The Kansas City Chiefs have two opponents this week in Arizona. Football fans in general are fmailiar with the dangers on the State Farm Stadium field. The Chiefs visited Arizona last season, where cornerback Trent McDuffie and kicker Harrison Butker suffered significant injuries. Those happen all the time in football, but not because of the field conditions like head coach Andy Reid said.
Can these Chiefs players separate from the pack against the Cardinals?
"It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury," Reid said postgame. "The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn't, I would tell you that, too. So it's not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape."
This … is not good pic.twitter.com/dVOWyMj9q0
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 12, 2023
The Chiefs want to leave Arizona with no more injuries than they already have. That is a huge priority for any team in the preseason, as getting hurt can derail a player's season before it gets started. But thankfully, the Chiefs second opponent is a more manageable one. The aimless Arizona Cardinals line up across the ball from Kansas City. Their peers will be popping pads, struggling for yards, and fighting to keep their NFL dreams alive. Anything can happen in the preseason, but Chiefs fans may see more of the depth players depending on Reid's "gut feeling" Saturday.
The first preseason game saw plenty of inexperienced players see notable action. For example, Patrick Mahomes only took six snaps, so fans got a great look at Blaine Gabbert and Shane Buechele. These depth players will have another opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for a spot on the regular season roster. Which players have plenty to prove and the opportunity to do so this week against the Cardinals?