Special Teams Play: A Key Factor for the Kansas City Chiefs
Special teams play has been a strength of the Kansas City Chiefs’ strategy in the Andy Reid era, and coordinator Dave Toub has had his fingerprints all over the team’s game plans since joining the coaching staff in 2013. His unit has seen its struggles this season, with their most recent tribulation coming due to the waiver wire.
The team lost one of their most veteran special teamers this week, waiving Chris Lammons from the 53-man roster presumably to make room for the return of TE Jody Fortson. Lammons was claimed by the Bengals this week, and while he can’t join their team until after the Super Bowl in February, he can no longer rejoin the Chiefs’ practice squad and play on Sunday.
Asked how Lammons’ departure might affect his unit, Toub told reporters that he was disappointed to lose a key contributor, but thinks that the veteran gunner will continue to find success no matter where he plays.
“It happens,” Toub explained. “[General Manager Brett] Veach had a plan. He had a plan. He always has a plan, he’s a smart guy. [It] just didn’t work out, I guess, unfortunately for [Chris] Lammons because now he’s not going to be able to play. So, it’s just the way it goes. Obviously, he was a good player for us. And for three years, [he] did a lot for us and I want to thank him for that. I’m going to miss him, no question. But the future is still good for him.”
While losing talent during a playoff run is never an ideal scenario for a team trying to compete for a Super Bowl title, Toub’s shrewd approach to his unit’s preparation should help mitigate the loss of Lammons against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. They still have plenty of options to replace Lammons, including Marcus Kemp, who has been a more impactful player during the course of his career. It’s possible this situation could even help the Chiefs in the long run.
