The Kansas City Chiefs preseason began last week against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium with a less than stellar performance. The Chiefs first preseason game fell short in many critical areas of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid‘s overall game plan.
The Chiefs organization, fans, and supporters left the game with many question marks and reservations for the future. The entire Chiefs offensive and defensive momentum were off, mainly at the quarterback position and the defensive secondary.
A Work In Progress
First-year starter quarterback Patrick Mahomes played a few series and he looked solid with several bullets thrown to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Mahomes did not look as poised and comfortable since the pocket continued to collapse immediately around him.
Mahomes’ overall performance showed some excellent attributes for the future. But there some areas Mahomes will need to improve. For example, Mahomes should rely on his check downs to avoid unnecessary sacks.
Some of the takeaways were the Chiefs’ offensive line’ inability to curtail the Texans’ defensive rush upfield. The Texans penetration consistently placed the Chiefs offense into long-yardage situations. The Texans offense pretty much imposed their will on the Chiefs first-team defense, especially in the secondary.
The Chiefs’ defensive backs looked a step slower than the Texans receivers. Overall the Chiefs defense lacked the aggression and swagger of a shutdown unit.
The Secondary Is Still An Achilles Heel Of The Defense
Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton will need to light a fire of confidence under his defensive backs to tackle and cover more effectively. Chiefs defensive backs allowed Houston’s receivers to blow past and avoid Chiefs defenders on the first-unit defense.
All in all, the jury is still out on the Chiefs defense and the remaining three games will be the measuring stick leading into the regular season.
Historically the purpose of the NFL preseason is to evaluate all positions and areas that require improvement. It’s an interview process to fix issues that are considered minor or critical. Let’s be clear that Reid and his staff have to make the adjustments needed for the next preseason game.
On a brighter note, some Chiefs players did stand out and look promising in the game. Chiefs receiver Demarcus Robinson displayed all the speed and catching ability he showed in practice. His nice touchdown catch from quarterback Chad Henne cemented him as a go-to guy.