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The Kansas City Chiefs face the Baltimore Ravens in their Week 2 game at M&T Bank Stadium in Maryland on Sunday. A familiar face will be on the other side: wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who donned a Ravens jersey during the offseason after completing a three-year stint as Kansas City’s third nominal reception option.
Watkins’ absence created the need for a player to fulfill his role as head coach Andy Reid’s offensive “X” receiver – a large-bodied wide player who could win at capture point. But at the start of the season, no player was the clear candidate to take on the role.
The team had several wide receivers behind Tyreek Hill, the No. 1 wide; players like Demarcus Robinson, Mecold Hardman, Byron Pringle and Marcus Kemp could possibly satisfy the needs of the squad in some sort of X-receiver-by-committee approach.
But the Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns made it seem like the Chiefs were more intent on just giving Hill and tight end Travis Kelce more targets – the two receivers who carried the essential load in recent seasons. There were 34 targets spread across eight Kansas City players in Game 1 of the season, and Hill and Kelce accounted for 22. That’s 65% – up from the 47% they shared in 2020, not to mention 40% league average for each team’s top two receiving targets.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes did his best to allay the concerns of many fans on Wednesday that the team has no viable receiving option behind Kelce and Hill. Mahomes said Sunday’s high percentage had more to do with the specific way the Browns were defending the Kansas City passing game.
“For me, it’s just about going through the readings of the game and seeing what the defense gives you sort of,” he told reporters. “Last week they kind of left the midfield a bit open, so I got to hit Tyreek and Trav a lot in the middle.”
Some data released this week by Next Generation Statistics seems to confirm it. He said 16 of Mahomes’ 34 passing attempts were aimed at receivers lined up in the slot – and 13 of them were completed for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Hill and Kelce represented 11 of these receptions.
“I have full confidence in everyone who is on this football field,” Mahomes insisted. “I mean, we have guys who can play everywhere. Last week Trav and Tyreek performed. But I’m sure throughout the season – and what we’ve seen in our past – is that we have guys like Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson, and Byron Pringle who can shake things up anytime they want. I have full confidence in this.
Hardman spoke to reporters on a Zoom conference call on Friday. He clarified that from his point of view, nothing is wrong.
“I mean, it’s part of role-playing, you know?” ” he said. “Just being active at all times on the pitch, having a great course, being where you need to be – because you never know when the ball is going to come your way. “
Recalled that he had only had three catches in Sunday’s game, Hardman bristled at the idea that it represented a slight.
“I did my job, man,” he said. “That’s all you can ask for. Three targets? Three takes.
“I think people have to realize that we have the best tight end in the league and the best receiver in the league. Who am I to try to take targets away from these guys? It’s just selfish, honestly.
Later that day, he expanded on this point on social media in a now-deleted tweet.
“Also stop comparing me to WRs in my class,” Hardman wrote on his official account. “They are the # 1 option for their team! And none of them can come to this team and be a 1st or 2nd option! I sometimes wonder about people.
From Hardman’s perspective, his job is simply to help his team win football games – and if opposing teams pass Kelce and Hill the easiest games for Mahomes to make … well, that’s what Mahomes should do.
“As long as you know we’re winning and doing whatever we have to do, I have no problem with anything,” Hardman said. “Of course throw it at them – because if [defenses] can’t keep them? Shit. Give them the ball.
This could become a problem if one of the team’s two best receiving options suffers a serious injury – or if defenses can constantly find a way to defend against both simultaneously. But as long as neither of those things happen, the Chiefs offense can continue to roll.
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