Five things that stood out in Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason win at Arizona Cardinals
A little more Patrick Mahomes.
A lot more defense.
The Chiefs offered their starting quarterback three full series in their second preseason game Friday, a 17-10 win against the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Mahomes returned just three points, though two of those three drives did move inside the 10-yard line.
The starting defense, on the other hand, showed out. Let’s get to more on that in a bit.
The Chiefs must cut five more players — moving their roster from 85 to 80 — on Tuesday. Their initial 53 must be set in place on Aug. 31.
With that in mind, here are five things that caught our eye in the second preseason game.
1. Defense gets the headline
It’s an anything-up-for-conversation story after a Chiefs game, and we’re starting with the defense.
That’s right.
The starting defense pitched a first-half shutout, and that’s with Cardinals starting quarterback Kyler Murray playing three full series. Well, “full” is technically true, but there weren’t exactly lengthy. The Chiefs held Murray without a first down, forcing four consecutive three-and-outs to open the game. Murray’s three drives totaled minus-1 yard.
And as good as the start was, they saved their best for last. Juan Thornhill intercepted Colt McCoy with a sprawling diving catch.
After the game, coach Andy Reid mentioned Thornhill, Chris Jones and Mike Danna as standouts.
“These guys all really showed up,” Reid said.
2. The most important development from a preseason game
It’s been a week for Juan Thornhill.
After some rough moments in the preseason opener, Thornhill took some snaps with the third-string unit at practice this week — which, even if coach Andy Reid instructed us all not to look too much into that, was a new occurrence.
Quite the turnaround Friday.
Thornhill opened the game with the starters in a three-safety package with Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen, and he capped the first half with the play of the night. On a pass Colt McCoy lofted over the middle, Thornhill made up ground on receiver A.J. Richardson and completed a full-extension diving catch, securing the ball even on a hard landing.
If there’s a more important play this preseason — a guy who needed to make a play and did make a play — we’re yet to see it.
“It’s just a play that I wanted for myself,” Thornhill said. “The ball was in the air, and I just did my job and went to go make the play.”
3. Mecole Hardman targeted ... a lot
The replacement for Sammy Watkins will most likely be a combination of players rather than just one. But Mecole Hardman sure saw a lot of the football Friday.
It was a bit of an up-and-down night. Hardman was targeted on five passes in the opening drive alone, though he hauled in just two of those.
Later, however, he bounced back with a sensational touchdown catch, a reception that required an adjustment in flight as he plucked the ball just a few inches before it hit the ground.
“It took me a minute to to find the ball,” Hardman said. “So when I did find it, I knew it was going to be short. So I’m like, alright, let’s get this — don’t drop it.”
4. More Daurice Fountain
Unlikely on anyone’s radar at the onset of camp, wide receiver Daurice Fountain is going to make it quite difficult to leave him off the initial 53-man roster. If the Chiefs didn’t have such depth at wide receiver, he’d likely have already earned a spot.
After leading the Chiefs with four catches for 38 yards last week, Fountain hauled in all three of his targets and turned them into 54 yards.
5. Chris Jones. Good no matter where he lines up
Oh, man, poor D.J. Humphries.
Chris Jones made a mockery of Arizona’s left tackle, blowing past him for a sack and forced fumble against Cardinals quarterback Kyle Murray.
His move to the edge of the defensive line is among the biggest storylines heading into the season. A week after a sack at his old spot — defensive tackle — he got one from his new spot.
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 10:00 PM.