Chiefs vs. 49ers: Making sense of snap counts

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 38-27, to improve to 3-0 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 Mitch Morse, RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, RT Mitch Schwartz, TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammy Watkins, WR Chris Conley, QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Kareem Hunt

Starters (defense): LDE Allen Bailey, NT Xavier Williams, RDE Chris Jones, LOLB Justin Houston, LILB Reggie Ragland, RILB Anthony Hitchens, ROLB Dee Ford, RCB Steven Nelson, LCB Kendall Fuller, S Eric Murray, S Ron Parker

Active, but did not play: QB Chad Henne, TE Alex Ellis

Inactive: S Eric Berry, RB Darrel Williams, CB Charvarius Ward, LB Ben Niemann, C Austin Reiter, G Kahlil McKenzie, DT Justin Hamilton

Takeaways (in no particular order)

• Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins all received 89 percent or more of the game’s offensive snaps. The Chiefs came at the 49ers with firepower through the air.
• The Chiefs starting running back, Kareem Hunt, was on the field 47 percent of the time, or 62 percent. Hunt still managed 18 carries—six in the first half and 12 in the second half with the Chiefs trying to ice the game.
• Backup tight end Demetrius Harris, who scored a touchdown and dropped a pass played 26 offensive snaps and 24 special-teams snaps. Alex Ellis, the third tight end, did not see the field Sunday.
• Wide receiver Marcus Kemp made his 2018 offensive debut with one offensive snap registered.
• Your iron men (100 percent of snaps) on defense made up the entire secondary—safeties Eric Murray and Ron Parker and cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and Steve Nelson.
• Outside linebackers Justin Houston (64 snaps) and Dee Ford (62 snaps) each played more than 90 percent of the game on defense. Breeland Speaks only had six defensive snaps and Tanoh Kpassagnon only had four.
• Nose tackle Derrick Nnadi’s snap count continues to stay consistent. Nnadi has played 18, 19 and 18 snaps, respectively, from Weeks 1 to 3.
• Inside linebacker Reggie Ragland had a season-high 49 snaps after dialing it back due to a stinger last week. I think the Chiefs have been easing Ragland into the mix this season due to knee issues heading into training camp. Good to see Ragland get 72 percent of snaps on Sunday vs. San Francisco.