KANSAS CITY, Mo. –- Kansas City’s second preseason battle proved to be tough, but in the end the Chiefs squeaked out a 14-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chiefs opened up to a half-full Arrowhead Stadium for the first home preseason game of the 2015 season.
By the time fans settled in, 71,915 were in attendance and witnessed some high moments and low moments in Kansas City’s second-straight preseason win since 2002.
Aug. 21, 2015; Kansas City, MO; Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19) gets congratulated by his teammates after scoring the first touchdown against Seattle during the first half of Friday night’s preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium. (Chris Neal/The Topeka Capital-Journal)
HIGHS
• Quarterback Chase Daniel’s momentum carried on from last week, as he completed 8-of-12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Between last week at Arizona and this week against Seattle, he orchestrated four touchdown drives that went over 78 yards (79, 78, 85, 86).
• Right inside linebacker Derrick Johnson came back strong in his first home game back after sustaining his Achilles tendon injury in 2014. Johnson totaled four tackles on the evening.
• Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin caught his first touchdown in a Kansas City uniform on a 3-yard pass from Alex Smith. Maclin said after the game that he beat the linebacker on speed, and credited the play to coach Andy Reid. Maclin’s last touchdown came in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform versus Seattle in Week 14 of 2014.
“It was just a good call,” Maclin said. “We were able to get me on a linebacker– created a mismatch there. I just kind of beat him with speed on the outside. It was a really good call by Coach Reid.”
• Rookie tight end James O’Shaughnessy grabbed his first touchdown reception as a professional on a 1-yard pass from Daniel.
• Charcandrick West led all rushers in the game with 40 yards rushing and added 2 yards receiving. In the fourth quarter, West had a 13-yard rushing attempt, his longest of the day.
“I got that ball and I knew I was gone with it,” West said. “I just said they’re going to catch me if they can and I just got it and ran with it.”
LOWS
• The offensive line, primarily the right side, was atrocious, especially during the first quarter. The first two plays out of the gate for the Chiefs offensive unit were back-to-back disasters for the offensive line, as Smith was lit up on a roughing the passer penalty and then sacked on the following play for 8 yards.
• Smith’s performance, though better than last week, still comes in as a low. He threw a pick six with 2:47 left in the second quarter. The last time Smith threw back-to-back picks was in 2014 during Weeks 13 and 14 against the Denver Broncos and the Arizona Cardinals.
“I just couldn’t see him,” Smith said of the interception. “[I] saw him too late.”
• Dee Ford overall had an impressive game with three tackles. Why list that here? Well, Ford exited the game with an apparent rib injury.
“Dee Ford has what looks like a fractured rib, but we’ll see how things go here in the next day,” Reid said. “He took quite a shot to the ribs.”
• Tight end Ryan Taylor had a rough game. The 5-year NFL veteran out of North Carolina was targeted twice and dropped both passes.
• Wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas was one of the 12 Chiefs players to not suit up in the game. Thomas sustained a shin injury during the preseason game at Arizona and did not practice last week.
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Amie Just is a contributing writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach her or find her on Twitter: @Amie_Just.
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