There is but one thing not to like from the Chiefs starters in the preseason finale:
The numbers didn’t count. The starting offense was darn-near perfect. The closeout defense, on the other hand, was not.
The Bears found a last-minute touchdown for a 29-27 win at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, but it’s preseason, which leaves that as a footnote.
The headline was a Chiefs offense that scored touchdowns on two of its three drives, with only a dropped pass preventing it from being 3 for 3.
Under the note that this is still exhibition football, here are the five observations from immediately after the game:
1. The pros in pass pro
Patrick Mahomes was terrific.
His offensive line allowed him to be.
The line had its best performance of this preseason, dominating in pass protection. Most notably, that included Kingsley Suamataia, who had a bumpy couple of outings over the last two weeks.
It’s encouraging he held strong in the final tuneup, a potential confidence boost to a player probably in need of one before the regular season arrives on Sept. 5 with a trip to Brazil.
He saw some things at guard he probably hasn’t yet, either. On the initial third-down snap of the game, the Bears defensive line tried a stunt, and Suamataia and Josh Simmons took care of that with ease. That’s hard to replicate in practice.
2. A deep shot to Tyquan Thornton
The Chiefs had a clear intent in training camp to throw the ball deep more frequently.
It materialized in a game. OK, a preseason game. But still.
Patrick Mahomes hit Tyquan Thornton on a 58-yard catch in the first quarter. Thornton’s spot on the 53-man roster didn’t need securing, but it doesn’t hurt to make a play in the game.
He will get the attention for the play. But I’m going to double-down on the opening item: That play is an offensive line story as much as a wide receiver story.
The Chiefs haven’t lacked speed at receiver over the past two years. They’ve lacked the time to make that speed a factor.
This is the type of thing that can happen if the protection improves this year.
3. The RB rotation
The Chiefs featured an unexpected focal point of their opening drive: Brashard Smith.
A seventh-round pick in the spring, Smith has grown during camp, but I don’t think that’s the primary takeaway from his garnering some snaps on the first series.
Instead, the Chiefs’ intent to involve Smith demonstrates an eagerness to figure out what they have.
Why? Because it helps them figure out what they need.
The Chiefs don’t have an obvious pass-catcher out of the backfield, and while Smith could emerge into that role, he’s still learning the offense. Mahomes targeted him twice on that drive — Smith dropped the first and caught the second.
A year ago, the Chiefs were stuck in this same spot, and they acquired Samaje Perine on the eve of the season. They could very well be in the same pursuit now — and they wanted to determine how seriously that pursuit should be.
4. Some noteworthy playing time
The stars get the headlines.
The preseason, most of all, will determine some roster battles, and the Chiefs offered some potential clues for which way they might be leaning on a couple in particular.
• Cam Jones played the first defensive series at linebacker. Jones has made the team the last last two years, but he’s squarely on the bubble. The Chiefs have toggled between keeping six and just five linebackers. Add to that, Cooper McDonald has been impressive this preseason, and he had another sack Friday. In the initial two weeks, McDonald was sixth in the NFL in defensive stops, per PFF, which are plays tallied as a success for the defense.
• Carson Steele and Elijah Mitchell will be facing some nervy hours before cutdown day. Neither appeared in the first half. Steele didn’t even touch the ball until the fourth quarter. It’s always possible the Chiefs have simply determined they know enough about Steele already, but it’s a notable development.
• The second-team offensive unit featured Wanya Morris at left tackle, and Jaylon Moore at right tackle. One of the Chiefs’ toughest decisions will be what to do with Esa Pole, an undrafted free agent tackle who impressed them in camp.
5. The receiver who didn’t play
The Chiefs offense cooked in the first quarter ... and first play of the second quarter.
Hollywood Brown had a great view of it.
Brown has returned to practice after an ankle injury during training camp, but he didn’t play Friday, meaning he will enter the season without having played a single preseason snap. In two years in Kansas City, he will have played all of one total snap — the one that injured his collarbone.
Brown and Mahomes developed a training camp connection a year ago, but that connection has had such little time to develop that it’s not only fair to wonder what to expect from him — the Chiefs better be prepared for it.