With the first week of the new shortened preseason schedule in the rear view mirror we now know how teams will most likely plan out the entire preseason. Here is what to expect during the Chiefs vs. Commanders game in the second week of the preseason.
Starters Playing Time
Many did not know what to expect in terms of playing time in the first week of the preseason. With the schedule condensed to three games we didn’t know how the coaches would adjust, but now we know. Almost every starter around the league played for at least one drive in the first week. Kansas City was no exception, former MVP Patrick Mahomes and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. The Chiefs played their starters for one full drive which ended up being a convincing touchdown drive. Last week the Commanders took a different route and played their starters for the entire first quarter.
In week two expect to see at least 2-3 drives from the Chiefs’ starters, maybe even a full quarter. In preseasons of the past starters would mostly start to see larger doses of playing time in week 3. But now they need to play right away to acclimate to game speed. The Chiefs were on the more conservative side of playing time last week but the Commanders might play there starters for the better side of a full two quarters. This is mostly to get newly acquired quarterback Carson Wentz used to the new system and receivers around him.
Rookies to Watch
The Kansas City Chiefs rookies showed lots of promise in week one. This week I would expect to see more reps out of the rookies who are expected to play right away. Many rookies like Isiah Pacheco and Skyy Moore were used sparingly in week one. These two have been the training camp standouts, but they still must get used to the speed and physicality of the NFL. The Chiefs may extend their playing window deep into the second quarter. Other rookies to watch for on the Chiefs would be defensive end George Karlaftis who performed well in week one and cornerback Trent McDuffie who was rather quiet last week.
There is one major rookie to look out for with the Commanders and that would be wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Dotson was the Commanders’ first-round pick this year and has been making a lot of noise during camp. Although the talented rookie was not targeted in his preseason debut. Look out for Dotson to try to make up for the lack of production in his previous weeks. With the Commanders’ starters most likely playing passed the first quarter Dotson should get more time to get more targets and opportunities.
The Chiefs vs. Commanders preseason game will be an exciting showcase to preview these two teams’ seasons.
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