first game with the team against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, leading the Chiefs in combined tackles with 15.
On Monday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid specifically highlighted Hitchens’ fantastic play in the fourth quarter on third-and-10 with the Chargers threatening.
Talking about Hitchens destroying the screen game, this one may be even better. Carries the receiver vertically for a couple steps, sees the OL getting out into space and he closes. Good pursuit by Bailey allows Hitchens to beat the block outside w/ a shoulder dip & finishes big pic.twitter.com/iZX55xp7Gy
— Matt Lane (@ChiefinCarolina) September 10, 2018
“When I tell you about stepping up and making a play, when needed, that one on the screen there, that was a big play for us,” Reid said. “It followed with a missed field goal, and I thought he did a good job. Those guys played a lot of plays out there, and Hitch was on the field quite a little bit of those plays, so I thought he did some good things.
“Listen, like all of us, there’s stuff he has to work on, but I thought he played physical football.”
Hitchens’ tackle—again, one of 15 on the day—sealed the deal for the Chiefs.
As I noted in postgame winners and losers (Hitchens was a winner, by the way), the Chiefs signed Hitchens to a five-year deal this offseason.
Through one game (of what they hope will be many), it sure seems like Reid and the Chiefs are happy with that decision.