After a 19-16 victory in San Francisco last week to open the preseason, the Kansas City Chiefs are back on the road to take on another NFC West opponent in the Arizona Cardinals.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid intends to increase the playing time for the starters this week. The plan is to have starters play for the majority of the first half, compared to the first quarter against the 49ers. On the flip side of increased starter snaps, depth players will have fewer opportunities to make an impression before cuts start.
What to Watch
For Kansas City, many eyes will be locked on the offensive line. The starting line played 11 total snaps in San Francisco last week, so fans didn’t get to see much from a completely revamped offensive line. This week, we will see an extended look at the front five.
In addition to the o-line, the starting defense gets a boost this week as Willie Gay Jr. will make his preseason debut after missing the first game. Gay is looking to secure his starting spot after playing in a limited capacity last season. He was one of the top standouts at training camp this year.
Along with the offensive line and former second-round pick, many rookies are looking to make an impression this week. Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, and Lucas Niang have inserted themselves as potential starters on the offensive line this year. Nick Bolton is looking to have a high snap count in his rookie season after an impressive career at the University of Missouri.
Rookies Noah Gray and Cornell Powell will also look to improve their standing on the depth chart in Arizona. Gray has been receiving praise from top stars, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. Powell is fighting with Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle to get snaps at the wide receiver No. 3 role.
