The Chiefs might have stumbled to a 16-15 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, but seriously, can we talk about Jalen Royals?! The second-year wide receiver was an absolute beast, leading every single wideout in snaps on offense with a whopping 36. This kid wasn’t just on the field; he was making plays.
Royals Is Unstoppable With The Ball In His Hands
Get this: Royals led the entire offense in skill-position production. He caught all six of his targets for 51 yards. That’s a perfect catch rate, folks! But the real kicker, according to Pro Football Focus, is that he forced five missed tackles on those six catches. Are you kidding me? Five missed tackles on six receptions. That’s not just good; that’s straight-up dominant after the catch. You love seeing that kind of play strength. Plus, he wasn’t just running after the catch. On his 17-yard gain, he showed incredible awareness and strength by coming back to the ball and securing it, a beautiful play from rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. This was a massive performance for a player who absolutely needed to showcase his talent in live action, and he delivered big time. He even tacked on five snaps on special teams, showing his versatility.
Battles In The Trenches and Opportunities Taken
While Royals was torching the Bucs secondary, there were other storylines developing, especially in the trenches. Rookie offensive lineman Kahlil Benson, after getting just six snaps at right guard in the preseason opener, got a serious workload on Saturday night. He played 35 snaps, all of them at right tackle on the right edge of the line. The Chiefs *needed* to give Benson that live-action look, testing him against the Tampa Bay starting defensive front. It’s all about getting those crucial reps. Meanwhile, the game saw offensive starters like Justin Fields at QB, Kenneth Walker at RB, and Travis Kelce at TE, along with a full slate of defensive starters including Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. It’s tough to make definitive statements based on raw snap-count data in preseason, especially with so many key players sitting out. Guys like Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice (knee), Trey Smith (hip), Drue Tranquill (back spasms), and L’Jarius Sneed (knee) were all sidelined. It opens doors for guys like Royals and Benson, but it definitely makes a complete picture hard to get.
What’s next for Royals? He’s definitely put the league on notice with this outing, and you know he’s looking to build on it in the coming weeks. Benson also needs to keep showing that growth against tough competition. These preseason games are all about finding those diamonds and seeing who can step up. You gotta love the fight, even in a close loss.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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