KC Chiefs vs. Bengals recap: Key storylines from Week 17
By Matt Conner
The Chiefs offensive line is deep and talented
Coming into this game (and really the entire season), the Chiefs offensive line looked deep and talented. On paper, they were two starters deep at every single position up front in the hopes that the rookies would play relatively well. Yet even if that was not the case, experienced starters were standing at the ready just in case guys like Creed Humphrey or Trey Smith or Lucas Niang weren’t going to work out just yet.
Just a few minutes into their game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chiefs were forced to make multiple changes to their offensive front with the loss of left tackle Orlando Brown to a calf injury during warm-ups and Lucas Niang, his replacement at LT, to a knee injury during the first quarter that required a cart to come out and remove him.
Niang looks like he might be forced to miss some time and no one is sure about Brown yet, who was designated as questionable to return, but the Chiefs flexed Joe Thuney outside from his position at left guard and put Nick Allegretti into the lineup for the first time this season as a starter. The end result was a dynamic offensive display resulting in 31 points and several notable plays in which both Thuney and Allegretti were absolutely mauling the opposition in the trenches.
While the Chiefs are going to want both Niang and Brown back as soon as possible, the reality is that this depth put together by general manager Brett Veach this offseason is a masterwork from left to right. And the Chiefs are a much better team for the efforts of this front office.