What to expect from the Chiefs’ offense
Could the offense have played any better than they did in the first Chiefs’ preseason game against the Bengals? The starters were only in for a drive, but Patrick Mahomes and company looked incredibly precise. Mahomes was throwing dimes to stars and role players alike, picking up right where he left off at the end of 2018.
The Chiefs’ second and third-team offense didn’t slow down when their numbers were called. Newcomer Mecole Hardman showed significant promise, appearing difficult to cover on his routes and flashing insane speed on a sweep around the right-side for a touchdown.
Hardman seems to be much further along than most expected and I’d expect offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to give him as many looks as he can to get him ready for a prominent role this season. Given he’s the third or even fourth option, he should get some favorable matchups against opponents third or fourth corners, and the Chiefs’ preseason game against the Steelers should be no exception.
Hardman wasn’t the only Chiefs’ draft pick to make a splash in the first team’s’ preseason game. Darwin Thompson showed some serious ability both running between the tackles and in the passing game. His bruising eight-yard run early in the second quarter shows he has the ability to take some punishment even at 5’8″ and 200 lbs. His 29-yard catch and run for a touchdown in the third quarter shows he has the quickness and speed to be a major weapon in the passing game.
The main question with Thompson is his pass blocking ability. Fortunately, he actually made some nice blocks protecting Shurmur and Litton. However, if the coaching staff is going to trust him to block for Chiefs Kingdom’s pride and joy, he’ll have to consistently demonstrate good to great technique. I expect him to get plenty of opportunities against the Steelers, as he showed himself to be easily the most dynamic offensive weapon in the running back room.
Finally, concerns about the backup tight end role in this year’s offense were all but silenced on Saturday night. Neither Blake Bell or Deon Yelder will likely ever become household names, but each showed surprising ability running after the catch. It’s tough to say who will ultimately win the backup role, as both showed some flashes, but expect this position battle to heat up on Saturday.
Other Players of Note:
- Nick Allegretti – 2019 6th Round Pick – will he see some time with the first-string line?
- Damien Williams – Running Back – with the emergence of Darwin Thompson, is Williams in jeopardy of losing his starting spot at any point this season?