Chiefs snap counts, Week 11: Juan Thornhill a ‘situational guy’

What can we learn from the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 11 snap counts?

The Kansas City Chiefs got a healthy dose of offensive and defensive snaps off the bye week in their Week 11 showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders. The offense spent a bit more time on the field compared to the defense. There wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary this week and really the snaps resembled the first matchup against Las Vegas for many Chiefs players.

So what can we learn about this game from the snap counts? Here’s a look at how the snaps played out in Week 11:

*Snap counts via NFL Game Statistics and Information System

Observations

  • Clyde Edwards-Helaire got the lion’s share of the snaps for the Chiefs on Sunday with 40 snaps. Meanwhile, Le’Veon Bell and Darrel Williams split carries in relief of Edwards-Helaire. The rotation saw a lot of success, with three touchdowns scored by running backs on the day.
  • Byron Pringle played a season-high 40 snaps. With Sammy Watkins ruled out and Mecole Hardman limited due to a lack of practice from being on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Pringle had a big opportunity. He caught three passes on four targets for 17 yards. He also suffered an ankle injury during the game, but Andy Reid said after the game he was cleared to return and came back into the game.
  • Nick Keizer was one snap shy of matching his season-high for snaps which came in Week 1 against the Houston Texans. It seems as if he’s slowly working his way back into favor.
  • Gehrig Dieter played in just three offensive snaps despite the Chiefs being shorthanded at the receiver position. It’s a bit surprising, but perhaps they didn’t incorporate him much into the gameplan this week and truly expected Sammy Watkins to be available.
  • Alex Okafor played 22 snaps and L’Jarius Sneed played 13 snaps in their return from IR. Neither player made much of an impact in their limited snaps, but it’s a starting point building up to more snaps down the line.
  • Rookie LB Willie Gay Jr. played 31 snaps against the Raiders and really had a solid game, recording five total tackles. He seems to play more often against teams that force the Chiefs into their base personnel.
  • Juan Thornhill played the lowest snap total of his career against the Raiders with just 11 snaps on the day. After the game, Andy Reid said it was planned and that Thornhill was a “situational guy.” It would seem that they’re really only using him when they have their big nickel package on the field. This game called for more base and dime looks.
  • Armani Watts, Dorian O’Daniel and Antonio Hamilton were the special teams snap leaders for the Chiefs once again.

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