Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs starters to get extended playing time in preseason Week 2
Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid is sticking to his guns as far as his approach to preseason playing time is concerned. Traditionally, Reid likes to use the preseason as a ramp-up period for all of his players, including the starters. Last week against the New Orleans Saints, Reid said that the starters would play about a […]
Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid is sticking to his guns as far as his approach to preseason playing time is concerned.
Traditionally, Reid likes to use the preseason as a ramp-up period for all of his players, including the starters. Last week against the New Orleans Saints, Reid said that the starters would play about a quarter. That's not what ended up happening, though.
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and other key starters played a half dozen snaps before they were pulled from the game. The offensive line got some extra work, getting a series with backup QB Blaine Gabbert as well.
As the team gets prepared to travel to Arizona's State Farm Stadium to face the Cardinals in preseason Week 2, Reid expects that Mahomes and the rest of the starters will play upwards of the full first half.
"As far as the playtime goes for this coming game, the ones will go for a half," Reid said. "And then, we'll mix in the twos and threes in the third and fourth quarter. Obviously, there are things that happen during the game. Don't hold me completely accountable for all that if we pull people out whenever."
In the past, execution has dictated how long Reid will leave the starters in a preseason game. If Mahomes and the rest of the team execute a long scoring drive, they might get pulled from the game after a series or two.
This time around, things could be dependent on what Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon decides as far as the playing time of his starters.
"You try to balance that equal, player against player," Reid explained. "If you had your druthers, you'd want ones vs. ones and that whole deal when you're in-game. I just keep that in mind as a I go and I just go with my gut feeling after that. So, if I pull guys early, it's just something I feel at the time."
Basically, there is no sense in leaving Mahomes, Kelce, and the rest of the starters in against players who might not make a team in 2023.
Of course, there is also a sense of anxiety from the Chiefs Kingdom about injuries given the location of the game. In Week 1 last season, the Chiefs suffered injuries to both CB Trent McDuffie and K Harrison Butker with many blaming the playing surface in Arizona. Then, there was the slip-and-slide nature of the Cardinals' new field in Super Bowl LVII.
Reid, however, recognizes that injuries are part of the game.
"Listen, it's all part of the game," Reid said. "They've got to get ready for the game and at the same time, I think it's tough going into the first game (without preseason repetitions). It's going to be fast, much faster than what you can present at practice, in a regular season game. This is at least another step up from that. It gives you just a little kick-up, speed-wise of the game."
It's a balancing act between keeping players safe and getting them prepared for the speed of the game when the regular season games begin. All you can do is hope for the best and keep plugging away.
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Featured image via Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
