Chiefs at Bills Snap Counts: Can KC Find Answers at Defensive End and Cornerback?

The Buffalo Bills exploited the Kansas City Chiefs' issues at defensive end and cornerback on Sunday. Where did the issues lie? KC's snap counts help tell the story.

Nov 17, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws the ball against Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs had a fair share of issues on both sides of the football in Sunday's 30-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, but the game's snap counts highlight issues at two particular position groups that earned extra scrutiny in KC's first defeat of the season.

Struggling defensive end rotation becomes underwhelming two-man show in Buffalo

The Chiefs frequently failed to get pressure on Bills quarterback Josh Allen with four-man pass rushes, and blitzing the potential MVP is a tricky proposition. Why couldn't KC get home with four? The snap counts reveal who the Chiefs relied on across the D-line. While Chris Jones and Tershawn Wharton led defensive tackles with 85% and 67% of the defensive workload respectively, the defensive ends reveal a more concerning trend.

George Karlaftis (63 of 73 defensive snaps, 85%) and Mike Danna (45 snaps, 62%) played the significant majority of the game, while Felix Anudike-Uzomah (12 snaps), Malik Herring (11) and Joshua Uche (five) were limited to bit roles. For comparison, rookie safety Jaden Hicks and run-stuffing depth defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi each got 12 snaps of their own.

Of the Chiefs' defenders who saw the field, none played less than Anudike-Uzomah, Herring and Uche. Given the results on Sunday, that provides cause for concern.

Karlaftis and Danna are certainly KC's two most trusted pocket-crushing ends, which was likely a priority against Allen. However, on a day when the four-man pass rush was often Chris Jones and three fellow participants, this mix deserves closer inspection.

The absence of consistent pressure from the edge isn't for lack of trying; the Chiefs have invested in the defensive end position. Or, less-generously: the Chiefs have invested too much in the defensive end position for it to be this nondescript.

Karlaftis is a 2022 first-round pick. Danna re-signed with the Chiefs this offseason on a contract that essentially becomes a two-year, $15 million deal. Anudike-Uzomah is a 2023 first-rounder. The Chiefs gave up a 2026 sixth-round pick to acquire Joshua Uche. That's not an exorbitant price, but as a one-year rental, Uche has played just 25 defensive snaps in his three games in KC and hasn't pressured the quarterback yet. Ahead of roster cutdowns, the Chiefs sent a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for Cam Thomas. He's been a healthy scratch in six of KC's 10 games and has played a grand total of six defensive snaps.

The Chiefs have tried to build their defensive end group in a variety of ways: two first-round picks, one reliable veteran, two change-of-scenery trade acquisitions and a third-year piece of rotational depth. Charles Omenihu, working his way back from a late-January ACL tear, has an $11 million cap hit this season and hasn't seen the field yet. Omenihu may be the Chiefs' best bet for a shot of life in the position group, but that's a lot to ask of a 27-year-old less than a year removed from a significant knee injury.

Chiefs rely on Nazeeh Johnson, Chamarri Conner again

Following a season-ending injury to No. 2 cornerback Jaylen Watson in Week 7, the Chiefs are giving cornerback Nazeeh Johnson the responsibility of starting opposite Trent McDuffie. Johnson and McDuffie each played all 73 defensive snaps in Buffalo, resulting in a challenging day for Johnson. Safety/nickel back Chamarri Conner was also heavily relied on in coverage once again.

After playing a career-high 33 snaps in the slot last week against the Denver Broncos, Conner set a new high mark with 44 slot snaps in Buffalo, according to Pro Football Focus. McDuffie, an All-Pro slot corner in 2023, has rarely returned to the slot since Watson's injury, forcing Conner and others to take on the role. The pivot is understandable — if McDuffie frequently stayed in the slot, it would force the Chiefs to play both Johnson and the again-benched Joshua Williams while putting Conner back on the sideline in nickel personnel (five defensive backs). In the midst of difficult seasons for both Johnson and Williams (and arguably for Conner), the Chiefs will have to find improvement in-house if they want to stabilize the secondary.

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