Chiefs-Steelers snap counts: How team covered for Chris Jones’ absence

In Week 17, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs recorded a 29-10 street victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers to clinch the AFC’s No. 1 postseason seed.

Let’s take into account how Kansas Metropolis used its gamers because it set a brand new franchise report for regular-season wins.

Starters (offensive): WR Marquise Brown, TE Travis Kelce, LT Joe Thuney, LG Mike Caliendo, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jawaan Taylor, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR Xavier Worthy, QB Patrick Mahomes and RB Isiah Pacheco.

Starters (defensive): DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Mike Pennel, DE Michael Danna, LB Leo Chenal, LB Nick Bolton, LB Drue Tranquill, CB Trent McDuffie, CB Joshua Williams, CB Christian Roland-Wallace, S Bryan Prepare dinner and S Justin Reid.

Didn’t play: QB Carson Wentz.

Inactive: DB Chamarri Conner, LB Joshua Uche, OL C.J. Hanson, T D.J. Humphries, OT Ethan Driskell, DE Malik Herring and DT Chris Jones.

The large takeaway

In Wednesday’s matchup, defensive deal with Chris Jones was on the sideline with a calf harm.

As we see right here, Jones persistently performs a minimum of 70% of the snaps — sometimes greater than 80%. Nobody else on the line of defense will get almost as a lot work. Due to this fact, going into the sport, one of many greatest questions was how the Chiefs would change Jones if he didn’t play.

Right here’s the brief reply: by nearly doubling the current use of defensive deal with Tershawn Wharton. Like Jones, Wharton is usually used extra typically on passing performs — so on that foundation, it’s not terribly shocking.

Nonetheless, it could have been affordable to foretell that defensive finish Charles Omenihu would have seen a pointy improve in use in Jones’ absence — however as proven right here, that isn’t what occurred. Whereas it did improve over earlier video games, it appears extra like Kansas Metropolis was merely persevering with to ramp him as much as his 2023 use: between 50-70% of the defensive snaps.

In his first recreation enjoying for the Chiefs, defensive deal with Marlon Tuipulotu was in for 18% of the snaps.

We additionally see one thing fascinating with defensive ends George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

On Christmas, Karlaftis’ use dropped beneath his regular vary of use, whereas Anudike-Uzomah’s jumped upwards. Was this in response to Jones lacking time? That appears probably.

In any other case, defensive linemen Michael Danna (52%), Derrick Nnadi (25%) and Mike Pennel (16%) have been all of their regular ranges of use.

Offensive takeaways

For less than the third time this season — and the primary time for the reason that Chiefs’ Week 11 street loss to the Buffalo Payments — the offense (45%) was on the sphere for fewer snaps than the protection (55%). The offense’s move/run ratio of 64/36 was proper within the workforce’s regular vary.
Left guard Joe Thuney continued to play at left deal with, whereas reserve offensive lineman Mike Caliendo once more took his place at left guard. They — together with middle Creed Humphrey, proper deal with Trey Smith and left deal with Jawaan Taylor — performed each offensive snap. Wanya Morris (2%) was in for one.
Tight finish Travis Kelce (88%) was in his regular vary, whereas his No. 2 Noah Grey (42%) was considerably beneath his regular use. A part of this was as a result of Peyton Hendershot (5%) was again from the Reserve/Injured checklist, however the workforce additionally averaged 1.36 tight ends for each play, which was the season’s lowest determine.
It appears this was as a result of the workforce may lastly shift its emphasis towards the wideouts. Kansas Metropolis averaged 2.63 broad receivers for every play — the season’s highest determine. Xavier Worthy (88%) led the group, adopted by JuJu Smith-Schuster (53%), DeAndre Hopkins (44%), Marquise Brown (42%) and Justin Watson (34%). (That was a season-high for Brown — and a season-low for Watson). Nikko Remigio (2%) had one offensive snap.
Whereas working again Isiah Pacheco (34%) began the sport, Kareem Hunt (49%) had considerably extra snaps. Samaje Perine (17%) continued for use principally within the passing recreation.

Defensive takeaways

Whereas gamers like cornerback Trent McDuffie (85%) and security Justin Reid (84%) are sometimes on the sphere for the entire defensive snaps, each received a while off within the fourth quarter. This allowed gamers like cornerback Keith Taylor (32%) and apply squad security Deon Bush (14%) to get further snaps.
Security Jaden Hicks (70%) and cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace (67% — nearly all of it within the slot) each had their highest use charges of the season. Cornerbacks Joshua Williams (55%) and Nazeeh Johnson (47%) each performed nearly all of their snaps on the skin.
Linebacker Nick Bolton (78%) additionally received a while off within the Steelers’s last drive, permitting reserve Cam Jones (8%) and apply squad participant Swayze Bozeman (10%) to get some work on protection. Drue Tranquill (73%) and Leo Chenal (40%) have been each of their regular ranges of use.

Information

Offense

Protection

Particular Groups

All Snaps

Editor’s Be aware: Arrowhead Delight obtains snap depend knowledge from the NFL’s recreation stats and data system, which permits us to interrupt out snap counts by run or move on offensive and defensive performs. As a result of GSIS knowledge ignores performs that have been nullified by penalties, complete offensive and defensive snap counts will range from different sources, which get their knowledge from NFL Gamebooks