The Kansas City Chiefs narrowly secured a one-point win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, but the game exposed a growing issue at the left tackle position.
Rookie LT Kingsley Suamataia was benched in the fourth quarter after giving up a sack and committing a holding penalty. He struggled to contain Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson throughout the game, allowing multiple pressures and hits on quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the decision to sit Suamataia after the game.
“Kingsley (Suamataia) was up against one of the top defensive ends in the league,” Reid said. “It’s a valuable experience for him, even though it was tough. Sometimes you need to take a step back to progress forward. Wanya (Morris) came in and did a solid job, though he also had a penalty. You want to learn from these challenges and move forward.”
The challenge was evident given Hendrickson’s strong performance in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Even when the Chiefs attempted to support Suamataia with chipping or adjustments, they struggled to mitigate Hendrickson’s impact.
Reid was cautious when asked if Suamataia would remain the starting left tackle next week.
“We’ll evaluate after reviewing the tape and discuss it with Coach Heck,” Reid said. “We’ll see how it goes.”
Suamataia had earned the starting role over second-year OT Wanya Morris during training camp. Morris, who later caught a touchdown pass as an eligible receiver, also had his share of struggles in his brief appearance after replacing Suamataia.
Suamataia took responsibility for his performance without making excuses. He reflected on his mistakes and areas for improvement.
“They gave me the challenge to be the left tackle, and I need to step up,” Suamataia told KSHB-TV’s Aaron Ladd. “It shouldn’t have happened. My technique needs work. Definitely stuff I can improve.”
Patrick Mahomes echoed Suamataia’s sentiments, emphasizing resilience and learning from mistakes.
“Just keep playing,” Mahomes said. “Everyone has off days. You have to trust your abilities, learn from it, and stay mentally strong.”
Despite his rookie status, Suamataia acknowledged the weight of his errors but also received support from his teammates.
“They told me to keep my head up,” Suamataia said. “‘I’m the future of this program. I’m just a rookie.’ They offered encouragement, but I know it shouldn’t have happened.”
Mahomes expressed confidence in Suamataia’s potential for growth.
“I have complete trust that he’ll keep improving and be a reliable player every game,” Mahomes said.
For now, Suamataia must focus on refining his skills, regardless of how the coaches decide to move forward.
