Tyquan Thornton completed both of his contested-catch chances downfield against the Indianapolis Colts, bagging the only two deep completions Patrick Mahomes made in Week 2. Both throws had contact at the catch point, but Thornton snagged them, flashing that reliability we saw all last season. And honestly, it puts a spotlight on some other guys on the Chiefs’ roster, big time.
Thornton Steals the Show, While Others Drop the Ball
Seriously, Thornton’s ability to just go get it is a breath of fresh air. He was the only one reeling in those 20-plus yard throws. This is a massive deal when you look at the other top wideouts. Xavier Worthy was faulted with two drops, and Rashee Rice couldn’t secure a tight-window catch late in the game, a play that was arguably easier than the ones Thornton made. It’s early, but Mahomes has already been tagged with five drops by PFF through just two weeks. Only Jordan Love has more drops this season before Monday Night Football, which is not a stat you want your quarterback leading.
Kelce’s Untouchable, Thanks to Speed and Chemistry
Meanwhile, Travis Kelce is just out there doing Travis Kelce things, even at 37! For the second straight week, fans are scratching their heads wondering how he gets so wide open. He had more than a yard of separation on all 11 of his targets against the Colts, turning that into nine catches, 101 yards, and a touchdown. An insane 67 of those yards came after the catch. Zero, absolutely zero, of his nine catches were “tight window” throws. Kelce is finding those open spots, working underneath, and Mahomes’ chemistry with him is still making a huge difference in crucial downs and the red zone. This wide-open success? It’s directly linked to Thornton’s downfield presence and the overall speed of the offense when everyone’s healthy. Kelce is already leading the team with 172 receiving yards through two weeks, and if Rice, Worthy, and Thornton keep sharing the load and attacking deep, Kelce could remain the go-to guy for volume.
Defensive Pockets Exposed?
On the flip side, the Colts’ slot receiver, Josh Downs, had himself a day, snagging 7 catches for 72 yards. He was mostly working against Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and even beat safety Christian Rolland-Wallace downfield out of the slot at one point. It shows that while the Chiefs offense is sorting itself out, there might be some areas the defense needs to tighten up, especially against those shifty slot guys.
Looking ahead, these early stats paint a clear picture for the Chiefs. If Thornton keeps making those tough catches, it opens up a world of possibilities for Kelce underneath. The offense is showing real speed and potential, but they’ll want to clean up those drops. The impact on crucial downs and red zone plays is huge for them, and they’ll be working to keep those defensive pockets sealed off as the season rolls on.
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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