The Chiefs have remained coy about who will start at left tackle against the Texans in the Divisional Round on Saturday, yet the choice should be obvious for the coaching staff.
D.J. Humphries, who was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2021 for the Cardinals, simply can’t be the starter. Acquiring him during the season was a wise move but injuries derailed his ability to get comfortable with the rest of the offensive line. Joe Thuney performed admirably at left tackle and while Andy Reid would seemingly prefer to have Humphries start, it’s far too risky at this stage of the campaign.
Even when Humphries was on the field, he struggled mightily. Putting Thuney and Mike Caliendo on the left side makes the most sense, then this offseason finding a long-term starter is perhaps the front office’s largest priority.
The Texans have one of the NFL’s best defensive lines. Thuney is a better option than Humphries and given the importance of keeping Patrick Mahomes upright, this is no time for experimentation.
Mahomes was sacked just once in the Week 16 victory against this team despite having suffered his high-ankle sprain just a handful of days prior. Why mess with a formula that worked if you don’t have to?
Despite limited playing time, Humphries was a mess when he actually got on the field. He ranked 128th out of 141 qualified tackles over at Pro Football Focus, allowing three sacks and committing two penalties.
Chiefs fans saw how poor offensive line play can derail a season in the Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers. At the very least, Thuney and Caliendo can deliver capable efforts while the Chiefs lean on the strong interior of Creed Humphries and Trey Smith to churn out positive gains.
If Humphries hadn’t gotten hurt, perhaps he could be in line to start. He just hasn’t had enough reps with Mahomes and the other starters to feel confident plugging him in, so Reid needs to make the difficult decision to leave the 31-year-old tackle on the bench moving forward.
No matter who starts, the Chiefs should win. They’re 8.5-point favorites over at FanDuel Sportsbook, appearing to be in line to host another AFC Championship the following week.
