The lesson from the Kansas City Chiefs’ second preseason game? Defensive stars are just as important as offensive standouts.
The Chiefs fell to the Seahawks 33-16 in the second preseason game on a rainy night in Seattle. Andy Reid followed through on his suggestion earlier in the week that key players like Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones wouldn’t play.
The offense, led by Gardner Minshew, moved the ball and punched in a touchdown on one of two possessions.
The defense — without the likes of Jones, Nick Bolton and Trent McDuffie — struggled.
The Seahawks ripped through the Chiefs in the first half with touchdown drives on three of their four possessions led by starting quarterback Sam Darnold and backup quarterback Drew Lock, the former Missouri star.
Seattle racked up more than 300 total yards, 174 on the ground, in the first half. The Chiefs looked overwhelmed and confused at times.
The good feeling from the one Chiefs stop of the first half — good pressure from rookie Ashton Gillotte to force an incomplete pass in the end zone from Lock — lasted only momentarily.
On the next play, following a turnover on downs, Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Seattle’s first five drives went at least 69 yards.
Minshew played one series behind the starting offensive line that included Jaylon Moore at right tackle instead of Jawaan Taylor. That drive ended in a Seahawks fourth-down stop.
The next one, behind the second offensive line, got to the end zone. Minshew extended a play and found Robert Tonyan in the end zone from the 1.
The touchdown came a series after Chiefs running back Carson Steele was stopped on a fourth-down in the red zone.
Before halftime, Chris Oladokun had replaced Minshew. Bailey Zappe took over the fourth quarter. A week ago at Arizona, Zappe played ahead of Oladokun.
For the second straight week, Tonyan was the Chiefs’ top receiver. He finished with five catches for 41 yards. Minshew completed 7 of 9 passes for 70 yards.
The Chiefs’ biggest play of the night came late. Skyy Moore, who had dropped a couple of passes earlier in the game, took a punt return 88 yards for a touchdown. Moore tightroped down the left sideline before angling back to the middle for the score.
Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Kareem Hunt were among the offensive players who didn’t play. But Reid said in the final training camp practice at Missouri Western this week that the top-line starters could play in the final preseason game, Friday against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Injuries of note: Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, who started, left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and didn’t return. Linebacker Jack Cochrane left the game with a knee injury and rookie cornerback Nohl Williams entered concussion protocol.