6 Positives From Chiefs’ Preseason Game Against Bears

2-JuJu Smith-Schuster is in outstanding shape:

The veteran wide receiver said this week he changed his offseason routine, moving to San Diego and surrounding himself with strength and agility coaches to ensure he reported to camp in the best shape of his life.

It showed Friday on a critical play during first drive. On third-and-10 from the Bears’ 34-yard line, Mahomes extended a play and the veteran wide receiver fought through Kevin Byard’s coverage to make a phenomenal 19-ya rd catch. Four plays later, the Chiefs were in the end zone.

3-The deep ball is back in the Chiefs’ offense.

Patrick Mahomes has preached all offseason about the need to restore the explosive plays in the Chiefs’ offense, something Kansas City sorely lacked in 2024. On the second series, he connected with Tyquan Thornton down the left sideline for 58 yards to set up Harrison Butker’s field goal.

“The defenses are going to play us the way that they played us, kind of into these last few years, and how they played today,” Mahomes said after the game. “We got to be able to win on the outside.”

Mahomes said Rashee Rice also made a nice adjustment on the game’s second snap. The pass fell incomplete but Rice drew a Nahshon Wright facemask and pass interference. The quarterback said Thornton and Rice winning their one-on-one opportunities on the outside early in the game opene d opportunities for Travis Kelce on the game’s third drive.

“You put them into the shell coverages,” Mahomes said, “and then Travis starts getting going and stuff like that. And so, in order to be the best version of ourselves, we have to be able to prove game-by-game that we can hit these deep passes. And if we do that, it opens up the rest of the offense and everybody can get going.”

4-After the Seattle loss, the defensive response was encouraging.

The Chiefs allowed 268 rushing yards in last week’s loss at Seattle – including five runs of 15-plus yards. Granted, Reid held out several defensive starters, saving them for the preseason finale, but the line-of-scrimmage discrepancy was concerning.

That concern evaporated Friday against Chicago, which had looked impressive in its preseason victory over the Bills a week ago. Quarterback Caleb Williams, who fumbled a handoff on his first snap, looked affected much of the night by Kansas City’s pressure. On one play, Leo Chenal collapsed the pocket. On another, Chris Jones and Charles Omenihu combined on a sack.

Chicago punted on each of its first two drives, and the Chiefs snuffed out a red-zone threat on the third – holding the Bears to a field goal.

5-No injuries

For the first time in recent memory, the Chiefs escaped a game without a single injury. Seven players sat out with pre-existing injuries but for a team hit hard over the preseason’s first two weeks, getting through Friday unscathed was a welcome reprieve – especially for a depleted defensive secondary.

6-Kingsley Suamataia and Josh Simmons played their best game.

Kansas City got significant push from its top two running backs, Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. The two combined to average 6.0 yards per carry (six combined attempts, 36 yards, one touchdown), and got many of their yards over the left side of the line. Mahomes also had plenty of time to throw.

“Yeah, without looking at the tape, I think Josh was solid in the run game and the pass game against good players. Those are good players that they have, good rushers, and I thought he held his own there.”

A converted tackle, Suamataia made his third straight preseason start at his new position, left guard, and played much better than the first two games.