Winners and Losers From KC Chiefs' Week 15 Game vs. New England Patriots
Following consecutive losses, the Kansas City Chiefs got back in the winner's circle to cap off their Week 15 slate.
Defeating the New England Patriots by a final score of 27-17, Andy Reid's team put together an outing that simultaneously showcased positives and negatives. The same offensive miscues continued to plague the team, although there were also multiple quality scoring possessions mixed in and the defense turned in a nice performance overall.
With the victory, Kansas City rose to 9-5 on the season and is one week away from potentially clinching yet another AFC West crown. Improvement is the goal over the season's final few weeks, especially considering the last month-plus of play. All contributors on the roster will be tasked with stepping up if they haven't already done so.
With that in mind, let's point out some of the Chiefs' biggest winners and losers from the 15th week of the NFL season.
Winner: Rashee Rice
Week 15 was another great game for rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice, who finished first on the team in receptions by a comfortable margin. His nine catches were the same amount Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (second and third place) logged combined. Over his last four outings, Rice has 32 catches for 334 yards and three touchdowns. He's been Kansas City's most productive pass-catcher over that stretch, which goes beyond what the team could've asked from a second-round rookie who still has a lot of learning to do.
Loser: Trey Smith
The Chiefs' offensive line simply hasn't lived up to its hype from before the season. Right guard Trey Smith is certainly a reason why, and his up-and-down season continued on Sunday. Smith essentially killed back-to-back possessions in Week 15, getting beat twice. On the first drive, a sack set up a third-and-16 that wasn't converted. The second one led to a pressure that forced Mahomes into a rushed throw that ended up being picked off. It was a very rough game for Smith, so he'll be looking to bounce back moving forward.
Winner: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Isiah Pacheco missed his second game in a row, which made the Chiefs rely on the backfield duo of Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon to lead the way. The former got a whopping 40 snaps, making the most of them. Edwards-Helaire had a very solid performance on Sunday, amassing just over 100 scrimmage yards and scoring a highlight touchdown in the process. It was a resurgent performance for the former first-round pick, which he desperately needed. With free agency on the horizon in the spring, this was a statement game for the fourth-year halfback.
Loser: Kadarius Toney
While Andy Reid wouldn't throw in the towel on Kadarius Toney in the aftermath of Sunday's win (rightfully so), it's worth wondering whether Kansas City will dial things back with him. Toney logged two receptions for just five yards on four targets against New England, with his two non-conversions being drops. The last drop was tipped into the air and intercepted, giving the Patriots new life in the game. For every good play Toney makes, it seems like there are multiple mistakes committed. That won't fly in the postseason.
Winner: L'Jarius Sneed
To be fair to the "winner" label, L'Jarius Sneed did have a dropped interception once the game was out of hand and also failed to make a play on the ball once against DeVante Parker. Outside of that, however, he was fantastic. The veteran cornerback led the Chiefs' defense in tackles, tackles for loss and passes broken up in Week 15. Kansas City will take the good with the bad because the upside with Sneed has been so tremendous all year long.
Loser: Blake Bell
Tight end Blake Bell was on the receiving end of the aforementioned Mahomes pass that got tossed up after Smith allowed pressure. Bell, who's been targeted just six times this season, couldn't haul in the pass and it instead was intercepted. The 32-year-old will continue seeing the field in 13-personnel sets because of his blocking ability, although it's hard to envision him ever earning more looks in the passing game due to plays like that. Bell has to capitalize on his limited opportunities; he didn't do that in Week 15.
Winner: Charles Omenihu
It's been a bumpy season for free agent pickup Charles Omenihu, who missed the first six games of the year with a suspension. Since coming back, his production against the pass has been inconsistent. He stepped up in a major way on Sunday, though, by logging a pair of quarterback hits and getting a strip-sack on Bailey Zappe. That was a welcome sight for the Chiefs, who will need Omenihu to be at his best if the pass rush wants to achieve sustainable success in the postseason.
Loser: Patrick Mahomes's season stats
One could argue that neither of Mahomes's interceptions from Sunday should be credited to him. That's been the case far too often. A glance at the season stats for Mahomes — 3,703 yards, 25 touchdowns and 13 picks with a 93.2 passer rating — doesn't reflect his play. He's been keeping the Kansas City offense afloat for the most part but unfortunately for him, his MVP case and numbers are suffering due to the situation he's in. Week 15 was a perfect example of that, as he played a fantastic game that looks mostly pedestrian in the box score.
