Here’s how the Kansas City Chiefs spread out playing time in Week 2’s win vs. Chargers
The Chiefs needed another team effort in Week 2 to secure a hard-fought 27-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City had 48 players available for the game, and 47 contributed playing time to help the Chiefs improve to 2-0.
“It was good team unity,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “It was good to see, like I said before, that the offense and the defense supporting each other through it. And give the Chargers credit. They’re a good football team, too.”
Here’s how the Chiefs’ snap counts worked out Sunday afternoon:
QUARTERBACKS: Patrick Mahomes (57), Chad Henne (did not play)
Mahomes enjoyed an efficient outing, connecting with nine different receivers for a second straight game. He finished completing 24 of 35 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 106.2 passer rating.
The star signal-caller now owns 1,604 career pass completions, which moves him past Alex Smith’s 1,587 completions for the third-most pass completions in team history
Mahomes also produced two highlight-worth scoring passes. he had a nifty sidearm throw to Jerick McKinnon for a 9-yard touchdown, and then his second touchdown pass came on a 41-yard toss to wide receiver Justin Watson for a score.
RUNNING BACKS: Jerick McKinnon (27, 6 on special teams), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25), Isiah Pacheco (5, 10 on ST), fullback Michael Burton (7, 17 on ST)
McKinnon led the position group in snaps for second straight game, but Thursday night was Edwards-Helaire’s game.
The third-year running back had a team-high 74 yards rushing on just eight carries, averaging a healthy 9.3 yards per carry. He also ripped off a career-high 52-yard run in the fourth quarter. Edwars-Helaire added 44 yards receiving on four catches, giving him 118 total yards in the game.
A week after totaling 62 yards rushing, Pacheco managed 6 yards on two carries.
As a team, the Chiefs pounded out 93 yards on 18 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. The Chiefs now have 221 yards rushing on 45 carries through two games.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (45), JuJu Smith-Schuster (42), Mecole Hardman (31), Justin Watson (14, 10 on ST), Skyy Moore (2, 7 on ST)
Outside of Watson’s 41-yard touchdown catch, the wide receiver group was relatively quiet with overall production.
Hardman had three catches for 49 yards; Smith Schuster had three catches for 10 yards; and Valdes-Scantling had two catches for 13 yards.
Moore was not targeted in the game on his two offensive snaps, which were down from 13 snaps in Week 1, but he contributed two punt returns for 6 yards.
TIGHT ENDS: Travis Kelce (51), Noah Gray (28, 16 on ST), Jody Fortson (6, 15 on ST)
Kelce led all receivers with five catches for 51 yards, and his effort moved him up the NFL’s record books.
The veteran now has 717 career receptions, which moved him ahead of Jimmy Graham (713) for the sixth-most reception by a tight end in league history.
Gray had two catches for 12 yards, while Fortson didn’t record a catch on one target.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Joe Thuney (57), Creed Humphrey (57, 5 on ST), Orlando Brown Jr. (57, 5 on ST), Andrew Wylie (57, 5 on ST), Trey Smith (57, 5 on ST), Nick Allegretti (2, 5 on ST), Prince Tega Wanogho (5 on ST), Geron Christian (5 on ST)
Mahomes was harassed early in the game by Chargers pass rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, and Mack recorded a half-sack. But then the Chiefs front five settled down and didn’t allow Mack and Bosa to take over the game.
When the game ended, Bosa finished with three tackles and two quarterback hits. Mack, who was coming off a three-sack game, finished with two tackles and the half-sack. Credit goes to the offensive line.
Smith, who entered the listed as questionable with an ankle injury, started and played all offensive snaps.
DEFENSIVE LINE: George Karlaftis (58, 6 on ST), Chris Jones (56), Frank Clark (49), Mike Danna (36, 5 on ST), Derrick Nnadi (35, 4 on ST), Tershawn Wharton (32, 6 on ST), Khalen Saunders (21, 1 on ST), Carlos Dunlap (17)
Jones was a disruptive force in the game, totaling three tackles – including two for a loss – two sacks, two quarterback hits and a pass defensed. His play in the second half directly contributed to the Chiefs’ ability to slow down the Chargers’ offense.
Jones now has 51.5 career sacks to become the sixth player in team history to record 50 or more quarterback sacks.
Karlaftis led the defensive line group in snaps for second straight week, and recorded a tackle, a quarterback hit and pass defensed.
Danna, who notched a quarterback hit, suffered a calf injury in the second half.
LINEBACKERS: Nick Bolton (72, 6 on ST), Willie Gay Jr. (69, 2 on ST), Leo Chenal (22, 15), Darius Harris (3, 17 on ST), Elijah Lee (27 on ST)
Gay led the Chiefs in tackles with 11, and he contributed a quarterback hit and two passes defensed. Unfortunately, the Chiefs are without Gay for the short term after the NFL announced a four-game suspension for a violation of the personal conduct policy, stemming from Gay’s arrest in January.
Bolton finished second on the team with 10 tackles, marking the second straight game he recorded double-digit tackles. Lee contributed two tackles on special teams.
For the next four games, the Chiefs will rely on Bolton, Chenal, Harris, Lee and rookie Jack Cochrane, who was inactive against the Chargers.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: L’Jarius Sneed (75, 6 on ST), Justin Reid (75, 4 on ST), Juan Thornhill (73, 2 on ST), Rashad Fenton (73, 2 on ST), Jaylen Watson (51, 4 on ST), Bryan Cook (6, 21 on ST), Deon Bush (2, 27 on ST), Joshua Williams (12 on ST), Chris Lammons (25 on ST), Dicaprio Bootle (11 on ST)
Sneed paced the position group with eight tackles, while Fenton contributed six tackles.
Watson, though, produced the game-changing play with an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown. The 99-yard interception return ties for the fourth-longest interception return in franchise history. Watson, who made his first career start, finished the game with four tackles.
Bootle was elevated from practice squad for the game and recorded an assist on special teams.
SPECIALISTS: Matt Ammendola (11), James Winchester (11), Tommy Townsend (11)
Amendola filled in for Harrison Butker, who was inactive with an ankle injury, and made two field goals and three extra points.
Townsend totaled an incredible 333 yards on six punts, including a 74-yard effort in the second quarter. Three of Townsend’s punts landed inside the Chargers’ 20 yard line.
