Chiefs' Week 8 Snap Counts vs. Commanders: Frustrating Nohl Williams trend continues, but Steve Spagnuolo's not to blame

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Washington Commanders 28-7 in Week 8 on "Monday Night Football."

Things were a bit rocky in the first half for Kansas City, but the team executed flawlessly in the second half with 21 unanswered points. Unfortunately, one snap trend continues to pop up this season with the Chiefs' most promising defensive rookie. This time, the opposing team deserves all the credit for causing it to happen.

Below you’ll find analysis and a look at how the snaps played out in Week 8. Snap data via the NFL Game Stats & Information System.

Commanders cause frustrating trend with Chiefs standout rookie CB Nohl Williams to continue

After playing the most defensive snaps of his young career in the Week 7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Chiefs rookie CB Nohl Williams dropped down to just eight defensive snaps. That's just 15% of 52 plays on the field for the Kansas City defense, and hardly what you want to see for one of your most promising young defenders. It's no wonder that Marcus Mariota was able to throw for 213 yards when your best defensive personnel package doesn't see the field.

This wasn't a decision from Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo, though. Washington was actually the culprit this week in forcing his hand. Thirty of the Commanders' 52 offensive plays were a hurry-up no-huddle offense from Mariota, meaning the Chiefs didn't have the opportunity to substitute their base defensive personnel or change their packages. That's why guys like Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill saw over a 30% uptick in snaps this week.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice's workload officially hits regular-season form

Chiefs HC Andy Reid and OC Matt Nagy were adamant about continuing to ramp up WR Rashee Rice's workload in his second game back from a six-game suspension and his 2024 knee injury. We're happy to report that he's in regular-season form, actually playing more snaps than any other Chiefs skill player — 86% of the team's offensive snaps. It was actually the second-most offensive snaps that Rice has played in a single regular-season game in his career.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice top 3 snap count games

• 2023 Week 15 vs. Patriots: 60
• 2025 Week 8 vs. Commanders: 59
• 2023 Week 15 vs. Raiders: 57

Rice was asked if he was tired in his media availability immediately after the game.

"A little bit," Rice said. "I'm kind of going off for everybody else's energy right now. It's a full energy cycle in the locker room. It's crazy. You should be there."

Chiefs practice squad DT Marlon Tuipulotu doesn't appear to audition for a permanent job on the 53-man roster

The Chiefs elevated practice squad DT Marlon Tuipulotu to the 53-man roster via standard elevation for the third and final time until elevations reset during the playoffs. In the Week 1 and Week 5 games that he played, he combined for nine total snaps. In Week 8 against the Commanders, he practically matched that amount with eight total snaps. It's not an outsized portion of snaps, and his production in those snaps (one assist) certainly doesn't suggest the need to sign him to the active roster. They'll likely elevate DT Brodric Martin or DT Zacch Pickens from the practice squad in the weeks ahead unless they plan to trade for a player at the defensive tackle position.

Other quick-hitting Chiefs snap count observations:

• Jerry Tillery seemed to be the biggest beneficiary of the Omarr Norman-Lott injury, playing 10 more snaps than he did a week ago.
• Tyquan Thornton's offensive snaps bottomed out this week with just five snaps on the night. That's more than triple his fewest offensive snaps on the year.
• Cooper McDonald was the only non-specialist to get special teams-only snaps in the Week 8 win.