The Kansas City Chiefs fell to a 20-12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in their preseason opener on Sunday.
This was the seventh straight preseason game the Chiefs have lost, making it clear the three-time Super Bowl winners in the last seven years don’t look to prioritise winning before the season starts.
Being without starting QB Patrick Mahomes was rough, but coach Reid saw a very encouraging sign on the field in this loss, which will have Chiefs fans excited about the upcoming season.
Andy Reid declares Emmett Johnson as one of the positives of Chiefs’ preseason loss
Chiefs HC Andy Reid discussed the loss with reporters after the game, highlighting the positive impact of rookie RB Emmett Johnson.
“He did a nice job. Ran hard and aggressively. Some yards after contact there, which is a great thing. He’s one of the positives coming out of this…”
Johnson ended the loss to the Rams with 12 carries for 59 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and three receptions for 10 yards, highlighting his on-field versatility.
Performances like this will give Johnson a chance at securing the RB2 role behind offseason signing, reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.
The fifth-round pick from Nebraska is emerging as a training camp standout, and if he continues impressing in preseason, he might play an integral role in the Chiefs’ hopes for a championship, facing the longest preseason title odds heading into a season of the Patrick Mahomes era.
Chiefs preseason loss has very few takeaways
The Chiefs looked unimpressive in this loss but rested most core players like Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and several key defensive personnel.
All 12 of KC’s points came through Harrison Butker field goals, although a potential Emmett Johnson touchdown run was called off due to a holding penalty.
The backup Chiefs O-Line was not up to scratch in this clash, drawing multiple holding and other penalties which killed promising possessions.
The biggest takeaway was how naturally Rams backup QB Ty Simpson impacted the game, but for the Chiefs, this was just an exercise in getting their backups some game time and seeing if any of them could shine enough to earn a bigger role.
Johnson is the only one who can claim to have done that, and rookie WR Cyrus Allen might need a few on-field moments with Mahomes before his immediate viability can be determined.
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