On Saturday, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will return to preseason motion in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, hoping to erase the sting of Sunday’s weird 26-24 exhibition loss to the New Orleans Saints.
When the Chiefs return to Glendale — the place they gained Tremendous Bowl LVII six months in the past — followers will naturally be questioning how a lot we’ll see quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight finish Travis Kelce, and the remainder of the starters. The beginning offense performed solely a single drive in opposition to New Orleans, lasting all of 5 performs.
Talking after Thursday’s last follow from the workforce’s coaching camp at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, head coach Andy Reid revealed his taking part in time plan for Saturday — with the caveat that his thoughts might change anytime.
“So far as the play time goes for this coming recreation,” Reid declared, “ones will go for a half, after which we’ll combine within the twos and threes within the third and fourth quarters. Clearly, there’s issues that occur through the recreation. Do not maintain me fully accountable for all that if we pull individuals out at any time when.”
Reid needs his starters to go in opposition to their friends from different squads. Now coming into his twenty fifth season as an NFL head coach, he believes he’ll know when it is time to take the perfect expertise off the sphere.
“You attempt to get steadiness that equal participant in opposition to participant,” Reid acknowledged. “You attempt to have ones vs. ones while you’re in recreation. I simply type of thoughts as I’m going. Then, I simply take my intestine feeling after that. If I pull guys early, it is simply one thing I really feel at the moment.”
2023 marks the third marketing campaign with solely three preseason video games — after the addition of a seventeenth common season recreation in 2021. Based mostly on how Reid approached the second exhibition in 2021 and 2022, observers ought to be skeptical of seeing Mahomes and Kelce for your complete first half.
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Final season, going through the Washington Commanders within the dwelling consolation of Arrowhead Stadium, Mahomes took the offense 87 yards on Kansas Metropolis’s first drive, capping the 12-play sequence with a 5-yard landing throw to tight finish Jody Fortson. Later within the first quarter, the league’s greatest quarterback took the sphere for a second possession, this time beginning the drive on the Chiefs’ 18. Mirroring the primary sequence, the Chiefs marched the sphere a dozen performs — and deja vu might need set in early within the second quarter as Mahomes discovered Fortson for a second landing.
Backup Chad Henne didn’t seem within the recreation, and third-string passer Shane Buechele got here in for the Chiefs’ third drive and would keep behind middle till late within the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs have fond latest recollections of State Farm Stadium in Arizona, however in addition they traveled there for the second preseason recreation in 2021. It was a irritating efficiency. Beginning their first drive at their very own 37, the Chiefs marched the sphere all the way in which to the Arizona 6-yard line — solely to accept a Harrison Butker area objective after the 14-play effort stalled.
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Later within the first quarter, the league’s greatest offense obtained the ball on their very own 15-yard line — however shortly went three-and-out, forcing a Tommy Townsend punt. Mahomes returned to the sphere on the finish of the primary quarter for a 3rd drive. This time the Chiefs’ offense would advance to the Cardinals’ 5-yard line, however Mahomes’ night time would finish with a move to Demarcus Robinson being intercepted ultimately zone.
Towards the Commanders final season, your complete beginning offense got here off the sphere after two profitable drives. Whereas going through the Cardinals in 2021, nevertheless, the beginning offensive line completed the primary half, even after the principle backs and receivers have been pulled.
The purpose at which Reid pulls starters within the second exhibition recreation seems to use to each offense and protection. The beginning protection additionally performed solely a pair of sequence in opposition to Washington final season. Towards Arizona, the beginning protection got here on for a fourth drive after Mahomes’ interception, and their night time ended after an ensuing Cardinals three-and-out.
Based mostly on the previous two seasons, we should always count on to see the Chiefs’ starters dip into the second quarter on Saturday, however they may seemingly go away the sport nicely earlier than halftime. Whereas the Chiefs are one in all a dwindling variety of groups exposing their stars to any preseason damage threat, Reid insists the video games are vital for preparation.
“It is all a part of the sport,” he reiterated. “They have to prepare for the sport. On the similar time, I feel it is robust going into the primary recreation. It should be quick — a lot sooner than what you may current in follow, the common season recreation. This a minimum of is one other step up from that — offers you just a bit kick up speed-wise of the sport.”
The venue for Saturday’s contest has explicit considerations for participant well being. Lengthy earlier than a memorable conclusion to final season in Arizona, the Chiefs performed the Cardinals within the desert in Week 1. Of their opener, the Chiefs misplaced each Butker and cornerback Trent McDuffie for a lot of the season after struggling leg accidents on a sloppy area.
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Per some gamers on (and lots of followers of) the dropping facet, the sphere circumstances additionally negatively affected the Philadelphia Eagles’ Tremendous Bowl efficiency. Reid acknowledged earlier considerations concerning the turf in Arizona however echoed particular groups coordinator Dave Toub’s assertion that they really feel assured about its situation this weekend.
“We all know what the sphere has been,” Reid confirmed. “We have checked on it — which we do each week, in all places. It is truly in fairly good taking part in form. It won’t look the perfect while you’re taking a look at it on tape, however they are saying it is gripping nicely. That is what you need — you need the durability of the turf there.”
