2WB0E0E Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Blaine Gabbert runs with the ball through the second half of an NFL soccer recreation towards the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photograph/Ashley Landis)
The Kansas City Chiefs made the strategic choice to relaxation its normal starters in Week 18 towards a Los Angeles Chargers staff with little to play for. The Chiefs got here out on prime to shut out the Chargers season.
Offensive highlight: With Blaine Gabbert on the helm for this one, Mecole Hardman led the staff in receiving yards (77), targets (11) and receptions (six). Gabbert threw for simply 154 yards on 15-for-30 passing with no touchdowns and an interception. La’Mical Perine labored because the staff’s lead again as Isiah Pacheco acquired the day without work, carrying the ball 21 instances for 76 dashing yards.
Easton Stick began his fourth straight recreation and sadly went win-less in his alternatives this 12 months. Stick threw for 240 yards on 28-for-47 passing and was held with no landing. He additionally ran the ball greater than any participant on the staff with 13 rushes for a team-leading 77 dashing yards. Josh Palmer was Stick’s prime goal, seeing 10 passes thrown his approach, catching six of them for 44 yards.
Defensive highlight: Khalil Mack got here up together with his seventeenth sack of the 12 months on this recreation, persevering with his profession 12 months in his tenth NFL season. Mack didn’t attain double-digit sacks in a season for four-straight years coming into 2023 whereas his PFF pass-rush grade had additionally been declining 12 months over 12 months earlier than getting again as much as above 80.0 this season.
Kansas Metropolis’s protection supplied the one landing for both staff on this recreation when Charles Omenihu and Mike Edwards mixed for what could be a 97-yard fumble return for a rating. Omenihu delivered the sack — his seventh of the 12 months within the midst of a now six-game sack streak — forcing the fumble, which Edwards recovered and took nearly the whole size of the sector for the landing.
THE CHIEFS DEFENSE SCORES ON A 97-YARD RETURN ???? pic.twitter.com/aQUy83ENNL
— PFF (@PFF) January 7, 2024
Rookie highlight: First-round rookie large receiver for the Chargers, Quentin Johnston, completed off his quiet rookie season with one other quiet efficiency on this recreation. Johnston noticed 5 passes thrown his approach, catching two for simply 17 receiving yards. Johnston finishes the 12 months with simply 431 receiving yards which ranks fifteenth amongst all rookies.
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