Chiefs-Chargers: Making sense of snap counts

It was a frustrating game to watch — but in the end, the Kansas City Chiefs pulled out a thrilling 23-20 overtime win against the Los Angeles Chargers to go 2-0 on the season. Let’s see how individual Chiefs players contributed to the victory.

Starters (offensive): WR Tyreek Hill, LT Eric Fisher, LG Kelechi Osemele, C Austin Reiter, RT Andrew Wylie, RT Mitchell Schwartz, TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammy Watkins, WR Mecole Hardman, QB Patrick Mahomes and RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Starters (defensive): LDE Tanoh Kpassagnon, LDT Chris Jones, RDT Derrick Nnadi, RDE Frank Clark, LB Anthony Hitchens, LB Damien Wilson, LB Ben Niemann, CB Rashad Fenton, CB L’Jarius Sneed, FS Juan Thornhill and SS Tyrann Mathieu.

Did not play: QB Chad Henne, C Daniel Kilgore and TE Deon Yelder.

Inactive: CB Charvarius Ward, DE Demone Harris, DE Alex Okafor, OL Yasir Durant and TE Ricky Seals-Jones

Editor’s Note: Arrowhead Pride obtains snap count data from the NFL’s game stats and information system, which allows us to break out snap counts by run or pass on offensive and defensive plays. Because GSIS data ignores plays that were nullified by penalties, total offensive and defensive snap counts will vary from other sources, which get their data from NFL Gamebooks

Offensive takeaways

• As usual, the offensive line played every snap together. But backup offensive lineman Mike Remmers got in for one offensive snap, where he lined up as an eligible receiver on the fourth-and-1 play in overtime. In this case, the ball went to Darwin Thompson — but it’ll be wise to keep an eye on what Remmers does when he reports eligible.
• With the injury to wide receiver Sammy Watkiins, Mecole Hardman’s snap count percentage more than doubled from Week 1.
• Nick Keizer’s offensive snaps fell to 15% — just a third of what he had in Week 1. Ricky Seals-Jones was inactive and Deon Yelder didn’t play; the Chiefs just didn’t run as many two tight end sets.
• Just as in Week 1, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire got the lion’s share of the snaps. Darrel Williams tweaked his ankle early in the game, so Thompson got more work; he was in for 32% of the running plays, but just 16% of the passing plays.

Defensive takeaways

• After playing nearly every snap in Week 1, safety Daniel Sorensen was used on just two thirds of the defensive snaps. Juan Thornhill took up that slack, playing nearly every snap. Tedric Thompson’s percentage of snaps dropped to about half of what it was against the Texans.
• Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi’s percentage of snaps more than doubled from Week 1.
• Linebacker Anthony Hitchens was on the field for four out of every five snaps — as was Damien Wilson. Both were on the field more than they were in Week 1. Willie Gay Jr. had six snaps in the game.
• Once again, defensive end Michael Danna was on the field for about half the snaps. Taco Charlton was in the game for about a quarter of them in his Chiefs debut, getting about as many as Alex Okafor did in Week 1. Okafor was inactive for the game.
• No, it’s not a mistake: Travis Kelce was on the field for one defensive snap. As he’s done before, he came in as a defensive back on a potential Hail Mary play.

Special teams takeaways

• We see that the usual players got most of the special-teams snaps. Rookie cornerback BoPete Keyes — active for the first time — saw no defensive snaps, but was on the field for half a dozen special-teams plays.