Opponent Breakdown: Preseason vs. Chiefs

Opponent Breakdown: Preseason vs. Chiefs

Myles Simmons
Rams Insider
@MylesASimmons

[www.therams.com]

The Chiefs may have started out the 2015 season slow, but they were one of the best teams in the league by year’s end.

Kansas City began the campaign 1-5 before ripping off 10 straight wins to finish the season 11-5 with a Wild Card berth. The club blanked the Texans in Houston in the first round of the playoffs, 30-0, before falling 27-20 to New England in the divisional round.

This week, the Chiefs head to Los Angeles for the second preseason exhibition contest. And they’ll be doing so with a familiar face getting significant time under center.

AT A GLANCE

Andy Reid is beginning his fourth season as the Chiefs head coach after spending 14 years in the same position with the Eagles. Reid’s compiled a 48-31 record since his arrival in Kansas City, sandwiching a 9-7 season between two 11-5 years in 2013 and 2015.

Perhaps Reid’s most significant move in Kansas City was to trade for quarterback Alex Smith, who has excelled in his three years in the midwest. Smith carries a reputation for being a so-called “game manager,” but that didn’t stop him from setting a new career high with 3,486 yards passing last year at 7.4 yards per attempt.

Smith’s main targets are wide receiver Jeremy Maclin — who Reid drafted in Philadelphia — and tight end Travis Kelce. The two combined for 159 receptions, 1,963 yards receiving, and 13 of Smith’s 20 touchdown passes in 2015.

A staple of a Reid offense is a strong running game, and the Chiefs follow that mold. Though Jamaal Charles suffered the second ACL tear of his career in 2015, Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware filled in admirably.

Defensively, Kansas City has 2015 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters, who led the league with eight interceptions in his first season. Peters took two of those picks to the house — a mark that also topped the NFL. Plus, the Chiefs have two of the better pass rushers in the league in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali plus 2015 Comeback Player of the Year, safety Eric Berry.


WHO MAY NOT PLAY?

Maclin has sat out some practices this week with a groin injury and appears unlikely to play.

Charles was recently activated off of the Physically Unable to Perform list, but the team is still bringing him along slowly in practice. Thus, it’s highly unlikely he’ll see time on the field in preseason. West also sat out a few practices this week with a mild elbow strain and sprain, and may not play.

Houston and Hali are both on PUP and will not play on Saturday either. They are each currently recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Berry has been absent from training camp while in a contract dispute with the team.

WHO ARE PLAYERS TO WATCH?

Reid told reporters he plans on playing the Chiefs starters for the first half, which means Smith and Kelce should see plenty of action.

The plan is for the #Chiefs first-team offense to play the first half on Saturday night against the #Rams, the 2's in 3Q and 3's in 4Q.

— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) August 18, 2016
Peters had an interception last week against Seattle and the ball hawk will certainly be looking for more at the Coliseum. He also had a number of interceptions in practice this week.

With Charles out and West possibly sitting, too, Ware and Knile Davis should see significant time at running back.

And at quarterback, former Ram Nick Foles will likely have a number of reps in the second half. Reid drafted Foles in Philadelphia, and though the quarterback spent only one year with the head coach, by all accounts Foles has quickly picked up the offensive system in Kansas City. Last week, Foles finished 4-of-8 passing for 37 yards. He is a favorite to earn the Chiefs’ backup quarterback role.