Chiefs special teams had big day. That included Noah Gray, who did this for 1st time
A week after an embarrassing performance on special teams, including turning a kickoff return into a safety, the Chiefs got it right in their second preseason game.
In a 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead, the Chiefs returned three kickoffs for an average of 32 yards and three punts for a 20.7-yard average.
Skyy Moore took a kickoff 42 yards, and Nikko Remigio returned a punt 42 yards. The Chiefs didn’t score after either big play, but the return teams did their job.
Better in the return game was an emphasis in practice this week, the final few days of training camp at Missouri Western, especially with the new kickoff rules that start the blocking action closer to the returner.
“Coming in with that new kickoff rule, everybody really didn’t know what was really going on. We’re still learning,” said rookie running back Carson Steele, who pitched in a 36-yard kickoff return. “We adapted, fixed some things and came out strong.”
A week earlier in Jacksonville, the Jaguars were awarded a safety when Mecole Hardman downed the ball at the 1 with his knee in the end zone. The players and coaching staff were unsure what had happened. Saturday, the Chiefs returned every kick, blocked well and put the offense in good starting position.
“You saw it today,” said Louis Rees-Zammit, who added a 27-yard kickoff return. “There were some great returns. The more games we play, the more tactics you’ll see.”
In the midst of a mostly successful day for the special teams came another development. In the second quarter, long snapper James Winchester suffered a shoulder injury and an emergency center was summoned, tight end Noah Gray.
With only a few moments to prep, Gray was called upon for two snaps. He got the ball rolling on a Harrison Butker 56-yard field goal, and snapped to punter Matt Araiza, who got off a 61-yard boot.
Both balls arrived with a little wobble, but they arrived. Gray, the fourth-year pro, was taking his first snaps ... in any game.
“Just doing what we needed to do at that time,” Gray said. “I got no reps at training camp.”
When he got the call, Gray got pointers from Butker, Araiza and Jay White, an assistant equipment manager and former punter at Missouri Western.
“There are a lot of little, technical things that I really never thought about,” Gray said. “Those guys did a great job coaching me up in such a short amount of time. Definitely nerve-wracking. But a lot of fun.”
Travis Kelce has been an emergency long-snapper, which typically has been a tight end. But he was out of the game.
Winchester returned to the game in the second half.
“Noah came in and did a great job,” Winchester said. “Things happen, you kind of roll with it, but this was uncharted water for me.”
The Chiefs have played 147 regular-season and 22 playoff games since Winchester joined the team in 2015. He hasn’t missed a long-snapping opportunity in any of them. But for Gray’s two snaps, Winchester was in the locker room receiving treatment.
“It was a very left-out feeling,” Winchester said. “But there’s just one snapper on the roster. Guys have to be ready.”