In the grand scheme of things, Kansas City’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17 meant very little to the Chiefs, who locked up the top seed in the AFC West division and home-field advantage over the previous two weeks.
That’s why KC’s playoff hopes went unscathed as the Chiefs finished the regular season with a 14-2 record following a 38-21 loss on Sunday.
However, this game was everything for the backup players on the Chiefs’ depth chart who were getting the opportunity to start in an NFL game. Since there was no normal pre-season this year, this was some player’s first opportunity to showcase their skills and show Kansas City’s coaching staff what they bring to the table and how they might contribute to the team’s efforts of remaining a successful franchise going into 2021 and beyond.
While there was plenty of bad in Kansas City’s final game of the season, there was also some good. These are three players that impressed against the Chargers in Week 17.
Darwin Thompson – 14 att for 45 yards, rushing TD, 7 rec for 78 yards, receiving TD
Running back Darwin Thompson didn’t get many chances to run with the football this season, being the fourth RB on the depth chart. However, in the final game of the season, he got the bulk of the workload on the ground.
On 14 rushing attempts, Thompson averaged 3.2 yards per carry, gaining 45 yards on the ground and running one in for a touchdown. While he isn’t quite as physically built to be a bruising back like teammates CEH or Darrel Williams, Thompson still showed his toughness by running straight at the defense to gain the tough yards in the trenches, something every coach likes to see.
Thompson also showed off his ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield and how dangerous he can be in the screen game. Against the Chargers, Thompson played as Henne’s security blanket, catching all seven of his targets and using his speed to gain 78 yards and registered a receiving touchdown.
Thompson is in no way a bruiser, but he showed he has the potential to be used in a multitude of ways as a scatback in Andy Reid’s offense.
Tim Ward – 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, a sack, two QB hits
Defensive end Tim Ward spent the majority of his time in Kansas City on the practice squad with little to almost no opportunities to play in real game action. On Sunday, he started on the defensive line and made the most of the opportunity.
Standing at 6-foot-6-inches and 255-pounds, Ward showed the Chiefs they might have a diamond in the rough. Ward’s presence was felt early and often on the defensive line, as he used his length to set the edge.
One start isn’t a lot to go off of, but it’s definitely enough to at least, get the coaching staff’s attention. Ward ended the night registering five tackles, a sack, and two QB hits, so his game tape will for sure be something to look back at when the team begins to reassemble the roster for 2021.
Ward might be a keeper.
DeAndre Baker – 5 tackles (4 solo), 1 tackle for loss, a sack, 1 QB hit, 1 pass defended
Before suffering a fractured femur that forced him to leave the field on a stretcher in the third quarter, cornerback DeAndre Baker was having one heck of a debut for the Chiefs.
Baker left after registering 4 solo tackles, one assist, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, a QB hit, and a sack on Chargers QB Justin Herbert.
Baker showed a willingness to be physical and reroute opposing receivers at the line which was Mike Williams, in Baker’s case, most of the time.
Baker showed he isn’t afraid of contact and can do a little bit of everything when he’s fully healthy. Whether it’s playing man, dropping back into zone coverage, or getting after the passer on a corner blitz, Baker displayed why the Giants selected him in the first round of the 2019 draft in just a little over two quarters of football.
Now, it’s all about Baker rehabbing his injured leg and waiting for him to return to full health. Soon as he does that, the expectation is for Kansas City to bring him back to compete for a roster spot next season. If he continues to bring the level of production he produced before he got hurt, the Chiefs may have a new member in the secondary for the ‘21 campaign.
