Chiefs to play starters in first half versus Cards

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs plan to play Patrick Mahomes and the rest of their starters for the first half of their preseason game in Arizona, where they were last seen walking off the field hoisting their second Lombardi Trophy in four years.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said upon wrapping up training camp at Missouri Western on Thursday that the starters would get the first half and backups would split the second half. That's in line with what Reid has done since the league trimmed the preseason to three games and is designed to help Mahomes and the rest of his guys get ready for the speed of the regular season.

“They have to get ready for the game,” Reid said ahead of Saturday night's game against the Cardinals, “and at the same time, I think it's tough going into the first game — the first regular-season game. It's going to be fast, much faster than you can present in practice. So this is at least another step up from that, another kick up speed-wise to the game.”

Mahomes and the starters played only one series in their preseason opener in New Orleans, putting together a promising drive that ultimately stalled near midfield on a failed fourth-and-short conversion attempt. The second preseason game is closer to a dress rehearsal for their Sept. 7 opener against Detroit, which is why Mahomes will play into the second quarter.

Nevertheless, Reid acknowledged a balancing act between preparing for the season and the risk of injury in a preseason game.

“That's all part of the game," he said.

The Chiefs need look no further than last season's playoffs for proof that injuries can happen suddenly.

Mahomes was twisted to the turf in the divisional round against Jacksonville, sustaining a high ankle sprain that he had to manage the rest of their Super Bowl run; he even aggravated it in the championship win over Philadelphia, limping through most of the second half.

Even if Mahomes doesn't necessarily need the preseason reps, the rest of the Chiefs offense probably does.

Hamlin has little more to prove

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin has little more to prove to Bills coach Sean McDermott in the third-year safety’s bid to resume his football career after a near-death experience during a game at Cincinnati in January.

“From my non-medical standpoint, I think he’s checked all the boxes as far as that goes,” McDermott said on Thursday. “There’s just been enough of a sample where you’re saying, he’s executed well and come out of that healthy."

McDermott based his assessment on how Hamlin has showed no signs of hesitation in passing each milestone of his recovery, and especially since the Bills began practicing with pads three weeks ago. Adding to that, the coach was further reassured by Hamlin’s performance in Buffalo’s preseason-opening win over Indianapolis last weekend.

Hamlin was in on three tackles — including stopping Evan Hull for no gain on fourth-and-1 — in playing 22 defensive snaps in his first competitive setting since going into cardiac arrest and being resuscitated on the field after making what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Bengals on Jan. 2. Hamlin's heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis, which is when a direct blow at a specific point in a heartbeat causes cardiac arrest.

Following the Colts game, McDermott called Hamlin’s performance “a remarkable display of courage and strength and faith,” while adding: “What we just witnessed, to me, is remarkable.”

THURSDAY'S GAME

EAGLES 18, BROWNS 18: Philadelphia backup quarterback Marcus Mariota passed for 85 yards and Cleveland backup QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 164, while starters Jalen Hurts and Deshaun Watson watched from the sidelines as the host Eagles and Browns played to a tie on Thursday night in a preseason game that was marred by injuries.

Mariota completed 9 of 17 passes with an interception and was sacked three times in the first half for the defending NFC champions. Rookie sixth-round pick Tanner McKee went 10 for 18 for 147 yards with a touchdown after halftime.

Eagles wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland and rookie defensive tackle Moro Ojomo were carted off the field on a backboard with neck injuries. Both had movement in all extremities.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

BUCCANEERS: Receiver Russell Gage will miss the entire season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during a joint practice session with the New York Jets on Wednesday. Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles confirmed Gage's injury Thursday after the team practiced on its own at the New York Giants' training facility. The news was expected after Gage went down early in 7-on-7 drills with a non-contact injury that Bowles said Wednesday appeared “pretty serious.” Gage appeared to be in tears as he was carted off and tests revealed what he and the Buccaneers feared.

LIONS: Receiver Jameson Williams will likely miss the rest of the preseason with a hamstring injury. It is another setback for the former Alabama star, who was injured for much of his rookie season and will be suspended for the first six games this year for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Williams grabbed his right hamstring while running a pass route Wednesday, left the field for treatment and did not return. He hurt his left leg earlier in training camp and missed four practices.

BENGALS: Running back Joe Mixon was found not guilty Thursday of aggravated menacing in a January traffic dispute. Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Gwen Bender acquitted Mixon of the misdemeanor charge after a four-day bench trial. A woman had accused the 27-year-old of pointing a gun at her as their cars were stopped next to each other at a traffic light. Mixon’s attorneys argued it couldn’t be proven that he ever had a gun in the car.

SKIRMISHES: The Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots apparently have seen a little too much of one another over the past couple of days. Three skirmishes broke out between Green Bay’s offense and New England’s defense through the first five minutes of Thursday's joint practice. A later fight caused Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings and Packers linebacker Keshawn Banks to get removed from practice. Another confrontation resulted in someone tossing the helmet of Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie.

BILLS: Quarterback Josh Allen is accustomed to having his public life picked over and documented with his star status in Buffalo and beyond showing no signs of cresting. Allen embraces as much of the celebrity trappings as he can, including his most recent accolade of landing on the cover of the Madden video game. But Allen prefers to keep some things to himself, including the buzz of the actress he's been recently linked to dating.