Via Matt McMullen – Chiefs.com Reporter
The Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks wrapped up the preseason with a tie on Friday night in a game that came down to the final seconds.
Knotted up at nine points apiece, Seahawks’ kicker Jason Myers pushed a potential game-winning, 52-yard field goal to the right as time expired that preserved the draw. The missed field goal concluded a matchup that was more exciting than the final score suggested, particularly in the first half.
Notably, several of the Chiefs’ youngest players seized Friday’s game as a final opportunity to show what they could do ahead of the regular season.
“It was good to get the young guys in the game and the reps that they got today – I think [those] are invaluable,” said Head Coach Andy Reid. “Whether it was at the quarterback position, the defensive line position, [or in the] secondary, you saw some real good things from our guys.”
Indeed, numerous young players stood out during Friday’s game, from edge-rusher R Mason Thomas to tailback Emmett Johnson, each of whom recorded a handful of standout plays. Thomas, who notched a strip sack midway through the second quarter, led a defensive effort that held Seattle to just three points in the first half. Johnson, meanwhile, was part of a Chiefs rushing attack that racked up 155 yards on the ground.
Johnson, who entered Friday’s game with the most forced missed tackles of any running back this preseason, tallied 39 yards on seven carries. That effort was then followed up by strong outings courtesy of Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado, who combined to rush for 109 yards between the two of them.
Led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for the entirety of the contest, Kansas City marched into Seahawks territory on seven consecutive drives between the first and fourth quarters. The Chiefs turned those drives into just nine points, but regardless of the final results, the various performances that contributed to those lengthy possessions were encouraging.
Thirteen different players caught a pass, for example, led by wide receiver Andrew Armstrong’s five receptions for 54 yards. That sentiment was also true on the other side of the ball, where defensive tackle Marcus Harris recorded a team-leading six tackles and three tackles-for-loss.
It all put a strong punctuation mark on an intense summer designed to avoid last season’s slow start, and while Kansas City now faces some tough decisions in the coming days, the competition throughout the offseason training program up and down the roster was much-appreciated.
“These guys busted their tail through hot, humid weather at training camp, sleeping in a dorm, and then coming out playing in these preseason games,” Reid said. “We appreciate it as a coaching staff and an organization – we appreciate the effort that these fellas put in.”
Next up, the Chiefs will now need to trim their roster down from 91 players to just 53 by 5 pm CT on Sunday afternoon.
