The Chiefs gave running back Spencer Ware the first carry of their game against the Bengals on Saturday night, but that would be it for Ware in terms of touching the ball in the team’s second preseason game.
Third-round pick Kareem Hunt stepped in from there and got a heavy dose of work with the starting offense. Hunt carried eight times for 40 yards -- coach Andy Reid said he wanted to establish the run this week -- and caught three passes for 23 yards on a busy night.
Reid said after the game that the goal was to see how Hunt fit in with the first team and how he fared against a starting defense.
“I wanted to see him, and I wanted him to see the speed of the game against a good defense,” Reid said, via the Bengals website. “He did a nice job and played physical. He has an idea of the physical demands and the shape you need to be in to carry the ball like that. He did a good job at pass protection and route running.”
Hunt’s night was part of a strong performance all around by the Chiefs offense as Alex Smith, Patrick Mahomes and Tyler Bray all threw touchdown passes on the way to a 30-12 victory and it could be the start of a prominent role as his rookie season unfolds.
