Kansas City Chiefs vs. Arizona Cardinals: What to expect

Oct 26, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) celebrates with linebacker Tamba Hali (91) after making a sack against the St. Louis Rams in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The defense

For the defense, the return of players like linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive lineman Mike DeVito will be a great sight for Chiefs fans.

Eric Berry, whose amazing return to the field has been overshadowed by Tom Brady’s legal battle, will be a welcomed return as well. Reid already stated he will play Saturday. How long he plays and his impact will be important to the team.

The front seven will also be a point of interest as hopefully second-year player Dee Ford has had the opportunity to develop more. Outside linebacker Justin Houston just got paid, and hopefully that will lead to big things for the team as he shows he deserved his pay day.

The secondary will be probably the most-watched aspect on the defensive side of the ball. With cornerback Sean Smith’s suspension the team will need to see who will step up to take his place. Marcus Peters has had an outstanding camp so far,  will that translate into production against other teams is yet to be seen.

Players like Marcus Cooper who are on the fence, need to prove they belong on the field, otherwise they could find themselves without a job before the start of 2015.

Coaching

Reid does not seem to have a consistent pattern for the starters in the first preseason game.

For example, in 2013 he had his first team on the field for around 13 total plays. However, in his second year he had the first team out there until the third quarter. So figuring out how much playing time the stars will get is up in the air.

Reid, in his third year, should feel his team has a better idea of his system. This first game could see them in for a series or even a quarter depending on what he is looking for.

One thing is for certain he will keep them in until he feels comfortable. The roster cuts won’t have to be made for the team of 75 until Sept. 1, so getting an idea of who is catching on and will be productive should be his goal.

The first preseason game is exciting. It is a time for us, as fans, to get our first, televised look at our team, and an idea of what the year will hold. It will be a great to have football back and even better to see the Kansas City Chiefs.

There you have it, Addicts. What are you going to be looking for this Saturday? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Go, Chiefs!