Cairo Santos boots a 58-yard field through the uprights during a preseason game against Seattle on Saturday, Aug. 13 in Kansas City, Mo. (Emily DeShazer/The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Preseason records mean very little in the NFL, and the Chiefs’ 17-16 loss the Seattle may mean even less.
The Chiefs defense dominated much of the game, limiting Seattle to just three long field goals until the final play of the game. The Chiefs offense, however, struggled to find its rhythm after the first team offense scored on its only drive.
“We ended up playing everybody,” coach Andy Reid said. “First time I’ve ever played five quarterbacks, and I’m not sure if they absolutely got into a rhythm. Last year, they had a chance to get in and do that.”
The Chiefs still had a chance to win even after Seattle’s Trevone Boykin heaved a 37-yard Hail Mary to Tanner McEvoy. A penalty for 12 men on the field following a timeout moved the two-point conversion half the distance to the goal.
“If we didn’t have the penalty and make it easy for him,” Reid said. “Actually, we had a tackle right there too – a loss.”
The Chiefs ran the ball effectively without Jamaal Charles, who remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The team totaled 135 yards on 29 carries.
The defense performed admirably, especially the first and second teams. Until the final minute of the game, the Seahawks gained just 270 yards of offense.
Linebacker Derrick Johnson was pleased with the defense’s effort.
“We are a veteran team,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of good guys on the team and a great coaching staff. We will fix what we did, the mistakes we made in this game and we will go onto the next one.”
SANTOS FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
If Cairo Santos’ booming 58-yard field goal happened during the regular season, he would have tied Nick Lowery for the team record for longest field goal.
Lowery hit from 58 yards twice in his career, once in 1983 at Washington and again in 1985 at home against Oakland.
The kick from Santos would have be good from much longer, and happened with a swirling light breeze.
“Who knows how many yards I had in it,” Santos asked. “All that mattered is that it went through. When I saw it taking the trajectory inside the uprights, I looked away for a minute. I looked at Dustin and started celebrating before it hit the net. So, I didn’t actually watch it, I went off what people told me. I’d love to try another.”
HOMECOMING FOR LOCKETT
A trip to Kansas City means plenty of family and friends in the stands for Seattle wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
“This is closest that I’m going to be able to get to home,” the former Kansas State Wildcat and Oklahoma native said.
“It’s a really special moment for me, especially when Tanner (McEvoy) makes the catch to win the game,” Lockett said. “It just makes the memories better.”
Lockett had one catch for 11 yards.
MISSOURI TIGERS REUNION
Former Missouri Tigers offensive line teammates Mitch Morse and Justin Britt took the chance to catch up following the game.
“We just talked about life and his family, just how’s he’s doing and how I’m doing,” said Morse, who exchanged jerseys with Britt. “It was really nice.
Britt said hard work in training camp is paying off for the Seahawks’ offensive line.
“We have the smartest offensive line group since I’ve been there,” Britt said. “The competition has been really high and makes people work harder and better. We’re making each other so much better.”
Morse also spoke with former Missouri teammate Clayton Echard. The tight end caught just two passes for the Tigers last year, but contributed significantly on special teams and as a blocker. He signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent.
“That just shows it doesn’t matter how many reps you get, it’s how you make the reps count. He made his reps count at Mizzou, and the Seahawks saw that and picked him up.”
