When the offensive line performs well, everyone is happy, especially OL coach Andy Heck.
The projected starting offensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs this year was much different from the group the team had out on the field during the second offensive drive of the Week 6 game against the Buffalo Bills. Opt-outs, injuries and more have drastically altered the depth of this group this season, providing opportunities to some players who might not have received them beforehand.
Three players, in particular, received opportunities on Monday. Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck was asked about his impressions of his rearranged offensive front and their performance.
“We had a couple of guys step in and play spots that they hadn’t really practiced that particular week,” Heck told reporters on Thursday. “But that said, they had practiced making those sorts of blocks all through training camp, all through the spring, albeit virtually this year. The point being, we feel comfortable that if guys are going in, whether they’re reaching right, reaching left, playing a right-handed stance or a left-handed stance, it doesn’t really matter. These guys have done the stuff before and so we don’t skip a beat.”
Mike Remmers, Daniel Kilgore and Nick Allegretti all rose to the occasion, with a record performance on the ground for an Andy Reid-coached team. Kilgore notched his first start with the Chiefs in Week 6, marking his 57th career start. Heck was very impressed, not only by what Kilgore did in the game but by his preparation leading up to it.
“First on Daniel (Kilgore), here’s a guy, another veteran, experienced player,” Heck said. “He’s played a lot of ball, and he’s a guy I’ve been a fan of since I worked him out at App State way back when. So, I was familiar with Daniel, and then he gets in the building and really has A-plus talent, his leadership ability, his communication skills, his love for the game, and so we knew we’d get that. And then he’s been here through the better part of camp leading up to this, and so in watching him and his preparation, I felt like he got his wind, he’s got his conditioning that he could give us a little spark in there.”
As for Allegretti, the second-year Chief received high praise for his toughness. Heck wouldn’t commit to Allegretti being in there again this week, but with Mitchell Schwartz on the injury report, Allegretti’s first career start seems imminent.
“One thing you know you’re going to get with Nick is an all-out, tough, gritty performance,” Heck said. “And that’s what he gave us, and I thought he did a nice job.”
Finally, Heck spoke about Remmers, who is perhaps the most versatile piece the Chiefs have. He’s playing the Cam Erving role in Kansas City and seeing much more success doing so.
“We’re really glad to have Mike here,” Heck said. “Absolutely fortunate to have him here. Having a guy that has the ability to play left and right guard and tackle is very valuable in this league. And on top of that, he’s an experienced veteran and he’s a tough nut. We love the way he goes after it, plays the game, the versatility. We’ve had that in the past with guys like Cam Erving, so to have Mike here to replace that for us has been huge.”
Fans across the Chiefs Kingdom are wondering if the offensive line’s performance in Week 6 is sustainable. For Heck, the answer to that question lies within the week of practice. If the offensive line room continues to prepare as they did against the Bills in Week 6, they’ll continue to reap the benefits on the field.
“I did think the guys did a nice job with that, and really, and we preach this all the time, what makes that happen is your preparation,” Heck said. “You prepare to win, and I thought they had particularly good preparation that week from top to bottom, every man. Whether it was showing for our defense or executing our game plan, I thought they prepared the right way, and then it showed up on Sunday, and that’s usually how it works.”
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