Chiefs vs. Packers, preseason Week 3 preview | KCSN Daily 8.25
Will the starters play? Plus KCSN Update, bubble players to watch and more.
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The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium in their final game of the 2022 NFL preseason. The game will be played at 7:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Aug. 25. It’s set to be nationally televised on NFL Network and locally broadcast on KSHB-TV. There are also tickets available for the game down below.
Will Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ starters play in preseason Week 3?
As of Tuesday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid was undecided on whether the starting offense would or wouldn’t play.
“We’ll see how all that (goes),” Reid said. “(Patrick Mahomes) has been practicing, yeah. How long and all, I haven’t made up my mind on all that, but you know he’s been going, going doing everything.”
On deciding to play the starters, Reid says he’ll go with his gut. He also says the decision will be made based on the number of snaps played through two preseason games and during the course of training camp.
“I just go off of what I think is right,” Reid added. “I use number count too. So, from what he’s had in camp and you know in games.”
Ultimately, it’d be surprising to see Mahomes and some other starters suit up to play on Thursday. The starters on offense and defense have been flawless through two weeks of preseason play with three scoring drives and no points allowed. It’s possible that they play some rookies who have been working with the starting units, but don’t expect to see the full-fledged starting offense or defense out there.
Chiefs vs. Packers preview on KCSN Update:
What are the Chiefs looking for in preseason Week 3:
Few things are set in stone ahead of 53-man roster cuts for Kansas City outside of a few of the Chiefs’ starting positions. Andy Reid explained that the team will continue evaluating its players on the 80-man roster through this third and final preseason game.
“There’s competition all the way through for starting positions and depth positions,” Reid said. “We keep our eye on all that. I mean we grade these guys every play every day so we’re talking about it and going through it and (General Manager) Brett (Veach) and I get together. He does it with his staff and then he brings it to me and then we get together and talk through it and kind of coaches me up on what he thinks. You know as of today, this is what we’re looking at and we’ll see where it goes from here.”
What is Big Red hoping to see from the second-string unit down? He wants to see them continue to refine and improve their craft. The snaps they put on tape in this game can be important to the team’s evaluation process, but it could also be important for players to have a chance to make it with another team too.
“Just continue to gain experience and execution,” Reid said. “You’re always kind of keeping a tight eye on, so it’s a great opportunity for those guys to get some playing time. You know we had a cut this week, so we’re down numbers. We got a couple injuries, so guys have opportunities to play. Whether they make it here or somewhere else it’s a valuable tape.”
Bubble players to watch:
TE Jordan Franks: With Blake Bell undergoing hip surgery, Franks has an opportunity to make a case for the practice squad at the very least. Through two preseason games, he’s posted the team’s third-best run-blocking grade and second-best pass-blocking grade according to PFF.
RB Tayon Fleet-Davis: Derrick Gore heading to injured reserve opens an opportunity for Fleet-Davis to receive more snaps with better blocking in the preseason finale. Last week against the Commanders, Fleet-Davis averaged just one yard per carry. Yet, he made the most of his opportunity, scoring the team’s final touchdown of the game on a botched hand-off from Dustin Crum.
LB Jermaine Carter: One of the most competitive roster battles in Kansas City is the linebacker spot. It could come down to the wire for several players including the fifth-year Carter, who enters his first season with the Chiefs. A big play on special teams or defense could be enough for the team to go with Carter over a veteran like Darius Harris.
Quick hits:
From Clark Hunt: Speaking to the media following news of Len Dawson’s passing, Hunt said that the Chiefs have some things planned to honor the Pro Football Hall of Fame QB and award-winning broadcaster during preseason Week 3. The team will also look to do some other things in the future with the permission of Dawson’s family to further memorialize him.
From KCSN: We’ve officially filled all 36 spots (144 players total) in our Charity Golf Tournament in Bonner Springs, Kansas this October. Thank you all so much for your support. There will be more info coming soon about other ways to support the newly-established KCSN Foundation.
From the Chiefs’ indoor practice facility: Ever wonder what it’s like to catch passes from Patrick Mahomes? So did former NFL WR Steve Smith Sr., who is now an NFL Network analyst. He got a chance to find out recently with an interesting past-meets-present moment with Mahomes.
Important dates ahead:
Tuesday, Aug. 30 - Final roster cuts - 80 to 53 players (due 3:00 p.m. CT)
Wednesday, Aug. 31 - Waiver claiming period ends (due 11:00 a.m. CT)
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