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Five things we’ve learned about the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs

By Lyle Graversen

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 25: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs breaks away from Kylie Fitts #49 of the Chicago Bears during a preseason game at Soldier Field on August 25, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 25: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs breaks away from Kylie Fitts #49 of the Chicago Bears during a preseason game at Soldier Field on August 25, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 25: Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs is dropped by Roy Robertson-Harris #95; Nick Kwiatkoski #44 and Isaiah Irving #47 of the Chicago Bears during a preseason game at Soldier Field on August 25, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 25: Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs is dropped by Roy Robertson-Harris #95; Nick Kwiatkoski #44 and Isaiah Irving #47 of the Chicago Bears during a preseason game at Soldier Field on August 25, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

The Chiefs Will Have To Manufacture a Running Game

Last season the Kansas City Chiefs finished ninth in the NFL in rushing yards per game and tied for first in the NFL in yards per carry. This preseason they are dead last in the NFL in rushing yards per game and tied for 27th in yards per carry. The combined yards per carry this preseason of Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware, Damien Williams and Darrel Williams is a pitiful 2.3 yards per carry.

In other words, the run game has been ineffective and almost non-existent. The offensive line is generating almost no push and isn’t opening many holes for the running backs. Now, have the Chiefs been committed to running the football this preseason? No. They have clearly made getting Patrick Mahomes more comfortable the priority. That is why the heading of this section is that they’re going to have to manufacture a run game and not just “They Can’t Run The Football”.

While we can’t know exactly what the Chiefs run game will be like come the regular season we have learned that just handing the ball to one of our running backs and having them run straight ahead behind this offensive line isn’t enough. While I think we all believe in the running backs, it doesn’t look like this offensive line is powerful enough to move defenders out of the way and create space for them.

That’s nothing new for the Chiefs under Andy Reid. The Chiefs line has been more of an athletic line than a power one since Reid arrived in K.C. That means that in order to get the run game going they are going to have to scheme for it. They have to utilize misdirection and get their linemen out on the move to get things going. They have shown the ability to do that in previous years so we should probably give them the benefit of the doubt for now. I for one will feel a whole lot better if we see the Chiefs come out and get the run game going again in week one of the regular season.

If the Chiefs aren’t able to do that then they risk putting Patrick Mahomes in the position of having to carry a team with a sub par defense and running game. I don’t care how talented Mahomes is and how good of weapons he has around him, that’s not a recipe for success for a first time starting quarterback.

Fingers crossed that we can count on Andy Reid’s offense to get the ground game going once again this season.

Now let’s talk about what we’ve learned about the defense.

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