Are You Ready For Some Football?
The last time the Kansas City Chiefs played a football game was February 7, 2021. It is a day most Chiefs players and fans alike would like to forget. A 31-9 loss to the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV still leaves a sour taste in the mouths of everyone across Chiefs Kingdom.
Today is the day when the healing process begins for fans — the first time we get to see the Chiefs take the field against another team. Even though it's the preseason, it's still game day and it's something fans can get excited about after a long offseason. Yes, some fans were able to get out to training camp, but this is the first time a majority of Chiefs Kingdom will get a glimpse of the freshly pieced-together roster.
For players, many turned the page on February 8 and have been grinding in the film and weight rooms, rehab facilities and on the practice field over the past several months to get their minds and bodies right heading into the regular season.
What should we realistically expect from the first preseason game? Don’t expect to see the big-name starters out there for more than a series or two. A few players have been dealing with some nagging issues throughout camp that wouldn’t be a hindrance in the regular season, but the coaches won't push banged-up players during preseason action.
Andy Reid likely won’t be unveiling anything groundbreaking from the playbook in this one. Sure, it might be fun to see a play-action deep ball from Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardman on the first play of the game. However, don’t expect to see any under-handed passes from Mahomes or odd formations with Travis Kelce lining up at quarterback in the red zone.
I would expect to see a lot of action from the rookies on both sides of the ball. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith should be starting on the offensive line. As a pseudo-rookie, Lucas Niang should also be running out there with the starters on the offensive line from the get-go. Look for Nick Bolton to be out there for a majority of the snaps on defense. Keep an eye out for Noah Gray and Cornell Powell in the passing game after the starters exit for the night.
Typically, preseason games showcase the battles taking place for spots near the end of the roster. The RB3 battle between Jerrick McKinnon and Darwin Thompson will be intriguing to watch. The WR4 spot up for grabs for Byron Pringle, Antonio Callaway and Marcus Kemp will be enticing. In the secondary, several new names will be on the watch list, including Mike Hughes, Devon Key, and DeAndre Baker, who was with the team for just a short period of time last season.
While there won’t be a ton of takeaways from one preseason game, there will be some clarity as things start to shake out across the roster. The biggest takeaway for the Chiefs would be if everyone came out of the game healthy and ready to roll for another week of practice.
Building the team and playing the long game is the way to go for this season, as the Chiefs have high expectations and aspirations. Getting back to a third-consecutive Super Bowl and ultimately bringing home another Lombardi Trophy is a realistic goal and anything less will not be a success in the eyes of the team or fanbase. Are you ready for some football, Kansas City?
