KC Chiefs snap counts: Some takeaways on D-line, the running backs and O-line vs. Pack
The Chiefs’ 13-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday left us with some key areas to examine, and we’ll do so here in our weekly snap-counts breakdown.
Of particular interest this week is the playing-time distribution on the defensive line as edge rusher Melvin Ingram played his first game in a Chiefs uniform. His addition had repercussions for others, most notably Chris Jones.
For the first time since the season opener, the Chiefs didn’t turn the ball over. The offense looked sluggish again, but their special teams and defense picked up the slack in the win at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I thought our defense really played a good football game,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.
The Chiefs blocked a field goal, converted two field goals, recovered a muffed punt and benefited from a magnificent performance by Tommy Townsend, who averaged 56.8 yards per punt.
“I thought special teams were huge,” Reid said.
Before the Chiefs (5-4) move on to Sunday’s AFC West showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders (5-3), let’s assess their snap counts against Green Bay.
QUARTERBACKS: Patrick Mahomes (65), Chad Henne (did not play)
As Mahomes goes, so goes the Chiefs’ offense. And Mahomes wasn’t going against Green Bay.
He connected on 20 of 37 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown for a 74.8 passer rating. He didn’t top the 100-yard passing mark until late in the third quarter and averaged just 4.5 yards per pass.
The Chiefs’ star signal-caller has a career 105.8 passer rating but has now gone five straight games with a rating of less than 91.0. Six of Mahomes’ lowest single-game passer ratings have occurred in 2021.
There was some good news: Mahomes snapped a seven-game streak of turning over the ball.
RUNNING BACKS: Darrel Williams (35, 6 on special teams), Jerick McKinnon (20, 5 on ST), Derrick Gore (10, 1 on ST), fullback Michael Burton (9, 12 on ST)
Williams totaled 77 yards (70 rushing) to pace the Chiefs’ backfield. Gore, who rushed for 48 and a touchdown on 11 carries the previous week, saw just three carries for 13 yards against the Packers.
As a team, the Chiefs totaled 77 yards rushing on 25 carries, averaging 3.1 yards per attempt.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Tyreek Hill (54), Mecole Hardman (42, 5 on ST), Byron Pringle (30, 6 on ST), Josh Gordon (19), Demarcus Robinson (14, 1 on ST), Marcus Kemp (3, 19 on ST)
The Chiefs faced a Packers safety group that played well off the line of scrimmage, a pattern we’re seen all season from the Chiefs’ weekly opponents.
With the Packers’ defense guarding against the big play, the Chiefs managed just two plays of 20-plus yards — none by a wide receiver.
Hill, who makes a living by torching defenses down the field, was relatively quiet. He and Mahomes were out of sync for most of the game, connecting on four passes for 37 yards on a team-high 11 targets. The two did hook up for a game-sealing 13-yard throw and catch, however.
Hardman made three catches for 20 yards, while Robinson hauled in one catch for 2 yards. Gordon was targeted once and Pringle didn’t see a pass thrown his way despite being on the field for 30 offensive snaps.
Kemp made an impact on special teams with hustle plays downfield as a gunner.
TIGHT ENDS: Travis Kelce (56), Blake Bell (26, 5 on ST), Noah Gray (7, 19 on ST)
Kelce led the way with five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown, including receptions of 25 and 22 yards.
He extended his streak of games with at least one catch to 119, the second-longest streak in team history and fourth-longest active streak in the NFL.
Bell saw one target but no receptions.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Orlando Brown Jr. (65, 3 on ST), Joe Thuney (65, 3), Creed Humphrey (65, 3 on ST), Trey Smith (65, 3 on ST), Andrew Wylie (52, 3 on ST), Lucas Niang (13), Nick Allegretti (4 on ST), Austin Blythe (did not play)
The Chiefs’ protection was mostly good. The offensive line allowed just one sack and three quarterback hits.
Right tackle was a a pressure point. Already down Mike Remmers (knee), the Chiefs also lost his replacement, Lucas Niang, to a rib injury in the first half. Veteran Andrew Wylie, now the third man to play right tackle for the Chiefs this season, replaced Niang for the remainder of the game.
“Andrew did a nice job of filling in for him on short notice,” Reid said.
Remmers has missed two straight games. It remains to be seen how much time, if any, Niang will miss.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Frank Clark (55), Chris Jones (45), Jarran Reed (40), Melvin Ingram (29), Tershawn Wharton (23, 3 on ST), Mike Danna (22, 3 on ST), Alex Okafor (21, 3 on ST), Derrick Nnadi (17, 3 on ST)
Ingram’s arrival last week via trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers paid off right away. Ingram saw action in a rotational role, specifically in nickel situations, and helped collapse the pocket on his first pass rush in a Chiefs uniform.
The Chiefs moved Jones back inside and he had two tackles and two quarterback hits.
“Chris just wants to do what’s best and help out wherever he can,” Reid said. “He played inside, he played a couple snaps outside. He sure did a nice job there.”
Clark made two tackles, one for a loss, and recorded a team-high three quarterback hits. Wharton had four tackles, Danna and Nnadi two apiece and Reed one.
With the D-line playing well, the Chiefs finished with a sack and seven quarterback hits against the Packers. Okafor also blocked a field goal on special teams.
As for Ingram, the three-time Pro Bowler’s role and playing time should only increase.
“He came here to play,” Reid said, “and that’s what he wanted to do, so first game he gets 29 snaps. I can’t tell you what he gets next time, but he’s been a starter in this league ...”
LINEBACKERS: Willie Gay Jr. (41, 6 on ST), Anthony Hitchens (31, 3 on ST), Nick Bolton (27), Ben Niemann (25, 19 on ST), Dorian O’Daniel (19 on ST)
The Chiefs rolled with Hitchens, Gay and Bolton as the starting linebackers in their 4-3 base.
Hitchens played for the first time since Week 6 and totaled a team-high seven tackles, tied for the team lead Sunday with cornerback Charvarius Ward. Bolton’s snaps decreased with Hitchens in the lineup, but he made the most of his playing time with five tackles. Gay chipped in two and Niemann had one tackle on special teams.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Tyrann Mathieu (63), Juan Thornhill (63), Charvarius Ward (63), L’Jarius Sneed (61, 4 on ST), Rashad Fenton (44, 4 on ST), Daniel Sorensen (22, 6 on ST), Mike Hughes (1, 11 on ST), Chris Lammons (18 on ST), Armani Watts (18 on ST)
Ward and Sneed combined for 13 tackles and their play drew compliments from Reid.
“It didn’t matter which receiver was on them, they didn’t back off at all,” Reid said. “They stayed on them and attacked it.”
Ward totaled seven tackles and a pass defensed, while Sneed tallied six tackles, an interception and two passes defensed. Sorensen had a tackle and one quarterback hit but was beaten for the Packers’ lone touchdown.
Mathieu finished with six tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit. Thornhill and Fenton each recorded four tackles.
Lammons had a nice game on special teams, recovering a Packers fumble on a muffed punt.
SPECIALISTS: Tommy Townsend (9), James Winchester (9), Harrison Butker (7)
Butker converted an extra point and two field goals, including a 55-yarder.
Townsend punted six times for 341 yards, averaging 56.8. Five of his punts pinned the Packers inside their own 20.
“Tommy, I thought, had a real fine football game punting the ball,” Reid said. “His average was up in the 50s. He was booming the thing and kept a long field for the Packers.”
INACTIVE: Tackle Mike Remmers (knee), defensive tackle Khalen Saunders (knee), cornerback Deandre Baker, tackle Prince Tega Wanogho, tight end Daniel Brown
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 10:54 AM.
