Chiefs Vs Commanders Preseason 2022: What To Watch For

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It is hard to believe that we are already in the second half of August. College football kicks off their regular season with Week Zero next weekend. Meanwhile, the NFL is already midway through the preseason. After this weekend, most teams will wrap up their preseason at the end of the following week. With it being a week deeper into the preseason, the Kansas City Chiefs and their fans are becoming more anxious. We still have time to see some roster battles and how those will commence. Finally, we are soon going to get an official, full look at this new Chiefs core.

Head coach Andy Reid indicated that we could see the starters play close to the entire first half in the second preseason game. This time around, Kansas City will be at the comfort of their own stadium, hosting the Washington Commanders. This is a team that is also going through a transition. Though, theirs is much different than that of the Chiefs.

It is time to list our top items to watch for from the Chiefs perspective in Saturday’s preseason game. What would we like to see from the offense and defense alike for Kansas City? Once again, we will also list top rookies and a position battle to watch for against Washington. Here is what Chiefs fans should be watching for when the team takes the field at Arrowhead Stadium for the second preseason game of 2022. Let’s kick it off.

Watch For The Offensive Personnel Combinations By The Starting Offense

Given that it is the preseason, we may not see the Chiefs entirely open up the offensive playbook. Nevertheless, we saw some interesting hints into possible alterations last week in the first preseason game. Kansas City’s starting offense showed multiple looks and formations against the Chicago Bears. Mainly, plenty of two tight end sets and sets with two running backs were shown. The Bears responded by not showing a two-high look against the Chiefs starting offense.

That is a defensive structure that gave Kansas City a multitude of fits early last season. Patrick Mahomes and company became visibly frustrated when their attempts may not have worked against it. Thus, the Chiefs may be forcing defenses to get out of that two-high structure via personnel. Overall, Kansas City may look to run more 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) or 22 personnel (two running backs, two tight ends) this season. For instance, the Chiefs ran 11 personnel looks (one running back, one tight end) 67.6 percent of the time last year, courtesy of Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. It will be fascinating to see if the starting offense shows more variance with their offensive personnel again this weekend.

Can Certain Depth Pieces Stand Out Defensively?

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There are some defensive players that the coaching staff may be looking to see more progress out of this weekend. Mostly, this may include players that are likely to make the Chiefs 53-man roster. Or, these are veterans that are just in need of a necessary ramp up for the regular season. Getting some of these players going with strong performances against Washington could better elevate the Kansas City defensive unit as a whole.

Among the players who could stand out this weekend, veteran pass rusher Carlos Dunlap is a terrific place to start. Dunlap brings items to the table that are simply not coachable. For example, his massive length allows him to affect the opposing offense in numerous ways. Dunlap also has the ability to move around and play different positions on the defensive line.

Elsewhere, names like Elijah Lee and Deon Bush are niche players that appear to have a leg up on other veterans at their respective positions. Both of them can provide versatility on both the defensive unit and on special teams. For Lee, can he show the Chiefs coaching staff that he is stable and trustworthy on obvious passing downs? Lastly, what kind of trigger and instincts is there to be had with Bush from the safety position?

Rookies To Watch For: McDuffie and Watson

Trent McDuffie is a rookie cornerback to watch for this weekend. He is likely to get more playing time on defense, compared to last week. Meanwhile, his matchup against these distinct Washington wide receivers is highly intriguing. McDuffie is not someone who relies on his size. He is someone who does not possess the length that other cornerbacks have. Because of his instincts and change of direction skills, McDuffie will have an interesting test against the shiftiness of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.

Elsewhere in the secondary, Jaylen Watson is a rookie who appears to be picking up steam. He finished off training camp in St. Joe with a bang. His pass coverage technique has already grown noticeably since arriving to camp. Given his physical play and ball skills, do not be surprised if Watson adds some important stops or pass breakups on Saturday.

Position Battle To Keep In Mind: Running Back

With the starters expected to play more this weekend, it will be fascinating to see how the Chiefs use the running back position. What does the rotation look like from the first drive? Which runners get force-fed more carries over opportunities for a reception?

Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco may get extensive looks early in the game. It is uncertain if Jerick McKinnon will play, as he is dealing with a hamstring injury. Seeing how CEH and Pacheco handle the chance will be crucial. Can Ronald Jones or Derrick Gore show any improvement after last week’s preseason game?

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis in the coming days. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.