Chiefs’ snap counts vs. Texans: Sorensen stands out; records set in comeback win
The Kansas City Chiefs are one win away from advancing to Super Bowl LIV after Sunday’s incredible 51-31 win over the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round.
Down 24-0, the Chiefs stormed back with seven straight touchdowns, marking the fourth-largest postseason comeback in NFL history.
Here’s how the individual snaps counts break down from Sunday’s historic day for the Chiefs, who now get set to host the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 19 at Arrowhead Stadium:
QUARTERBACKS
Patrick Mahomes (64), Matt Moore (did not play)
The Texans were cruising early, but then Mahomes happened.
Mahomes kept his cool and rallied the Chiefs in a furious second-quarter charge with four touchdown passes, three going to tight end Travis Kelce. On the game, the third-year quarterback completed 23 of 35 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns, adding 53 yards rushing on seven carries.
He became the first player in league history to record 300-plus yards passing, five touchdown passes and 50-plus yards rushing in a playoff game.
RUNNING BACKS
Damien Williams (62), Anthony Sherman (9, 27 on ST), Darwin Thompson (1, 19 on special teams), LeSean McCoy (1)
Williams found the end zone three times, two on the ground and one through the air. He now has four career rushing touchdowns, marking the most in team history. The running back finished the game with 68 total yards (47 rushing).
With Williams firmly entrenched as the lead back, McCoy and Thompson each logged just one offensive snap. Neither player recorded a carry. Thompson made an impact on special teams with a fumble recovery.
Sherman, the team’s reliable fullback, logged nine offensive snaps while continuing to contribute as a core member of the special teams unit.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tyreek Hill (60, 2), Sammy Watkins (56), Demarcus Robinson (37, 5 on ST), Mecole Hardman (11, 14 on ST), Byron Pringle (5, 23 on ST)
Hill led the group in snaps, but Watkins paced the wide receivers with 76 yards receiving on two catches. Robinson produced one catch for 4 yards on four targets, but had two noticeable drops early in the game.
Hardman totaled two catches for 19 yards, but made the biggest impact on special teams. The All-Pro rookie returner helped energize the Chiefs in the second quarter with a 58-yard return, which led to the Chiefs’ first touchdown two plays later. He finished the game with six kickoff returns for 142 yards, the fourth-most in a single postseason game in team history.
TIGHT ENDS
Travis Kelce (43), Blake Bell (30, 16 on ST), Deon Yelder (5, 13)
Kelce, who dealt with a hamstring injury, had himself a game Sunday. The elite tight end recorded 10 catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets, establishing a team record for most receiving touchdowns in a playoff game. His three scores in the second quarter also established an NFL playoff record for most in a single quarter.
Bell finished the game with two catches for 15 yards and also found the end zone on an 8-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
Yelder saw action while Kelce was receiving attention for the hamstring issue, and recorded a catch for 11 yards.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Mitchell Schwartz (64, 8 on ST), Eric Fisher (64, 8 on ST), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (64, 8 on ST), Austin Reiter (64, 8 on ST), Stefen Wisniewski (64, 8 on ST), Nick Allegretti (8 on ST), Cam Erving (did not play)
With Andrew Wylie a surprise inactive, Wisniewski drew the start at left guard once again and played all offensive snaps.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Tanoh Kpassagnon (67, 7 on ST), Frank Clark (60), Terrell Suggs (38), Demone Harris (36), Derrick Nnadi (35, 6 on ST), Khalen Saunders (13), Mike Pennel (13, 6 on ST), Xavier Williams (13, 6 on ST)
The Chiefs were without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was inactive with a calf injury. But the defensive line played exceptionally well against the Texans with a rotation among Nnadi, Saunders, Pennel and Williams.
Of the team’s eight quarterback hits recorded on Houston’s Deshaun Watson, six were recorded by the defensive line.
Clark turned in a monster performance with four tackles, three sacks and four quarterback hits. Clark’s three sacks are tied for the most in Chiefs’ postseason game and tied for the fourth-most in a single playoff game in NFL history.
Suggs and Kpassagnon each recorded a quarterback hit. Pennel made the most of his 13 snaps by producing two tackles.
LINEBACKERS
Ben Niemann (44, 29 on ST), Damien Wilson (38, 4 on ST), Anthony Hitchens (35, 6 on ST), Reggie Ragland (33), Dorian O’Daniel (12, 29 on ST)
Niemann led the linebacker group in playing time and recorded four tackles. Wilson paced the defense with a team-high eight tackles.
O’Daniel, who mostly contributes on special teams, got in the defensive rotation and produced two tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Charvarius Ward (80, 10 on ST), Tyrann Mathieu (80), Daniel Sorensen (80, 29 on ST), Bashaud Breeland (80), Kendall Fuller (73), Rashad Fenton (40, 19 on ST), Armani Watts (4, 6 on ST), Jordan Lucas (29 on ST), Alex Brown (13 on ST)
The Chiefs more than made up for rookie Juan Thornhill’s absence with Sorensen and Fuller as part of a three-safety package alongside Mathieu, who recorded three tackles and two passes defensed Sunday.
Sorensen, in particular, helped turn around the game with two plays on special teams in the second quarter. He first sniffed out a fake punt attempt, and then forced a fumble with a jarring hit on a kickoff return. Sorensen finished the game with eight tackles on defense, and a tackle and forced fumble on special teams.
Fenton made a big impact with five tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a passed defensed.
Second-year pro Watts, who was introduced as a starter during the pregame ceremony, didn’t see a lot of action. He logged just four defensive snaps and six special teams snaps, as the Chiefs leaned more to the experienced Sorensen and Fuller to replace Thornhill, who suffered an ACL tear in the regular-season finale two weeks ago.
SPECIALISTS
Harrison Butker (17), Dustin Colquitt (12), James Winchester (12)
Butker totaled six extra points in the game, giving him 17 career made extra points to rank first in team history.
Colquitt made his 10th postseason appearance for the Chiefs to tie a franchise record for most playoff appearances by a player in team annals. Colquitt finished the game with three punts for 123 yards, landing two inside the 20-yard line. His 38 punts in the playoffs are tied with Bryan Barker as the second-most in team history.
INACTIVES
Chris Jones (calf), Morris Claiborne (excused for personal reasons), Chad Henne, Darron Lee, Ryan Hunter, Jackson Barton, Andrew Wylie
