Welcome to Arrowhead Pride’s weekly snap-count analysis!
Let’s take a closer look at the Kansas City Chiefs’ snap counts in the 22-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6. The starting lineups are courtesy of NFL Game Stats and Information, and the snap-count data comes from Pro Football Focus’ premium stats.
Starters (offensive): LT Kahlil Benson, LG Kingsley Suamataia, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jaylon Moore, QB Patrick Mahomes, WR Andrew Armstrong, WR Xavier Worthy, RB Kenneth Walker,
TE Travis Kelce and TE Noah Gray
Starters (defensive): DE George Karlaftis, DT Chris Jones, DT Khyiris Tonga, DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, LB Nick Bolton, LB Drue Tranquill, CB Christian Roland-Wallace, CB Mansoor Delane, CB Nohl Williams, S Alohi Gilman and S Chamarri Conner
Did not play: QB Justin Fields
Inactive: TE Jared Wiley, QB Garrett Nussmeier (Emergency third QB), DB Jadon Canady, DE Jack Pyburn, OT Diego Pounds, LT Josh Simmons (Back), WR Rashee Rice (Hamstring)
The big takeaway: Andrew Armstrong steps up in first career start
With wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring) ruled out on the final injury report, the Chiefs elevated second-year wideout Andrew Armstrong from the practice squad. He lined up on the opening snap, marking his first career start.
It was the first of 42 snaps Armstrong played on offense, starting alongside Xavier Worthy (51) and Jalen Royals (45); he caught a 13-yard pass on one of the two passes thrown his way.
Armstrong spent 12 snaps in the slot and 14 snaps on the perimeter of the offense, signaling the use of Armstrong’s blocking near the line of scrimmage on run plays. He lined up for 15 run plays, nearly as much as Worthy (18) and Royals (17).
I don’t need a PFF “run-blocking” grade to know Armstrong was an impactful blocker. With an offense built around running back Kenneth Walker gashing defenses, the question becomes whether Armstrong deserves a spot on the active roster, maybe in favor of the return specialist Nikko Remigio.
The Offensive takeaway: Joshua Ezeudu plays the whole second half
After right tackle Jaylon Moore entered concussion protocol late in the first half, backup Joshua Ezeudu took over on the right edge and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon. He played 30 snaps, 17 of them on pass plays.
PFF faulted Ezeudu with one pressure and a hurry, so he kept Mahomes clean in his first time in the lineup for the Chiefs’ offense. After the preseason, he was traded to Kansas City from the New York Giants after spending most of his career at left guard or tackle with Big Blue. It will be interesting to see whether the lineup shifts moving forward, even if left tackle Josh Simmons (back) isn’t ready for Week 7.
Also noteworthy is third tight end Jake Briningstool, who played the most snaps (10) he has since Week 1 and made an impactful block to spring running back Kenneth Walker for the 33-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
The Defensive takeaway: Ashton Gillotte ascends in the rotation
Second-year defensive end Ashton Gillotte played the fourth-most snaps among the team’s defensive linemen on Sunday, on the field for 52% of the defense’s snaps.
In that time, he registered three pressures: a hurry, a quarterback hit and a sack that broke the seal on the Chiefs’ four-sack game. He earned two “Stops,” tackles that count as failures for the offense.
It was Gillotte’s biggest timeshare in the Chiefs’ starting lineup this season, and his most impactful performance. He, along with rookie edge rusher R Mason Thomas (five pressures), was constantly in the backfield on Sunday afternoon and is a positive indicator for the pass rush moving forward.
Offensive Snaps
Defensive Snaps
Special teams snaps
