Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 26-24 Loss to the Saints
The 2023 NFL preseason is in full swing, and the Kansas City Chiefs got their schedule rolling when they squared off against the New Orleans Saints on the road.
After digging themselves into a 17-0 hole in the first half, Andy Reid's bunch came storming back to eventually take the lead near the end of the third quarter. A late touchdown by New Orleans brought the game to within one point and made things interesting, but a failed two-point conversion due to a penalty preserved the Chiefs' advantage... temporarily.
Quarterback Chris Oladokun was intercepted with 58 seconds left, giving New Orleans an opportunity to escape with a win. With a Blake Grupe field goal getting between the crossbars, the Saints sent the Chiefs home with a loss in stunning fashion. Kansas City is 0-1 this preseason.
Here are four takeaways from Sunday's game.
1. It's too early to overreact to first-team performances
Let's be frank here: Kansas City's first-team offense looked poor in the first quarter of preseason Week 1. Aside from a Patrick Mahomes scramble on third down and a nice connection with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the long drive with Mahomes on the field saw minimal production. To top things off, the fourth down sneak with tight end Blake Bell was a failed play that seems to be growing less and less effective when used. While the Chiefs didn't cap off their initial possession with a score, though, there's nothing to worry about. Any concern is mostly unwarranted given the track record of this group.
Defensively, the Chiefs struggled to tackle and weren't generating much of a pass rush without defensive tackle Chris Jones in the fold. Linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Justin Reid stood out, but for the wrong reasons. Coverage was lackluster and both Derek Carr and Jameis Winston marched the Saints up and down the field with ease. Again, however, the nature of vanilla game plans and a slow start during a preseason game shouldn't lead to anyone hitting the panic button. The Chiefs' lowly output from their first-teamers on both sides of the ball is worth mentioning, although that should be the extent of it.
2. Multiple wide receivers left their marks on the game
No position on the Chiefs' depth chart has been subject to more discussion lately than wide receiver. On Sunday, a multitude of players stood out with impressive plays. Veteran Richie James had a fantastic second quarter, hauling in two beautiful catches and scoring a touchdown. Justyn Ross also returned to the end zone for the first time since college and was running crisp routes all afternoon. Potential practice squad candidates Cornell Powell and Kekoa Crawford showcased their talents with solid catches from quarterback Shane Buechele. Kansas City's wideout depth was put on full display.
The Chiefs' most impressive low-key player who made a massive impact was Nikko Remigio. The undrafted free agent pickup from Fresno State has been a camp standout, and he parlayed that into a stellar second half in his first preseason outing. Posting four catches for 71 yards, he took another step towards cementing himself as a strong practice squad candidate. In a game filled with moving parts, Remigio was a constant down the stretch.
3. Checking in on the progress of Brett Veach's first three 2023 draft picks
The preseason is a perfect first taste of NFL action for rookies, and the Chiefs' 2023 draft class had a handful of members make an impact. Starting at the top, first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah found success on multiple pass-rush attempts but also ended up on the ground a few times and remains too lower body-dominant in his pass-rush plan. Second-rounder Rashee Rice displayed his burst and maturity in the first half and had just one low point with a dropped pass. His involvement was a positive development for Kansas City's aerial attack.
Rounding out the top 100 picks from April, third-round pick Wanya Morris got some work in at both tackle spots and appeared over Lucas Niang when rotations began in the first half. His versatility continued to be tested after it was experimented with during OTAs and camp. These three players will headline the Chiefs' draft class for the year, and they each made solid beginning efforts to justify that hype on Sunday.
4. Thoughts on others who stood out
It's impossible to jot down a full list of those who made plays in the Chiefs' first preseason game, but many members of the roster rose to the top in brief stints. Undrafted free agent cornerback Kahlef Hailassie recorded an interception and was sound in tackling, fellow UDFA corner Ekow Boye-Doe got an extended look on defense and second-year linebacker Leo Chenal was effective in run support early on. Defensive tackle Danny Shelton appeared to be in good shape and recorded a sack. After a rough first half, Buechele made a handful of impressive plays in the third quarter to redeem himself a bit.
That's just the tip of the iceberg. As expected, it was a true full-team effort from Kansas City to begin the preseason. As the final roster comes into clearer focus and the level of competition heats up, that likely isn't going to change.
