Patrick Mahomes watched from the sideline as the Kansas City Chiefs opened their preseason with a 20-12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The quarterback did not play as Andy Reid is managing his recovery from a knee injury.
Justin Fields started at quarterback, while Mahomes only took part in the pregame coin toss.
After the defeat, Reid pointed to both positives and areas needing improvement. "Good to get a preseason game under our belt. There were some good things, and there are some things we got to clean up," Reid said.
He also praised the young players' effort in the preseason game. He said, "We were able to get a good look at some of our young guys, and I thought there was some real production there, on both sides of the ball, from the young guys."
Kansas City’s defense gave the team plenty to like early. The Chiefs held Los Angeles to one third-down conversion on five attempts during the first half. Safety Jaden Hicks led the team with seven tackles and broke up a potential touchdown near the goal line.
Rookie running back Emmett Johnson also stood out with 59 yards on 12 carries. However, penalties hurt Kansas City throughout the game. A holding call erased Johnson’s four-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
The Chiefs entered halftime tied 6-6 before the Rams scored touchdowns on consecutive drives. Kansas City managed another late push, but Los Angeles recovered an onside kick to end the comeback attempt.
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Rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier offered another positive. The seventh-round pick completed 13 of 19 passes for 98 yards. He also guided an 11-play, 51-yard drive that ended with Harrison Butker’s 59-yard field goal.
Reid now has another week to evaluate his young roster before the Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kansas City will return to St. Joseph for its final week of training camp.
With Mahomes still recovering, the preseason gives Reid valuable time to assess the roster. The loss also showed that penalties and execution remain areas Kansas City must address.
