The special teams were pretty quiet for the Chiefs in their Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but that could be a good thing.
After all, when something is moved on dedicated teams, it's either a negative (like a fumble) or a positive (like a punt return). Unfortunately for the bosses, it was more like the last one, but fortunately it wasn't Sunday night.
This is going to be a somewhat short review compared to the previous reviews, but there are a few things I need to mention. Also be sure to check out my own team stats, instant tally, and individual player rankings via Google Sheets for a better understanding of how and where Chiefs players are on special teams during the season.
Batting: Isaiah Pacheco sucks badly, and Michael Burton and Marcus Kemp feel good
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The Chiefs' kick return game went well, with four of their six games ending in touchdowns. Two entries are worth mentioning because they're a little out of the box.
First, it was rookie running back Isaiah Pacheco for the only touchdown of the day. It wasn't a great comeback as it quickly went out of bounds at the Kansas City 6-yard line:
Burton actually got 20 yards in return, which is hard to do when the ball is being fouled because defenders usually get in front of the returner with short throws.
Fortunately, the block was strong and made a good comeback. One notable block was wide receiver Marcus Kemp (No. 85) tangling with Chargers linebacker Amin Ogpongbemega (No. 57). You can get a closer look at the block in the end zone corner of the game – watch the video above, starting at the 12-second mark.
More special notes from the team
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Some special team features will end from Week 11:
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Rejoice! Harrison Butker was 3 of 3 on field goals and 3 of 3 on extra points. This is the first game since week one where he hits all of his shots. Maybe he's back to normal?
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Receiver Kadarius Toni returned for another game but was injured and WR Sky Moore replaced him for the rest of the day. Tony's return was five yards:
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Tony has not yet had a chance to shine in the punt comeback because his collection was not good and his kicks were lacking. Hopefully he will have more chances when he comes back from injury.
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With Toney gone, guys like Moore, WR Justin Watson and Trent McDuffie will be considered for return, Taub said. McDuffie is an attractive option, but he could be very valuable given the injury risk as a returning player. Since Watson has proven his versatility on offense and on special teams, it would be wise to see what he has to offer.
The story originally appeared in Chiefs Wire.
