The Kansas City Chiefs got off to a slow start in the first half of their second preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday but managed to hold their own after a short week of preparation. Their first-team offense struggled early in the first quarter but got their first score on a Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass just before the second quarter started.
Defensive intensity reigned supreme for Kansas City after their first-team unit didn’t allow points until the final seconds of the second quarter. Their defense struggled against the New Orleans Saints and looked particularly motivated to dominate the Cardinals in this matchup.
While this game won’t affect their standings at the end of the 2023 season, the lessons learned against Arizona will surely help the Chiefs in their pursuit of a second-straight Super Bowl championship.
Check out our key takeaways from Kansas City’s first-half performance against Arizona on Saturday:
Patrick Mahomes looks back to form
Mahomes seemed a bit flustered in his first action of the preseason on Sunday but came back to play an excellent first quarter against the Cardinals this evening. He finished his night with 10 completions on 15 attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Though a performance like this was expected from the reigning MVP, it never gets old to see Mahomes sling it in Andy Reid’s offense. He looks ready for the regular season after this game.
Bryan Cook led Chiefs defense
Bryan Cook was the Chiefs’ leader in tackles through the first quarter and seemed to be involved in nearly every play for Kansas City’s defense. His development has been something that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been monitoring closely during training camp and the preseason, so his active night against Arizona is a good sign for his trajectory.
Andy Reid featured Clyde Edwwards-Helaire
Edwards-Helaire saw his snap share dwindle last year after Isiah Pacheco rose to prominence during Kansas City’s run to Super Bowl LVII. Despite this, head coach Andy Reid has featured Edwards-Helaire in the preseason, which may indicate that he is set to see more action when the regular season starts in September.
If Reid isn’t prepping the former first-round pick for an expanded role in his offense, he may be giving other teams around the league a look at Edwards-Helaire for a potential trade in the coming weeks.
Shane Buechele was a star with the second-team offense
Buechele has been a steady presence for the Chiefs in the preseason and is fighting for a coveted second-string role in Andy Reid’s offense. He has looked right at home with the second-team unit in this game and may have positioned himself to beat out Blaine Gabbert ahead of the regular season.
Kansas City’s third preseason game will likely determine his future to that end, but a standout performance against the Cardinals has certainly helped make his case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Penalties were plentiful in first half
There were 11 penalties called in the first half of this game. Kansas City managed to win the penalty battle with just 35 yards surrendered on their four fouls, compared to Arizona’s 53.
The preseason is an ideal time for teams to iron out the kinks in their play, and this game has certainly been an exercise in making mistakes in low-stakes situations. Both the Chiefs and Cardinals would be wise to emphasize sound fundamentals in the second half to minimize the amount of laundry hitting the field in the second half.
