Arrowhead Pride - Chiefs beat Bengals: Full coverageKansas City Chiefs news, rumors, roster updates and more.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46893/arrowheadpride_f.png2017-08-22T09:30:02-05:00http://www.arrowheadpride.com/rss/stream/159376912017-08-22T09:30:02-05:002017-08-22T09:30:02-05:00Chiefs stock report: 10 up, 5 down
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<p id="n7rJzC">Week 2 of the preseason is in the books, and it’s hard not to be optimistic about the Chiefs performance as a whole. Competition from the rookie class appears to be pushing several veterans to be their best. Not to mention the rookies are showing they have a chance to contribute more than we may have expected.</p>
<p id="ThjxQh">We’ll take a look at a few <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> players who helped or hurt their chances with their performances this week against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>. </p>
<h3 id="YNipKh">Stock Up</h3>
<p id="FIvb4f"><strong>RBs </strong><strong>CJ Spiller AND </strong><span><strong>Kareem Hunt</strong></span><strong>: </strong>The running game showed up this week, right on schedule. Hunt had some huge runs and catches, showing his ability in all facets of the offense. Spiller displayed the speed he’s known for making plays up the middle, on the edge, and catching the football. Both guys could help rejuvenate the Chiefs running game this year as complements to Spencer Ware.</p>
<p id="z4oSvX"><strong>RB </strong><strong>Charcandrick West: </strong>Perhaps the guy that needed it the most had a breakout-type performance, albeit versus lesser competition late in this game. Regardless, when you take seven hand-offs and end up with 113 yards, you’re absolutely making the most of your opportunity. If the Chiefs keep West, it won’t really be <em>because</em> of this game. He’s well-liked in the locker room, and Andy Reid called him “one of my <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/red-zone/article168257152.html">favorite</a> guys”. That said, it was great to see ‘Moosey’ running free against the Bengals.</p>
<p id="0kCxBW"><span><strong>QBs </strong><strong>Alex Smith</strong></span><strong> AND Pat Mahomes:</strong> The quarterback play this week was outstanding. Each guy missed a throw or two, but to focus on that would be nitpicking. Smith had one of his best passes in recent memory with the ‘<a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/21/16178118/a-great-example-of-how-tyreek-hills-speed-helps-travis-kelce">drop in the bucket</a>’ to <span>Kelce</span> for a big gain. Mahomes looked shaky for his first two plays before settling in and performing like a franchise QB. <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/red-zone/article168373392.html">There is NO QB controversy</a>, but the Chiefs are in very good hands with these two.</p>
<p id="9UPVUO"><strong>WR </strong><strong>De’</strong><span><strong>Anthony Thomas</strong></span><strong>: </strong>Three catches this week, including a touchdown. He showed his ability to run after the catch, and work in traffic. One particular play stood out to me, as he was able to bounce off of a big hit by former Chief draft pick KeiVarae Russell, and gain an additional four yards or so. The “<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article164576377.html">toughest guy on the roster</a>” also showed up on special teams, making the tackle on a potentially long kickoff return.</p>
<p id="RxHJw0"><span><strong>LB </strong><strong>Ukeme Eligwe:</strong></span><strong> </strong>Three more tackles and a sack this week ... the rookie is making the most of his opportunities this preseason. He may be further ahead in the defense than we thought. I assumed he’d be a special teams guy for his first season, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong. </p>
<p id="iKxg4d"><strong>DE </strong><span><strong>Tanoh Kpassagnon</strong></span><strong>:</strong> I noticed him line up inside and out, as he was in on the majority of the defensive snaps. It’s clear that the Chiefs are not only giving him a look at multiple positions, but also giving him extra snaps for development. He may be a big (literal and figurative) part of the future of this defense, and will be exciting to watch him wherever he’s lined up. </p>
<p id="MVEL6B"><strong>DE </strong><span><strong>Allen Bailey</strong></span><strong>: </strong>He’s back and still looks like an absolute monster. He had a QB sack where he came flying in off of a DL stunt, and another hustling tackle downfield to force a Bengals punt. </p>
<p id="4w4ycu"><strong>WR </strong><span><strong>Jehu Chesson</strong></span><strong>: </strong>He showed up with a special teams tackle and a couple of catches this week. He looks like he has very good hands and can block a bit, based on what we’ve seen so far. He’ll at least be on the roster this season and working with Dave Toub. We’ll see if he can continue to improve and get playing time with the offense as well. </p>
<p id="nOoBAC"><em>Others who are trending upward:</em> <span>Chris Conley</span>, <span>Eric Murray</span>, <span>Demetrius Harris</span>, <span>Travis Kelce</span></p>
<h3 id="Kczqbe">Stock Down</h3>
<p id="EpVx9c"><strong>OTs </strong><strong>Donald Hawkins and </strong><span><strong>Jah Reid</strong></span><strong>:</strong> Bless their hearts, they tried. But that was another rough game. Reid makes the list for the second straight week, as the backup OTs really struggled to slow down the pass rush. Bengals pass rusher <span>Chris Smith</span>, in particular was in the backfield all night, even when Hawkins was flagged for holding. Smith beat Hawkins with speed and bull rushes, at one point on at least <em>four </em>consecutive drop-backs. I’ll say it again, backup offensive tackle is the ONE big remaining need on the Chiefs. </p>
<p id="y5zTIv"><strong>WR </strong><strong>Albert Wilson:</strong> Bert had two catches for 14 yards, and missed a couple of blocks this week. It’s difficult to articulate what he brings to the table above the other candidates for the WR depth chart. Hill is explosive and looks fantastic. <span>Conley</span> looks stronger and continues to improve, Robinson and Chesson have upside and special teams ability. <span>Seantavius Jones</span> refuses to stop making plays this preseason. Albert Wilson can make people miss when the ball is in his hands, and he knows the offense I guess. I’m assuming the Chiefs keep Wilson, but I can’t exactly explain why...</p>
<p id="PcO2h1"><strong>CB </strong><span><strong>Phillip Gaines</strong></span><strong>: </strong>I think it’s safe to say Gaines isn’t in the top three cornerbacks, and that the Chiefs are happy with <span>Peters</span> (obviously), Nelson and Mitchell (when healthy). So, Gaines needs to show up on special teams and on defense this preseason to secure his place on the depth chart. Unfortunately, Phillip Gaines got picked on this week by Andy Dalton. To be fair, he was always <em>around</em> the receiver, just not able to make a play on the ball. Whether he’s still dealing with after effects of an injury, or he’s struggling for some other reason, Gaines may be in serious jeopardy when roster cuts happen next week.</p>
<p id="7S5DRR"><strong>TE </strong><span><strong>Gavin Escobar</strong></span><strong>:</strong> Had a great catch on the play of the game from Mahomes , but as per his reputation, struggled blocking in the run game. I also noticed him getting beat quickly in pass protection on a play where Mahomes was driven into the turf. (yes, he still completed the pass, because it was Mahomes). I believe Escobar has the ability to be TE2, but for now, he needs to show more to ensure he even makes the roster.</p>
<p id="pTy5wo"><em>Others who are struggling:</em> Justin March-Lillard, Devine Redding, Sam Ficken</p>
<h3 id="ULR70f">Stock Flat</h3>
<p id="CWXyF6"><strong>LBs </strong><strong>Dee Ford and </strong><span><strong>Justin Houston</strong></span><strong>: </strong>Both look healthy and disruptive, so it’s fair to expect BIG things from the Chiefs pass rush this season. Ford appears to be adjusting to life on the right side of the defensive formation, which is very good news. These two are on the ‘flat’ list for a couple of minor reasons: Ford had a pair of offside penalties, and neither guy was able to finish a significant play this week. Ford had a near sack, Houston had some pressure and a near miss on a run play or two. The Chiefs have two legit double-digit-sack guys on the edges again. The production will be there.</p>
<p id="N8xhqN"><strong>NT </strong><span><strong>Bennie Logan</strong></span><strong>: </strong>The big guy’s long-awaited debut went well overall, he showed his ability versus the run. Logan did miss the tackle on Mixon early in the game, but made up for it with a couple of stops and some penetration. He appears to be what we hoped he’d be, a disruptive force in the middle, and potentially an upgrade over <span>Dontari Poe</span>.</p>
<p id="5aliDa"><strong>The Starting Offensive Line:</strong> The results were very positive (228 yards rushing, 6.9 avg), but in re-watching the game, I’m not <em>totally </em>content with the first team offensive line’s run blocking. Hunt and Ware ran into walls of Bengals defenders on a few plays, and Schwartz had a holding penalty on an outside run. The Cincinnati linebackers were active and making plays in the backfield this week. It’s not a huge concern, because they were able to use the short passing game as an extension of the running game, and pass protection was solid. But, it’s something to watch going forward.</p>
<p id="uQHo5K"><em>Others who are who we thought they were: </em><span>Tyreek Hill</span><em>,</em> <span>Marcus Peters</span>, Spencer Ware, <span>Demarcus Robinson</span></p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/22/16178684/kansas-city-chiefs-stock-report-10-up-5-downMatt Stagner2017-08-20T13:30:01-05:002017-08-20T13:30:01-05:00Did you catch this TD celebration?
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<p id="CdpGPA">I didn’t catch this until I saw the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> tweet it out this morning but <span>Demetrius Harris</span> had a nice little touchdown celebration after scoring his first one (of two) against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> on Saturday night.</p>
<p id="oxkChA">In every Demetrius Harris post I am obligated to mention that he is a former college basketball player - hey, did you know <span>Antonio Gates</span> played basketball in college? Tony Gonzalez, too! - so it’s fitting that his celebration was this:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TD celebrations using the ball as a prop? Yep, that's allowed now. <br><br> ⬆️ <a href="https://t.co/PSFkUbYmSQ">pic.twitter.com/PSFkUbYmSQ</a></p>— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/899058208550944768">August 19, 2017</a>
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<p id="ykFplg">That’s Harris going up for what looks like a layup (kinda weird form there, Harris) and the ball landing through the hoop, which were Kelce’s hands. </p>
<p id="1vdbDz">This is a celebration that would’ve been penalized in years past because it used the ball as a prop. In fact, Harris should know the rules very well because he was dinged for this last year. After his incredible touchdown from QB <span>Dontari Poe</span> last year, Harris held the ball like a golf club and took a swing and did the Tiger Woods fist pump. For that, he was fined $12,000.</p>
<p id="XDcAls">Not this year. The touchdown celebrations should be a little more fun.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16175420/did-you-catch-the-chiefs-td-celebration-from-demetrius-harris-and-travis-kelceJoel Thorman2017-08-20T13:16:04-05:002017-08-20T13:16:04-05:00Alex and Mahomes vs the Bengals: Whodunnit Better?
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<p id="8bthgL">As always with these late-night articles, let’s get right to the point: both <span>Alex Smith</span> and Patrick Mahomes played really, really well against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>. Which is good, good, GOOD news (we’re doing lots of repetition tonight, as watching the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> take the Bengals to the woodshed got me pretty fired up).</p>
<p id="saOOSr">We got to see Mahomes run with the first team, which was fun. We got to see Alex throw deep, which was fun. We got to see Mahomes almost throw a pick, which was not fun. We got to see Alex fire a rocket into the end zone, which was fun. We got to see Mahomes make one of the better plays of the preseason, which was fun. </p>
<aside id="H8RCfK"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Mahomes is getting there, but he’s not ready yet","url":"https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/21/16177032/patrick-mahomes-is-getting-there-but-hes-not-ready-yet"}]}'></div></aside><p id="h4xQbD">As you all know, I review quarterback film. Kind of a lot (as in literally every <span>Alex Smith</span> snap the last two years, for starters). It’s a bit different reviewing film in the preseason, as all-22 isn’t available. As such, I can’t really gauge “missed shots downfield” or some of my usual in-depth stats. But I CAN gauge a few things: accurate/inaccurate throws, plays where the QB made multiple reads, bad decisions, and franchise throws. </p>
<p id="sHDy8r">Of course, this isn’t a science, and even those limited stats aren’t always a sure thing without seeing the whole field. But we do what we can, and ya’ll demanded a QB review (a Twitter vote was heavily in favor of a Smith/Mahomes review), so let’s do this. But first, here’s Alex Smith hitting <span>Travis Kelce</span> in stride 30+ yards down the field.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Man, you can't ask for a better throw than this. Alex has looked good throwing the ball down the field this preseason in a small sample size <a href="https://t.co/dH37s6a03d">pic.twitter.com/dH37s6a03d</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899128765359501312">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="OH6OkA">Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. </p>
<p id="bWHiRB">All right, we’ll start off with the numbers. Then, let’s talk about the quarterbacks. However, we’re going to need to do that in sections: in the first section, we’ll talk about how each guy looked overall on film. Then, in the second section, we’ll talk about what each guy does better than the other guy. Because after all... you HAVE to compare them, right?</p>
<p id="b0ajLU">What I want you to remember throughout this article is this: the starting quarterback and the QBOTF played extremely well against a tough defensive opponent. And that, my friends, is good news. </p>
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<p id="I1aQ8D">Seriously, both quarterbacks played at a high level against the Bengals. In fact, there’s really not a ton to say other than that. I guess one could nitpick at the fact that Mahomes had more “multiple read snaps” than Smith, but the fact is that was mostly a reflection of more opportunities (not all, but mostly. We’ll get to that). And obviously, Alex didn’t have a “bad decision” stat, as he didn’t come close to throwing anything resembling a pick. Mahomes, in the meantime, almost threw his first NFL pick.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mahomes wanted to go over the top, couldn't, thought he could force in a late, telegraphed throw. If that's a tad slower throw it's picked. <a href="https://t.co/mENUdUtBds">pic.twitter.com/mENUdUtBds</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899133981354061824">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="4Qh1jh">No excuse here for the rookie. He could’ve tucked and run, could’ve scanned the field, could’ve thrown it more quickly to Sherman (who was open for a second). Instead, he hesitated, and it nearly cost the team big time. The only thing that saved him was that it was a LB and not a CB, and the fact that even off-balance his velocity was enough to get the ball there before the LB could recover (velocity does save some bad decisions, but that doesn’t make them any better from a decision making standpoint).</p>
<p id="byFdWt">Based on the numbers alone, a slight edge goes to Smith. On the flip side, for the sake of fairness, Smith COULD have a “bad decision” marked against him if I wanted to be picky. During the first drive for the Chiefs, Smith threw the ball well short of the goal line to <span>Albert Wilson</span> on 3rd and goal. He did this despite absolutely no pressure from the defense, and Wilson was (predictably) swarmed and tackled short of the end zone. </p>
<p id="m14WOU">Smith could’ve held the ball much longer (he had a great pocket), but instead went with a zero risk throw that the coverage was trying to get him to make. Frankly, that’s the type of throw (or “non-throw” if you think of it from the perspective that he didn’t try and find something in the end zone) that can cost points. I don’t like that version of Alex. However, I just can’t bring myself to put it on the same level as a near-pick like the one Mahomes had, so it goes down as worth chastising, but not a marked “bad decision.” You follow?</p>
<p id="nDArQP">Anyways, let’s talk about what the fellas showed on tape.</p>
<h3 id="ftxCnF">Alex and Patrick: Two QB’s slinging the rock</h3>
<p id="AsiehA">Alex continued a very, very strong offseason by running the offense with plenty of efficiency (like we’re used to) and making quick, smart, accurate throws (also like we’re used to). He looked really comfortable calling out coverages and potential protection issues, and was clearly in command of the offense.</p>
<p id="M9xHZm">In addition to this, Alex also made a few throws that we’re NOT used to seeing all the time, like the beauty to <span>Kelce</span> at the beginning of the article, or this touchdown throw to <span>Demetrius Harris</span>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is EXACTLY the type of throw you want to see from Alex. Tight window, contested, Alex throws him open with the ball placement. <a href="https://t.co/fyk9obiRI6">pic.twitter.com/fyk9obiRI6</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899132720990892032">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="678EwU">Like I said in the tweet, this is what you want to see from Alex. Despite good coverage by the defender, Alex was willing to fire the ball into a small window. Additionally, Alex put the ball out in front of Harris, allowing him to run to it and away from the defender. You know, throwing him open. That’s something Alex didn’t do enough of last year, and it was great to see happen. Also, there’s some pretty serious heat on that ball. Good for Alex, trusting his arm and his receiver. I like it.</p>
<p id="VJw0d0">Overall, what we saw from Alex was essentially a full quarter and a half of “good Alex,” without any real issues of happy feet. He had one throw sail on him (an unfortunate one as it would’ve been a decent gain in the red zone and perhaps led to a TD rather than a FG on the first drive), but was pretty close to perfect outside of that play and the too-quick throw to Wilson. </p>
<p id="YVOLaR">I won’t delve into it too much here, as we’ve seen Alex play well before. But it needs to be noted that he’s thrown the ball with great accuracy down the field in the preseason (with a limited sample size, to be sure. But still worth noting). He’s also looking more decisive and aggressive generally speaking, and his ability to direct the offense has never been more clear. In short, he looked great. </p>
<p id="TrlGti">Mahomes, despite that rocky first throw, settled down quickly (he definitely seemed to have some jitters his first few snaps with the 1st string) and also operated the offense with efficiency. He got the throws out on time and accurately, and the zip he puts on short throws (without putting too much sauce on them) is good to see. He also helped convert multiple third downs and plays under pressure, and demonstrated repeatedly the ability to go through his progressions post-snap.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What I like about this is Mahomes clearly goes through each read, from Sherman to Travis to Harris. Decent throw on run w/ defender coming. <a href="https://t.co/bbnA0U1Yy1">pic.twitter.com/bbnA0U1Yy1</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899138494605529088">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="R6JmpP">Here, Mahomes rolls right and, on the move, calmly goes through his first two reads. When they are covered, he moves on towards the middle of the field and sees Harris open. He then pulls the trigger immediately, makes an accurate throw on the move with a defender SCREAMING towards him, and is rewarded with 6 points. Nice execution of a nicely drawn-up play.</p>
<p id="0bsmGX">Patrick also demonstrated his “almost no one in the NFL can do this” arm talent on a few plays, one of which went largely unnoticed because of the result.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">In game I didn't think this was a good throw. Re-watching and slowing down, it was a fantastic throw negated by def PI and a drop. <a href="https://t.co/LfK3P5oEMg">pic.twitter.com/LfK3P5oEMg</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899140379815149569">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="52B9eu">Throws like this are why I believe re-watching the game is so important to figure out individual performances. I glossed right over this play as an incomplete pass, figuring maybe Mahomes was off target or out of sync with his receiver. </p>
<p id="DlLafs">When re-watching it, though, I realized this was easily the best throw I’d seen Mahomes make in a game to that point. 30 yards down the field on an ABSOLUTE ROPE, put up in the air for the receiver to snag and with way too much heat for the corner to get his head turned around and defend adequately. Seriously, the throw is amazing (we’ll see another angle in a second). </p>
<p id="5uoeQR">Unfortunately, a pair of things prevented the completion. First, the defender was all over DeMarcus Robinson as he went up for the ball, clearly interfering (no flag). Second, Robinson let the ball go right through his hands. I’m not blaming him, as he was getting mauled, but still, check this out.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another angle. Clearly PI by defender, but Robinson let it go through his hands. Utterly FANTASTIC throw by Mahomes here. <a href="https://t.co/yXYiSjMsDx">pic.twitter.com/yXYiSjMsDx</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899141190431494144">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="vqeeer">That’s a franchise quarterback throw by Mahomes. Just incredible velocity and ball placement on what appears to me to be a back shoulder look. I love the fact that he seemed to see the CB was turned around and fired it in there. <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> has said that when he sees the back of a CB’s helmet he knows he can fire it in there before the defender can adjust, and that’s what happens here despite very good coverage. </p>
<p id="D55g7N">But alas, a pair of things outside his control (a PI and a drop, albeit a REALLY tough drop) prevented him from collecting a well-deserved completion and 20+ yards on the stat sheet.</p>
<p id="3eMlTZ">(Side note... plays like this are why I can’t just look at a stats sheet, especially from an individual game, and feel like I really know what happened with a quarterback)</p>
<p id="gZufVb">Mahomes also demonstrated his improvisational skills repeatedly, using his legs as well as his arm to make things happen. One thing I enjoyed was seeing him not just scramble, but using trickery and the threat of passing as a way to make scrambling more successful.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A subtle thing Mahomes does when he scrambles: eyes on Conley until the last second. Look at the effect it has on 57, gives him a head start <a href="https://t.co/7Qd1BIkLZC">pic.twitter.com/7Qd1BIkLZC</a></p>— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMNchiefsfan/status/899136963130920962">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="Wnhs9T">Last week, Mahomes faked out San Francisco’s defense with his eyes into drifting away from Kemp before finding him in the end zone. here, he uses his eyes to keep the linebacker from committing to a scramble, which buys him just enough time to reach the edge. Mahomes really does have good instincts for how to get things down and move the chains. </p>
<h3 id="4O73tp">So... who did what better? Smith vs. Mahomes</h3>
<p id="FerZNf">This will just be easier if I go one list at a time. Worth noting before we start... “accuracy” isn’t going to be on either guy’s list. Because both of them have been really accurate. Which is, again, just sublime.</p>
<p id="wZPqui">Alex, from the limited sample size we have, is superior with regards to:</p>
<ol>
<li id="Y5eyg7">Running the offense presnap, calling out protections and changing plays at the line of scrimmage after reading the defense.</li>
<li id="QLmiM8">Maintaining proper footwork during his dropback and in the pocket when it’s clean. This isn’t even close.</li>
<li id="fvvqDn">Quick decision making. While Smith isn’t exactly known for snap decisions, on plays where the read isn’t a single read, he seems more decisive than Mahomes, quicker to commit to a decision.</li>
<li id="2D4m5Y">Bad decisions. Granted, it was Smith who almost threw a pick last week, not Mahomes. But that wasn’t due to a bad decision. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Alex make a decision that “uh oh” since becoming a Chief, at least with regards to risking a pick.</li>
</ol>
<p id="Zc1ia8">Generally speaking, I’d say Alex was overall superior between the two of them. He absolutely looked more polished and, well, like a vet who knows the system and knows exactly what needs to be done.</p>
<p id="bdD0Pm">Mahomes (again, with a limited sample size) seems better in the following areas:</p>
<ol>
<li id="vqUIDn">Velocity and arm talent. Mahomes can put zip on the ball that Alex just can’t, regardless of what happens leading up to the release.</li>
<li id="I6vVLy">Feel in the pocket. Though Mahomes has some really iffy footwork, he looks more natural navigating where to go and “feeling” where defenders are (and aren’t in and around the pocket.</li>
<li id="nUTRb5">Improvisation and saving a busted play.</li>
</ol>
<p id="XwwWc1">That third one isn’t really a knock on Smith. Mahomes looks better than a LOT of quarterbacks in the area of “saving” plays. The play that captured everyone’s attention highlights this trait.</p>
<div id="hdGvRn">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mahomes making the unblocked defender miss on a naked boot and threading the needle. <a href="https://t.co/26xbo3qpGH">pic.twitter.com/26xbo3qpGH</a></p>— Ted Nguyen (@RaidersAnalysis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaidersAnalysis/status/899071506780536832">August 20, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="q8I6TW">I can say without exaggerating that very, very few quarterbacks in the NFL can make that play. And that’s where Mahomes’s primary advantage comes forth: he can make plays that other quarterbacks simply cannot. His arm talent and feel for avoiding rushers makes him absolutely terrifying when pressured. And that is one of the scariest things a defense can face. With most QB’s the answer is simple: pressure and you win. Not so with a guy like Mahomes. </p>
<p id="LH72uk">Bottom line is simple: both Alex AND Patrick are looking really, really solid moving forward. And regardless of where you land regarding either of those players, that makes it a good time to be a Chiefs fan.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16175230/alex-smith-and-patrick-mahomes-vs-the-bengals-whodunnit-betterMNchiefsfan2017-08-20T10:30:02-05:002017-08-20T10:30:02-05:00Kelce says Chiefs QB room is as good as it gets
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GqT8UmQriqSWCbrLZc5dEJRXvh0=/86x0:2444x1572/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56275239/usa_today_10227828.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="mfrm2t">Watching the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> preseason game last night against the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> this occurred to me:</p>
<div id="gGxh4i">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This just occurred to me: There are NFL teams who are probably jealous of the Chiefs QB situation. Life comes at you fast</p>— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArrowheadPride/status/899093056074502144">August 20, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="erk2A1">We won’t say you didn’t earn this Chiefs fans. No one can say you didn’t put in your time. But is it true? <span>Travis Kelce</span> thinks so. </p>
<p id="gyywfk">“Our quarterback room is as good as they get,” <span>Kelce</span> said after the Chiefs 30-12 win over the Bengals (<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article168237562.html#0">quote via this video from the Star</a>).</p>
<p id="x3Zeur">The Chiefs don’t have <span>Tom Brady</span> or <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> so we’re not saying they’re elite or the very best in the NFL. When it comes to quarterback situations, however, the Chiefs are in such a good spot.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="6A3hJ6"><div data-anthem-component="aside:606868"></div></div></div>
<p id="zxC7uZ"><span>Alex Smith</span> looks like he is in total command of the offense. He threw a pass to <span>Chris Conley</span> on a slant and it was about a foot ahead of <span>Conley</span> for an incompletion. I remember that play really standing out to me last night because Alex is A) rarely off target and B) that was his only incompletion of the night.</p>
<p id="ZyBJRs">Patrick Mahomes, have we talked about him yet? Sam Mellinger’s article says it best: <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article168235297.html#navlink=SecList">Mahomes looks more ready than expected</a>.</p>
<p id="E2X63A">You could do worse than <span>Tyler Bray</span> as your third quarterback. These guys don’t get the chance to play much so I won’t spend too much time here but to have a big guy with a big arm as your third quarterback ... you could do worse.</p>
<p id="3P3sB7">The Chiefs have a good quarterback situation is something I am actually typing right now and it’s true. What a time to be alive.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16175412/travis-kelce-says-chiefs-quarterback-room-is-as-good-as-it-getsJoel Thorman2017-08-20T09:50:02-05:002017-08-20T09:50:02-05:00Another angle shows how good this throw was
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zsgvv_KwlN97dOhotN_t-ui0iT0=/0x0:2456x1637/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56275259/usa_today_10228562.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="4as9Uw">In our <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a>-<a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> recap I called <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174434/bengals-vs-chiefs-final-score-alex-smith-patrick-mahomes-look-sharp-in-30-12-win">the play of the game </a>that throw from Patrick Mahomes to Gavin Escobar. You know the one where Mahomes faked the handoff, rolled out to his right, escaped the defender and threw a bullet on the run and on the money to Escobar. The TV angle of that play made it look really impressive, and it was. This is is an even better angle that shows just how on the money that throw was. </p>
<div id="6RzvoS">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mahomes making the unblocked defender miss on a naked boot and threading the needle. <a href="https://t.co/26xbo3qpGH">pic.twitter.com/26xbo3qpGH</a></p>— Ted Nguyen (@RaidersAnalysis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaidersAnalysis/status/899071506780536832">August 20, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="DSdhSa">In the words of JR, good God almighty! </p>
<p id="pIircV">I have watched this play probably 20 times. I’m not sure what my favorite part is. I love this angle because it shows how the defense is flowing to the handoff except for that one defender. Mahomes is able to avoid the defender, who I believe is 6’3, 245-pound linebacker Marquis Flowers. This play is dead if he can’t avoid him. (Am I fair in saying most quarterbacks aren’t able to run away from that defender or am I just being a blind homer now?) </p>
<p id="w4mDVf">This video is slow motion so you don’t quite appreciate how hard that ball was thrown but, holy moly, that is a perfect pass to Escobar. Mahomes is getting all the praise here but Escobar was able to catch it and hang on when he knew he was getting drilled. </p>
<p id="irkcwh">I was not prepared for Mahomes to be this good throwing on the run. I really wasn’t. I think that’s the best part of his game right now.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16175422/another-angle-shows-how-impressive-the-patrick-mahomes-pass-to-gavin-escobar-isJoel Thorman2017-08-20T09:10:01-05:002017-08-20T09:10:01-05:006 winners, 2 losers from Chiefs-Bengals
<figure>
<img alt="Kansas City Chiefs v Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HXIZHOCX-PjGSnMRhvPG1wyzbf4=/0x0:4968x3312/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56275289/835666960.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="sMwvQj">The <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> defeated the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>, 30-12, Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium. </p>
<p id="CAriKz">Here are your winners and losers from the game:</p>
<h3 id="BmI7oV">
<strong>Winner: </strong><span><strong>Alex Smith</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="COcQ8x">As Kansas City remains appropriately excited about its quarterback of the future, the starter, <span>Alex Smith</span>, continues to go about his business. </p>
<p id="BmrsPD"><span>Smith</span> was 8/9 for 83 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals, which included a very encouraging 36-yard gain through the air to tight end <span>Travis Kelce</span>, and a fabulous touchdown throw to <span>Demetrius Harris</span>.</p>
<p id="xqVCdX">Despite Cincinnati safety <span>Derron Smith</span> blanketing Harris, Smith led Harris in such a way that he’d be the only player capable of catching the football, and he did for the score. </p>
<p id="IrgzjR">As a reminder: though it’s OK to be excited, Smith is and should be the starter of this football team for 2017. </p>
<h3 id="TE4L4c"><strong>Winner: Patrick Mahomes, and everyone in Kansas City watching Patrick Mahomes</strong></h3>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="WKYd8G"><div data-anthem-component="aside:606883"></div></div></div>
<p id="ZKCqSI">We all got what we wanted—and that was a chance to see Patrick Mahomes take a crack with the first team against first-team competition. </p>
<p id="rcAsa4">I don’t want to say he had a <em>perfect night</em><em> </em>(his first throw of the evening was in and out of the hands of a defender and could have ended the drive right there), but man, seeing him <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174572/todays-patrick-mahomes-highlight-isnt-about-his-arm-its-his-legs">rush for that touchdown </a>(that was called back) and later <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174792/watch-every-patrick-mahomes-pass-and-rush-from-the-chiefs-2nd-preseason-game">the accuracy on the run</a> has you believing this guy is for real.</p>
<p id="1IifdW">Mahomes finished 10/14 for 88 yards and two touchdowns, and I would officially be <em>flabbergasted</em> if he were moved back to No. 3 in the depth chart the remainder of the year.</p>
<h3 id="mLrQGa">
<strong>Winner: </strong><span><strong>Kareem Hunt</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="ntl5Yh"><span>Spencer Ware</span> came in for one play in this game, a 3-yard rush up the middle. But that seemed as if it was more symbolical than anything else, as it would end up being his first and last play. </p>
<p id="ET9zsU">After Ware, in came Kareem Hunt, who was a production machine.</p>
<p id="YMnxy5">Hunt had four carries for 13 yards and three receptions for 23 yards on the first drive alone and would finish with 63 yards from scrimmage <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174874/chiefs-kareem-hunt-injured-his-ankle-but-hes-fine-more-injury-updates">before he tweaked his ankle</a> at the end of the first quarter. </p>
<p id="Uos144">I’ve been saying it for a while now—Hunt is good, he does a lot of things and his performance with the first team Saturday night only adds to the case that he has been building for real playing time in 2017. </p>
<h3 id="dTg6of"><strong>Winner: Demetrius Harris</strong></h3>
<p id="COC6Dd">You can’t have two touchdowns—one from QB1 and one from QB2—and not make my winners list. </p>
<p id="7kZHBq">Demetrius Harris has been flying under the radar for a long time, but Andy Reid, Smith and company continue to dial his number in the biggest spots (Denver, the playoffs last season).</p>
<p id="k2VZaz">In preseason game two, Harris had two touchdowns—one from Smith and one from Mahomes, and I noted above how tight of a window the first throw was. Here is the catch on the play action pass from Mahomes:</p>
<div id="ukQI0d">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patrick Mahomes has arrived, folks. Throws his second touchdown to Demetrius Harris. <a href="https://t.co/UIrjjgMKoY">pic.twitter.com/UIrjjgMKoY</a></p>— Chiefs Central Prod. (@ChiefsCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChiefsCentral/status/899062840832794624">August 20, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="FE6n1K">I questioned at the beginning of camp whether or not <span>Ross Travis</span> or <span>Gavin Escobar</span> could dethrone Harris for the TE2 position. I’m no longer questioning.</p>
<h3 id="6kDl4Y">
<strong>Winner: </strong><span><strong>Charcandrick West</strong></span>
</h3>
<p id="Uv71I4">Just when you were perhaps ready to write him off, Charcandrick West takes your pencil and snaps it in half.</p>
<p id="yUpU9Y">West exploded on Saturday night, rushing for 113 yards on seven carries. His back-to-back rushes of 27 and 25 yards in the fourth quarter showed outstanding vision, then he broke off another rush later in the quarter for 50 yards. </p>
<p id="lr9yAC">As I was getting <a href="https://twitter.com/pgsween/status/899083792786358272">giddy on Twitter</a>, one of you <strong>PrideHeads</strong><strong> </strong>tweeted at me that, “He’s playing third team competition.”</p>
<p id="kaVanF">And I get that, you guys.</p>
<p id="Zdq11x">But that’s the hand he’s been dealt at this point and the only thing he can do is play it—and he performed well.</p>
<p id="0ujDBi">CJ Spiller had a great night as well, so I don’t necessarily think this means West hops up above Spiller, but I am starting to think the Chiefs will keep four running backs.</p>
<h3 id="vDl1f5"><strong>Winner: Chiefs rushing defense</strong></h3>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="zALmNq"><div data-anthem-component="aside:606884"></div></div></div>
<p id="KGQ6M5"><span>Joe Mixon</span> was all the rage in preseason Week 1 and in camp, and I was curious how the Chiefs defense would handle him on Saturday night.</p>
<p id="fRYPMl">The answer was a definitive one, as the Chiefs held him to 16 yards on six carries, or 2.7 yards per carry.</p>
<p id="ZYLD7u">Looking at the totals at the end of the game, the Bengals rushed 21 times for only 72 yards (3.6 yards per carry).</p>
<p id="aDspdl">I particularly liked how Dontari Poe’s replacement, <span>Bennie Logan</span>, looked. While he did have a pretty bad missed tackle at one point, he was consistently pushing back the line.</p>
<h3 id="WRxgiz">
<strong>Loser: </strong><span><strong>Phillip Gaines</strong></span><strong> </strong>
</h3>
<p id="O5zxXd"><span>Terrance Mitchell</span> didn’t play on Saturday night because of a lingering hamstring issue, and the Chiefs gave the start at right cornerback to Phillip Gaines, while mixing Steve Nelson in the nickel and dime sets. </p>
<p id="jGSk9m">Gaines struggled against the Bengals’ first team wide receivers and it was pretty obvious on a couple of them. At one point the KCTV telecast zoomed in on Gaines, who was clearly frustrated with his effort. </p>
<p id="e4ab7m">Pro Football Focus does a very good job with providing stats against a particular cornerback in a given game, and I’m not sure it will be a pretty sight tomorrow for No. 23.</p>
<p id="7gd02J">That said, I don’t think Gaines will be cut—he provides good depth—but I do see Mitchell getting plugged right back in once he’s healthy.</p>
<h3 id="CaJpFE"><strong>Loser: The offensive line reserves </strong></h3>
<p id="bjFxEN">Outside of <span>Zach Fulton</span> and the soon-to-be-returning <span>Parker Ehinger</span> (he was in Cincinnati with the team), it’s hard to feel comfortable with the Chiefs offensive line in reserve situations.</p>
<p id="JtNXqV">Especially after Tyler Bray’s first drive (the one-pass touchdown to <span>Seantavius Jones</span>), he seemed to be running for his life on dropbacks.</p>
<p id="XzxF0T">This is concerning if one of the five starters—<span>Eric Fisher</span>, <span>Bryan Witzmann</span>, <span>Mitch Morse</span>, <span>Laurent Duvernay-Tardif</span> and Mitch Schwartz—can’t play for a game or two if an injury were to occur.</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16174864/bengals-vs-chiefs-preseason-6-winners-2-losersPete Sweeney2017-08-20T08:10:02-05:002017-08-20T08:10:02-05:00Snap counts for Chiefs-Bengals
<figure>
<img alt="NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/psoXwzcT3xGhR_jR0EWQwd12Lww=/0x0:3552x2368/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56275221/usa_today_10228645.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="5LcKH1">Let’s talk about the snap counts from the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> 30-12 preseason win over the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> on Saturday night. </p>
<h3 id="Nim7Jq">Quarterback</h3>
<p id="ehvney">QB Patrick Mahomes: 26</p>
<p id="KN3Df3">QB <span>Alex Smith</span>: 19</p>
<p id="0nQDdY">QB <span>Tyler Bray</span>: 14</p>
<p id="PKPYiI">QB Joel Stave: 8</p>
<p id="LEbd4P">The Chiefs got all four quarterbacks in as expected. Alex Smith led two scoring drives and Patrick Mahomes led two scoring drives. Both looked really sharp. I thought Mahomes would’ve kept going through the rest of the third quarter but the Chiefs brought Tyler Bray in.</p>
<h3 id="clu32N">Offensive tackle</h3>
<p id="8XVRkG">OT Mitch Schwartz: 32</p>
<p id="mMyttN">OT Eric Fisher: 32</p>
<p id="NByHLO">OT Jah Reid: 28</p>
<p id="yWkCFF">OT Donald Hawkins: 28</p>
<p id="zLxyHB">OT Joe Cheek: 7</p>
<p id="YoutD9">OT Josh James: 7</p>
<p id="JeSnSn">OT <span>Isaiah Battle</span>: 7</p>
<p id="VqnNZJ">The Chiefs backup tackles ... not good! Once again, it appears they struggled. I’m not sure how big of a problem this is considering they are backups and the Chiefs really like their two starters. This could be a position where they’re looking for help on cut down weekend. </p>
<h3 id="kZ6boT">Center</h3>
<p id="Dusu3n">C <span>Mitch Morse</span>: 32</p>
<p id="atrMnk">C Mike Person: 23</p>
<p id="a1IE7e">Not much to say here. Zach Fulton would I think take this job if Morse ever went down. I hope we don’t have to find that out.</p>
<h3 id="tkYqT9">Guard</h3>
<p id="fHHquN">G <span>Laurent Duvernay-Tardif</span>: 31</p>
<p id="Dibu2x">G Andrew Tiller: 28</p>
<p id="jROHW2">G Zach Fulton: 26</p>
<p id="WjZXmH">G <span>Jordan Devey</span>: 21</p>
<p id="BmEzwr">G Bryan Witzmann: 18</p>
<p id="LR7wR7">G Damien Mama: 14</p>
<p id="aM3iyE">Witzmann and Fulton continue to be in a position battle and Parker Ehinger remains out. I think this job goes to Witzmann for now. I need a full re-watch to evaluate his performance in this game but last week he had that one bad snap against Solomon <span>Thomas</span> and otherwise held his own. The Bengals blitzed more in this game.</p>
<h3 id="uBdnSY">Tight end</h3>
<p id="F90Wlv">TE Gavin Escobar: 30</p>
<p id="V1Nygi">TE Demetrius Harris: 23</p>
<p id="ZUOoaF">TE <span>Travis Kelce</span>: 20</p>
<p id="aCyGLF">TE Ross Travis: 18</p>
<p id="bEI1c9">TE <span>Orson Charles</span>: 15</p>
<p id="hV65Yr">The Chiefs quarterbacks and running backs will get all the hype after this game but how about those tight ends? Escobar with the catch of the day (from Mahomes’s throw of the day), Harris with two touchdown catches (two!) and Kelce with that catch on <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174516/alex-smith-floats-a-beauty-to-travis-kelce">a drop dead gorgeous pass from Alex Smith</a>.</p>
<h3 id="aak99i">Running back</h3>
<p id="5TrUbE">RB CJ Spiller: 26</p>
<p id="zIM4eM">RB Kareem Hunt: 16</p>
<p id="PVYndo">RB Charcandrick West: 15</p>
<p id="ThqAp6">FB Anthony Sherman: 9</p>
<p id="gu3mmP">RB Devine Redding: 8</p>
<p id="bCvHCR">RB Spencer Ware: 2</p>
<p id="BsucsW">Ware came out almost immediately. It looks like that was a planned move by Andy Reid. Kareem Hunt stepped in and had 11 touches on two drives. There is a spot for the other backs on this team but to me it was Hunt who stood above everyone else. He looked more dynamic. Speaking of dynamic, <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article165898872.html">CJ Spiller has that juice</a>! That first carry of his around the right side he showed that burst we’ve seen from him before. Spiller is making this team. And then there’s Charcandrick West who went over 100 and had a couple of chunk plays. Is he making this team?</p>
<h3 id="gnfBdV">Wide receiver</h3>
<p id="R0JVRc">WR <span>Chris Conley</span>: 30</p>
<p id="v1wuyi">WR Tyreek Hill: 26</p>
<p id="tvJqJ9">WR Demarcus Robinson: 20</p>
<p id="5IaXrS">WR Marcus Kemp: 14</p>
<p id="KydgAj">WR <span>Jehu Chesson</span>: 13</p>
<p id="rktDzV">WR Seantavius Jones: 12</p>
<p id="zGhI4L">WR Albert Wilson: 10</p>
<p id="bdWmry">WR De’<span>Anthony Thomas</span>: 8</p>
<p id="QiBTcj">WR Greg Dieter: 8</p>
<p id="JvE7UK">WR Tevin Jones: 7</p>
<p id="hgVm4Q">WR Robert Wheelwright: 3</p>
<p id="AXgjOe">WR Tony Stevens: 3</p>
<p id="XviZvT">So many receivers. Who stood out? I saw Jehu Chesson make a great special teams tackle. That might be where he makes his contributions in 2017. DAT didn’t play much but he got three catches out of it, including a couple of broken tackles and a touchdown. DAT is not a 1,000 yard guy but he can make this team. </p>
<h3 id="yMYiUR">Safety</h3>
<p id="gy2KLW">S Steven Terrell: 36</p>
<p id="YA2FTH">S Leon McQuay: 28</p>
<p id="mqZw72">S Daniel Sorensen: 25</p>
<p id="yAW13l">S Ron Parker: 25</p>
<p id="SfPGba">S Eric Murray: 22</p>
<p id="9uPgYH"><span>Eric Berry</span> remains out. Is someone gonna tell me when we should be worried about that? It’s hard to give much analysis on the safeties from the TV view. </p>
<h3 id="wPcHUH">Cornerback</h3>
<p id="NhjWfI">CB De’Vante Bausby: 36</p>
<p id="rhZL56">CB <span>Kenneth Acker</span>: 27</p>
<p id="YCVNWJ">CB Phillip Gaines: 26</p>
<p id="Id0jkx">CB <span>Marcus Peters</span>: 25</p>
<p id="GW5aNj">CB DJ White: 18</p>
<p id="51u8ub">CB Ashton Lampkin: 16</p>
<p id="fzYbaZ">CB <span>Steven Nelson</span>: 16</p>
<p id="o3fcOz">CB Larry Scott: 4</p>
<p id="MXDyTd">CB Trevon Hartfield: 4</p>
<p id="d0WWWd">Gaines was picked on in this game. Peters came out with a minor injury but should be fine. Like the safeties, I need another look to really understand how they did. </p>
<h3 id="z6pPww">Defensive end</h3>
<p id="y4BlrK">DE Jarvis Jenkins: 30</p>
<p id="Z7sjmp">DE Tanoh Kpassagnon: 28</p>
<p id="dfAVWp">DE <span>David King</span>: 25</p>
<p id="4fyOZp">DE <span>Rakeem Nunez-Roches</span>: 21</p>
<p id="9hVrWm">DE <span>Allen Bailey</span>: 21</p>
<p id="xBoBk9">DE <span>Ricky Ali’ifua</span>: 10</p>
<p id="MPilFu">DE Marcus Swain: 2</p>
<p id="o3pun6">Allen Bailey, that’s what I’m talking about! The Hulk looked good again. I’m glad he’s back. Tanoh also got in on the action with a sack. The Chiefs d-line has some fun potential. </p>
<h3 id="JjUYJA">Nose tackle</h3>
<p id="Mm26rV">NT Bennie Logan: 16</p>
<p id="QIU3Eh">NT <span>Cam Thomas</span>: 15</p>
<p id="THMocu">Good to see Bennie Logan make his preseason debut. We’re still missing Roy Miller so I think our nose tackle analysis is a little short until we see him. Logan had a nice run stop early on.</p>
<h3 id="ywqlmW">Outside linebacker</h3>
<p id="dYJ8BS">LB Frank Zombo: 27</p>
<p id="F4LEbM">LB Dee Ford: 25</p>
<p id="Rx6xvb">LB Justin Houston: 25</p>
<p id="0TPAtG">LB <span>Marcus Rush</span>: 8</p>
<p id="KzEdif">LB Earl Okine: 8</p>
<p id="uTjCe4">Dee Ford had two offsides penalties on the first drive. I noticed a couple of Houston rushes that affected the quarterback. Tamba Hali was active for this game but did not play.</p>
<h3 id="HAfcOV">Inside linebacker</h3>
<p id="mkkPte">LB Kevin Pierre-Louis: 21</p>
<p id="IIw8OM">LB Josh Mauga: 20</p>
<p id="jmu6Lm">LB Ukeme Eligwe: 18</p>
<p id="iBUfaO">LB <span>Derrick Johnson</span>: 15</p>
<p id="kJZ0ZF">LB <span>Ramik Wilson</span>: 14</p>
<p id="EXUqR3">LB <span>Terrance Smith</span>: 14</p>
<p id="iDRiPu">LB <span>Justin March</span>: 4</p>
<p id="7BFN37">Justin March really jumps out here. I don’t think anyone is beating out KPL, Mauga, Eligwe, DJ or Wilson. If they keep five, it’ll be those five. If not, who do you take out?</p>
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/20/16175392/chiefs-snap-counts-patrick-mahomes-cj-spiller-lead-the-wayJoel Thorman2017-08-19T21:39:15-05:002017-08-19T21:39:15-05:00Chiefs QBs look sharp in 30-12 win
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<img alt="NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cVIQzQINRk2jzFmOw9fBjewcQ_s=/0x0:2515x1677/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56273045/usa_today_10228044.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="WDlhho">The Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks and running backs looked sharp in Saturday night’s 30-12 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Oh, and Demetrius Harris caught two touchdowns!</p>
<p id="KjoN2p"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2017081952/2017/PRE2/Chiefs@Bengals?icampaign=scoreStrip-globalNav-2017081952#menu=drivechart&tab=analyze&pbp=gc-pbp-2">Find full game stats here</a>.</p>
<p id="HuFPxf">Here’s what we learned from the Chiefs win...</p>
<h3 id="UQK9xF">
<span>Alex Smith</span> and the first team offense look sharp, again</h3>
<p id="SjTsky">Once again, the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> first team offense looked strong. They scored a touchdown on their opening drive last week and they almost did this week but settled for a field goal. The second drive Alex took them down for a touchdown and then he was done.</p>
<p id="uWJ7jb">Alex went 8/9 for 83 yards and a touchdown. Not much to say here — Alex looked really sharp. The first team offense looked on point. All good things. This is encouraging. </p>
<h3 id="9YUxG6">The Patrick Mahomes hype continues</h3>
<p id="9kr2RO">He came in in the second quarter and scored a touchdown on his opening drive going 4/5 for 35 yards. He had a 16-yard touchdown scramble that was called back and ruled a 13-yard run just short of the touchdown. </p>
<p id="BShCse">His final numbers: 10/14 for 88 yards and two touchdowns. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mahomes with a key first down conversion, throws out a stiff arm on a run and then runs backwards 20 yards ... the full package tonight</p>— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArrowheadPride/status/899069724566274048">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="W8vbfd">He had a number of outstanding throws. Several throws to De’<span>Anthony Thomas</span> stand out. One was a cannon to DAT up the middle for a first down. The second one was him flicking his wrist and quickly getting the ball out to DAT, who broke a tackle and picked up yards. The third one was DAT’s touchdown. </p>
<p id="gcJKx6">The best throw of the night was one where he was scrambling to his right and while on the run he threw an absolute dart on the money to <span>Gavin Escobar</span>, who was drilled but hung onto the ball. Twitter lit up after that. It was one of those throws that really makes you wonder what the potential is here. </p>
<h3 id="WbHYxo">Play of the game</h3>
<p id="fiCs1h">Rollin’ with Mahomes.</p>
<div id="MLU92Y">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bullet from Mahomes to Escobar. What a grab. <a href="https://t.co/PV1zz5ElFp">pic.twitter.com/PV1zz5ElFp</a></p>— Chiefs Central Prod. (@ChiefsCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChiefsCentral/status/899070790540414976">August 20, 2017</a>
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<h3 id="8P6QUa">Lots of work for RB Kareem Hunt and CJ Spiller</h3>
<p id="8D6JLg">Last week, <span>Spencer Ware</span> had 18 plays while Hunt had one. This week, Hunt had seven touches for 36 yards on the first drive alone while Ware had just one rush before coming out. Hunt ended up with 11 touches for 62 yards on two drives -- three catches for 23 yards and eight rushes for 40 yards, including a 25-yard run. This tells me the running back battle is for real. Hunt looked like he belonged.</p>
<p id="RWqBbs">One other note, Hunt did come up limping after one play. He had his ankle taped after that. Guessing that’s not serious.</p>
<p id="Bi7gBR">As for Spiller, the headline this offseason was that he had that twitch back and on his first carry it appeared he did. He took a handoff to the right and added a little burst to pick up the first down around the edge. He had another good looking screen that went for 16 yards. Spiller ended up with 27 yards rushing. </p>
<p id="4KkHR4">(Adding this late but Charcandrick West ended up with over 100 yards. More to come on him!)</p>
<div id="eJmeFA">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Chiefs rushed for 228 yards tonight, 10 yards shy of their regular-season high from last season (238 vs. Denver on Christmas).</p>— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCChiefs_Matt/status/899089519928123394">August 20, 2017</a>
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<h3 id="Gtm0mA">
<span>Demetrius Harris</span> has ... good hands?</h3>
<p id="9t2hts">Harris gets some crap from Chiefs fans because of drops. He’s a former basketball player (obligatory mention) so maybe he’s just not a natural pass catcher. However, Harris is making us re-think the way we view him. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Demetrius Harris just scored his second touchdown is something I just tweeted</p>— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArrowheadPride/status/899062575366782976">August 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="vMaX5S">He got two touchdown passes on Saturday night - one from Alex and one from Mahomes. He had two catches in the game where he was well covered and still made the catch. If this is real, it could be important because the Chiefs play a lot of two tight end sets. </p>
<h3 id="S9m5bk">The Chiefs can’t rely on <span>Phillip Gaines</span>
</h3>
<p id="exkOft">You know how I’ve said that Mahomes has “it”? He just looks and feels like an NFL quarterback? Gaines does not have that same it factor at cornerback. There was just no ... um, explosion? I think that’s the word I’m looking for. The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> repeatedly went at him and were pretty successful. </p>
<p id="hawDEt">The Chiefs do have a number of bodies at cornerback but <span>Terrance Mitchell</span> is currently out so Gaines played more with the first team in this game. It’s just the preseason but the Chiefs can’t rely on him if this is the performance they’ll get. Frustrating.</p>
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2017/8/19/16174434/bengals-vs-chiefs-final-score-alex-smith-patrick-mahomes-look-sharp-in-30-12-winJoel Thorman