The Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid were able to pull off a dominant Week 4 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon. It was a game that showed they are still without a question a team to watch in the AFC.
After a rough 0-2 start to the season, the Chiefs have gone 2-0 over their last two games. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have done an excellent job of rallying the team and getting them back on track. Now, Kansas City is back working its way towards the top of the conference.
Kelce, who was viewed as a potential retirement candidate after last season, could be playing in his final NFL season. He is now 35 years old. Keeping him healthy and fresh will be a major key for the Chiefs this season.
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With that being said, Reid spoke out about Kelce’s playing time and how the team can keep him fresh throughout the rest of the season. Kelce is seeing fewer snaps than in years past by design.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a run during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad… | Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images
Against the Ravens, Kelce played for 48 snaps. Reid was happy with that amount of playing time for the veteran star tight end.
“That’s probably a good area,” Reid said. “I thought he really played well. In both the run and pass game, I thought he looked strong all the way through. He’s in great shape right now, Soren [Petro]. That’s the important part — he came back and he really trained hard and aggressive for this thing.”
He continued on, speaking out more about Kelce’s role and how it’s his job to make sure his offensive star is in the best position for his success.
“He’s such a big part of it. Not only his effort, but just the mentality that he comes into these games with. He’s all-in all the time. He gets mad at me, but it’s my responsibility to make sure that we don’t get too many reps in there [and] that we get him at least a blow here and there. He’d play every play if he had his choice.”
So far this season in four games, Kelce has racked up 15 catches on 22 targets for 182 yards and a touchdown. He has been solid, but has not been the dominant force he has been in years past.
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More than likely, those days are behind him. Kelce is still capable of being a high-impact player, but during the regular season Kansas City needs to keep him fresh. Come playoff time, it’s possible the Chiefs will unleash more of Kelce.
Next up for Kansas City will be a Week 5 matchup on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs are able to keep their winning streak alive.
