Kansas City Chiefs @ Seattle Seahawks
Final Score: Seahawks 33, Chiefs 16
Writer: Cesar Escajeda
Football is finally back, baby – and while it may not be meaningful just yet, the Seahawks put on quite the show on Friday night to get the weekend started the right way.
Three Up
- Zach Charbonnet, RB (SEA) – Kenneth Walker III didn’t play in this one, but the starting offense didn’t miss a beat on their first possession, marching right down the field behind the strong running of Charbs. It’s going to be interesting this season to see the type of time share this backfield ends up in – he is just too good to receive scraps.
- Jake Bobo, WR (SEA) – two catches, both for touchdowns. The preseason hype train has once again arrived on Bobo, and by the looks of that WR room, this may just be the year his relevance finally materializes.
- Gardner Minshew, QB (KC) – should Patrick Mahomes miss any time this season, the Chiefs offense may just be alright in the hands of Minshew. It was solid and stable QB play from the journeyman on the night, scoring the Chiefs’ only TD on offense on a nicely thrown lob to TE Robert Tonyan.
One Down
- Jalen Milroe, QB (SEA) – his placement on this list is not exactly because of poor play on the evening, but because of just how well QB Drew Lock did behind presumed starter Sam Darnold. Milroe was projected to be a long shot to win the backup job, but Lock may have sealed it with his two-TD night. Milroe did fine with his playing time, but you’d be hard-pressed to say it wowed anyone. The rookie may just need more time before he becomes a real factor behind center.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Gardner Minshew: 7/9, 70 Yards, 1 TD | 1 Carry, 5 Yards
A steady performance by the savvy veteran.
Notes
- Minshew was limited to just two series, but he put up the only TD on offense for the Chiefs in Seattle. It was hard going at times, but his scramble drill in the red zone was pulled off impressively, culminating with the wide-open score to Tonyan. Obviously, the hope for Chiefs fans and fantasy owners alike is that he never has to see the field, but if called on, the offense shouldn’t stall too much with him at the helm.
Chris Oladokun: 4/7, 31 Yards
Bailey Zappe: 3/4, 9 Yards
Running Back
Brashard Smith: 3 Carries, 22 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 16 Yards
Hard running by the KC seventh-round selection, it’ll remain to be seen if he’s done enough to warrant a spot on the roster in a few weeks.
Notes
- Smith was the third back overall in the rotation and had a few opportunities with the first team offense the Chiefs trotted out there. It could be a good sign that head coach Andy Reid played him where he did, and it’s worth keeping an eye on as the preseason wraps up.
Carson Steele: 7 Carries, 22 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, -1 Yards
Not much to say about his performance, other than he appears to be second in the pecking order behind Pacheco.
Elijah Young: 2 Carries, 10 Yards
Elijah Mitchell: 4 Carries, 9 Yards
Isiah Pacheco: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 22 Yards
Nice and limited for Pacheco, to the point where he didn’t even get a carry. Nothing to see here–just some reps to prepare for the regular season.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Robert Tonyan: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 41 Yards (8.2 AVG), 1 TD
The battle for second fiddle to TE Travis Kelce gets interesting.
Notes
- His TD on the night was outstanding – forcing his way through the secondary on a scramble drill to place himself perfectly in the back of the endzone. He reeled in everything sent his way and was one of the few bright spots on offense for the Chiefs on Friday night.
Tyquan Thornton: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 14.0 Yards
Jared Wiley: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 8 Yards
Nikko Remigio: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 7 Yards
JuJu Smith-Schuster: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Skyy Moore: 2 Targets
Aside from his 88-yard Punt Return TD, it wasn’t a memorable night for Moore.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback
Drew Lock: 10/12, 129 Yards, 2 TDs | 2 Carries, 34 Yards
A solid display in the QB2 spot for Lock, he looked sharp running the Seahawks offense in this one.
Notes
- Lock marched the home team up and down the field with his possessions, finding a perfect rhythm on his throws. He even had a handful of runs where he sprinted past defenders and sought out the contact to finish strong. It was an interesting show that he put on, and one that likely cements his backup role.
Missed Opportunities
- The only negative on his game Friday night was a turnover on downs inside the KC 5-yard line. The Seahawks’ defense later made up for it with a stuffed run for a safety, but had Lock managed to punch one in, this game would have been even more of a blowout.
Jalen Milroe: 3/5, 46 Yards | 5 Carries, 18 Yards
Some interesting usage, but overall a relatively quiet outing for the QB out of Alabama.
Notes
- It’s worth noting there was a play run with both Milroe and QB Sam Darnold on the field. Not sure what it will amount to in the regular season exactly, but it’s encouraging that the Seahawks’ staff is willing to use Milroe’s skill set in different ways.
Sam Darnold: 4/4, 34 Yards (8.5 AVG)
Brief but smooth sailing for the presumed QB1. The offense hummed when he was in, though the quality of competition isn’t exactly a great indicator of how he’ll do in the regular season. Still, it’s encouraging nonetheless that maybe he can continue off of his stellar year in Minnesota.
Running Back
Zach Charbonnet: 5 Carries, 45 Yards, TD
Nothing like some good old-fashioned running to get the weekend going.
Notes
- Charbonnet was a man on a mission Friday night, absolutely asserting his will on the starting KC defenders. Every touch he had was physical, and Charbs showcased exceptional burst, hitting the holes the o-line carved out for him to the tune of nine yards per carry. His TD run was the cherry on top, sprinting unchallenged through to the endzone early in the game. Obviously, KWIII is still a looming factor for the majority of touches in this backfield – but nothing Charbonnet has done to this point has ceded ground to his teammate in that RB room. The man is indeed here to stay.
Damien Martinez: 11 Carries, 50 Yards, 1 TD | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 14 Yards
Damien Martinez also had an impressive performance against the Chiefs, but he appears to be on the outside looking in to make the 53-man roster. He will likely sign with the Seahawks’ practice squad with the hope that an opportunity emerges down the line.
George Holani: 5 Carries, 49 Yards
Holani appears to be the front-runner to earn Seattle’s RB3 job after a second strong preseason performance.
Jacardia Wright: 9 Carries, 48 Yards
Anthony Tyus III: 11 Carries, 24 Yards | 1 Target
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jake Bobo: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 24 Yards (12.0 AVG), 2 TDs
The hype may be real.
Notes
- Given the state of the WR corps in Seattle as compared to last year, there are several gaps to be filled behind JSN. After Friday night, however, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better fit than Bobo in the starting lineup. Granted, it’s a small sample size, and the quality of competition is not exactly stiff – but I’m an optimist. Let the hype train continue chugging along.
Dareke Young: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 52 Yards
Cody White: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 26 Yards
Ricky White III: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 20 Yards
Elijah Arroyo: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards
Brady Russell: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 17 Yards
Robbie Ouzts: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 13 Yards
Tory Horton: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 12 Yards
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Obviously not a lot to go off of here in the preseason, but JSN’s single reception on the night was a pretty nice one. It’s expected that he’ll be THE guy for Darnold in the passing attack, and nothing from this matchup showed otherwise.
AJ Barner: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Tyrone Broden: 1 Target
Nick Kallerup: 1 Target