Chiefs’ snaps vs. Bills: Robinson paces WR corps; Gay plays just two defensive snaps

The Chiefs improved to 5-1 on the season after Monday’s 26-17 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Kansas City rebounded quite well after Week 5’s loss to the Raiders with an impressive outing in the running game and a dominant defensive performance.

The Chiefs totaled 46 rush attempts for 245 yards and controlled time of possession in the game, holding a 37:45 to 22:15 edge.

Kansas City’s defense held the Bills’ potent offense in check, allowing just 206 total yards. The Bills entered the game ranked fifth in total offense, averaging 401.8 yards per game.

Here’s how the snap counts worked out for the Chiefs in Monday’s win:

QUARTERBACKS: Patrick Mahomes (73)

Mahomes passed for just 225 yards and two touchdowns, but his arm wasn’t needed against the Bills.

The Chiefs’ signal-caller, however, collected two more records to add to his career. He now has 91 career touchdown passes in 37 games played, passing Hall of Famer Dan Marino (40 games) as the fastest quarterback in the Super Bowl era to reach 90-career touchdown passes.

Mahomes also recorded a touchdown pass in 16 straight games to establish a new team record previously held by Elvis Grbac.

RUNNING BACKS: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (49), Darrel Williams (23), Darwin Thompson (3, 13 on special teams)

Edwards-Helaire paced the Chiefs’ rushing attack with a career-high 161 yards rushing on 26 attempts, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Monday marked the second time this season that Edwards-Helaire topped 100 yards rushing in a game; the rookie previously did it in Week 1.

Williams chipped in with six carries for 26 yards and a touchdown, which sealed the game.

The Chiefs’ 245 total yards rushing marked the fourth time the team topped the 200-yard barrier since Andy Reid arrived in 2013. The previous times were against the Broncos in Dec. 2016, the Lions in Nov. 2015 and the Patriots in Sept. 2014.

The running game can only get better with Le’Veon Bell, who was inactive after officially signing over the weekend.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Demarcus Robinson (69), Tyreek Hill (67), Mecole Hardman (29, 12 on ST), Byron Pringle (28, 16 on ST), Marcus Kemp (2, 12 on ST)

With Sammy Watkins down with a hamstring injury, conventional wisdom suggested Hardman would take on a bigger role.

Not so.

Hardman totaled just one target and no catches, while Robinson stepped up with a team-high 69 yards receiving on five catches. Pringle also outpaced Hardman with two catches for 46 yards, including a big 37-yard reception in the fourth quarter.

Hill hauled in three catches for 20 yards on three targets and didn’t find the end zone after scoring in five previous games. The Chiefs, though, didn’t need the passing attack with the running game going bonkers against the Bills’ defense.

Kemp was a game-day elevation from the practice squad as a roster replacement for fullback Anthony Sherman, who landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list last week.

TIGHT ENDS: Travis Kelce (65), Nick Keizer (21, 9 on ST), Deon Yelder (7, 5 on ST), Ricky Seals-Jones (2)

Kelce snagged five passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns, the sixth multi-touchdown game in his career.

Seals-Jones was active for the first time this season and saw one target. He finished the game playing just two offensive snaps with no catches.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Eric Fisher (73, 5 on ST), Andrew Wylie (73, 5 on ST), Daniel Kilgore (73), Mike Remmers (73, 5 on ST), Nick Allegretti (65, 5 on ST), Mitchell Schwartz (8), Austin Reiter (5 on ST), Yasir Durant (5 on ST)

The Chiefs saw a starter on the front five leave for a second straight game. In Week 5, left guard Kelechi Osemele suffered torn tendon in both knees, and this time around it was Schwartz leaving with a back injury.

Kansas City’s offensive line rallied, though. Mike Remmers, who started at left guard, kicked out to right tackle after Schwartz went to the locker room in the first quarter, while Allegretti filled in at left guard.

The Chiefs also made a switch at center to start the game, as Kilgore drew the start at center in place of Reiter, whom Reid said after the game was still dealing with a tender knee.

Despite the shuffling, the offensive line blew open holes for the running game and dominated the Bills in the trenches.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Frank Clark (47), Chris Jones (41, 2 on ST), Tanoh Kpassagnon (38, 4 on ST), Derrick Nnadi (26, 4 on ST), Tershawn Wharton (16, 2 on ST), Alex Okafor (15), Mike Pennel (14, 4 on ST), Taco Charlton (13)

The pass rush didn’t record a sack, but the effect was felt beyond the final box score.

Clark, Jones and Kpassagnon led the charge to harass Bills quarterback Josh Allen throughout the game, forcing Allen out of the pocket numerous times and never allowed Buffalo’s offense to get in a rhythm.

Of the Chiefs’ five quarterback hits, four were recorded by the defensive line: Clark totaled two, while Kpassagnon and Charlton each had one.

Nnadi produced four tackles from his interior spot.

LINEBACKERS: Anthony Hitchens (35, 4 on ST), Damien Wilson (23, 6 on ST), Ben Niemann (18, 14 on ST), Willie Gay Jr. (2, 16 on ST), Dorian O’Daniel (20 on ST)

Wilson made the most of his 23 snaps by collecting a team-high six tackles, while Hitchens pitched in with five tackles.

Gay, who started the previous two contests, was relegated to backup duty against the Bills and saw just two defensive snaps. Niemann totaled three tackles.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Daniel Sorensen (53, 14 on ST), Tryann Mathieu (53), Juan Thornhill (53), Bashaud Breeland (53), Charvarius Ward (53), Rashad Fenton (30, 2 on ST), Armani Watts (20 on ST), Antonio Hamilton (20 on ST), BoPete Keyes (8 on ST), Tedric Thompson (6 on ST)

The pass defense rebounded after Week 5’s debacle, which saw the unit surrender six explosive plays (20 yards or more). On Monday and against the NFL’s No. 2 passing offense, the Chiefs allowed just one big play, which came on a 22-yard catch by Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley.

Buffalo entered the contest averaging 308 yards passing per game. When the dust settled, the Bills totaled just 122 yards through the air.

Sorensen led the charge with five tackles, an interception and a pass defense, while Breeland also chipped in with five tackles. Ward shook off a pass interference infraction and finished the game with four tackles and a pass defensed.

Thornhill came up with a nice pass defensed in the end zone, knocking the ball away from a Bills receiver on a deep pass.

SPECIALISTS: Harrison Butker (11), Tommy Townsend (7), James Winchester (7)

Butker accounted for two field goals, but missed his fourth extra point on the season.

DID NOT PLAY: Quarterback Chad Henne

INACTIVES: Running back Le’Veon Bell, wide receiver Sammy Watkins (hamstring), running back DeAndre Washington, defensive end Demone Harris, linebacker Darius Harris

This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 10:26 AM.

Herbie Teope

The Kansas City Star

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