Chiefs’ snap counts vs. Texans: Edwards-Healire shines; Mathieu paces defense
From offense to defense to special teams, the Chiefs’ season-opening win over the Houston Texans went as well as it could.
The Chiefs utilized a balanced attack en route to a convincing 34-20 win to kick off a title defense.
Still, the victory was costly on defense with starting cornerback Charvarius Ward suffering a fractured hand, starting defensive end Alex Okafor suffering a hamstring injury and second-year defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, a key part of the interior rotation, leaving the game with a dislocated elbow.
With the injuries, others had to step up and the snap counts reflect it.
QUARTERBACKS: Patrick Mahomes (69), Chad Henne (none)
Mahomes played all offensive snaps and turned in a highly-efficient game. He finished the contest completing 24 of 32 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns for a 123.3 passer rating.
RUNNING BACKS: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (46), Darrel Williams (23), Darwin Thompson (8 on special teams), fullback Anthony Sherman (11, 19 on special teams)
Edwards-Helaire put on a show in his rookie debut, totaling 138 yards rushing and a touchdown on 25 carries, an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Williams is the clear No. 2 running back and was used mostly in third-down situations.
Thompson saw no action on offense, but helped out on special teams with eight snaps.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Tyreek Hill (59), Sammy Watkins (55), Demarcus Robinson (33), Mecole Hardman (20, 10 on ST), Byron Pringle (6, 16 on ST), Marcus Kemp (11 on ST)
Hill and Watkins combined each scored a touchdown, while Robinson should’ve joined the party but dropped two in the end zone.
With the Texans taking away the deep game, the Chiefs took advantage of underneath routes with Watkins, who finished the game with seven catches for 82 yards on a team-high nine targets.
TIGHT ENDS: Travis Kelce (61), Nick Keizer (30, 14 on ST), Deon Yelder (did not play)
Kelce led the way, as usual, with six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on six targets.
Keizer was involved in the Chiefs’ 12-personnel package as the blocking component to Kelce’s receiving. Yelder was dressed, but did not see action.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Mitchell Schwartz (69, 6 on ST), Eric Fisher (69, 6 on ST), Austin Reiter (69, 6 on ST), Kelechi Osemele (69, 6 on ST), Andrew Wylie (69, 6 on ST), Nick Allegretti (1, 6 on ST), Mike Remmers (did not play), Daniel Kilgore (did not play)
The starting five received numerous compliments from coach Andy Reid and Mahomes after the game for taking charge in the trenches against a stout Texans defensive line. Osemele and Wylie, in particular, helped open gaping holes for Edwards-Helaire to scamper through.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Frank Clark (53), Chris Jones (52), Tanoh Kpassagnon (49, 6 on ST), Mike Danna (29, 2 on ST), Derrick Nnadi (16, 3 on ST), Tershawn Wharton (14, 2 on ST), Alex Okafor (10, 1 on ST), Khalen Saunders (8)
Jones anchored a defensive effort with 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits on the game, while Clark chipped in with a sack.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs suffered a blow here with Okafor (hamstring) and Saunders (elbow) leaving the contest with injuries. Danna and Wharton, saw plenty of action in their respective rookie debuts and will be needed going forward. Danna finished the game with three tackles.
Taco Charlton and Demone Harris were surprise inactives, but their roles going forward should change given the injuries to the defensive line group.
LINEBACKERS: Ben Niemann (36, 13 on ST), Anthony Hitchens (26, 3 on ST), Damien Wilson (20, 3 on ST), Dorian O’Daniel (5, 19 on ST), Willie Gay Jr. (16 on ST)
To no surprise, Niemann opened as a starter alongside Hitchens and Wilson. Hitchens paced the linebacker group with seven tackles.
O’Daniel made the most of his five defensive snaps by recording two tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit. He also recorded a tackle and an assist on special teams.
Gay, the Chiefs’ second-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, saw action only on special teams and recorded a tackle.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Tryann Mathieu (59), Daniel Sorensen (57, 8 on ST), L’Jarius Sneed (55), Antonio Hamilton (38, 16 on ST), Juan Thornhill (38), Rashad Fenton (32, 10 on ST), Charvarius Ward (31, 4 on ST), Tedric Thompson (21), Armani Watts (19 on ST)
Mathieu played every defensive snap and totaled a team-high eight tackles, while Sneed turned in a strong rookie debut with three tackles, an interception and two passes defensed. Hamilton, who played mostly inside as a nickel cornerback, also produced a nice game with three tackles.
Still, all eyes fall on Ward’s fractured hand because any absence leaves the Chiefs’ cornerback group thin and vulnerable while Bashaud Breeland serves a four-game suspension to start the season.
SPECIALISTS: Harrison Butker (12), Tommy Townsend (9), James Winchester (9)
INACTIVES: Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, defensive end Taco Charlton, defensive end Demone Harris, cornerback BoPete Keyes, offensive lineman Yasir Durant
With a change to the collective bargaining agreement, it’s important to note a change to game-day rosters this season compared to previous years. In the past, teams were only allowed to dress 46 from the 53-player roster, leaving seven inactives. The new rule allows up to 48 players on game day as long as eight of the dressed participants are offensive linemen.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 1:04 PM.
