This column is about Xavier Worthy, the first-round rookie receiver who flashed in the Chiefs’ preseason loss Saturday to the Lions, but at least at the jump here, it’s not about his touchdown. Or his 39-yard catch that preceded it.
We’re starting instead with a play that you might not have noticed involved him. Upon first glance, in fact, you might not have even noticed he was on the field for it.
So why start here?
Because the Lions sure as heck noticed him. And it’s illustrative of the contribution Worthy can provide that we need to talk more about.
The threat.
Just one play after Worthy hauled in his first catch in an NFL uniform — even if it won’t technically count as such, given it’s an exhibition — quarterback Patrick Mahomes dropped back to pass again. And Mahomes took his first look toward a receiver streaking down the seam of the field.
Worthy.
Except Mahomes wasn’t the only one staring at him. Two Lions defenders ran along with Worthy, ensuring the history from 40 seconds earlier wouldn’t repeat itself. And give it to them, it didn’t.
But it came with a consequence.
Worthy vacated the middle of the field, running his route to the end zone and bringing the defense along with him, which left Justin Watson’s in-cutting curl route uncovered.
Mahomes turned to Watson. Turned to Plan B. It went for 20 yards and a first down.
That is what Xavier Worthy can provide. That is what, well, no one on the Chiefs roster could adequately provide a year ago.
“Exactly that,” Mahomes said when I asked him about it. “Once you hit him over the top with that speed, it helps open up the whole entire football field.”
His full answer was 144 words, an eager description of a new toy. Hollywood Brown, when he returns from a clavicle injury, could soon supply another.
Andy Reid was a bit shorter in his description. But just as telling.
“Xavier’s speed to be able to get through (the coverage), make people honor him — sometimes have two people honor him — that’s a big thing,” Reid said.
OK, so on to the plays he actually made. The Chiefs force-fed Worthy the football in the opening drive, the same way they attempted to force it to him a week ago in Jacksonville, only for the Jaguars to sniff it out. (That too led to a first-down pass to a secondary option, by the way.)
Worthy just plain sped past the Lions secondary on the third snap of the game Saturday, a third-and-long, for the 39-yard reception on a corner route. One problem, if we’re being honest: Worthy jumped the gun. He should’ve been whistled for a false start, but the referees missed it. Worthy made a good catch on the pass.
“It’s a learning experience — the first one,” Worthy said. “Just getting the confidence going, that’s huge.”
Mahomes threw that pass to him.
The quarterback offered more intrigue, however, by one in which he had the same view that you, me and anyone watching from the stands or at home appreciated:
A spectator.
Reid left Worthy in the game for a series with some of the second-stringers, which included backup quarterback Carson Wentz, and wouldn’t you know it, Wentz found him for a 22-yard touchdown on his first drive. Worthy had three catches in the first quarter, which he turned into 62 yards and the score.
A full day.
In 14 minutes.
The intricacies behind that throw — the touchdown from Wentz — could have some longer-lasting effects.
With that spectator.
See, Worthy wasn’t really the intended option on that touchdown throw. The play is designed for him to clear out some coverage. (Sensing a theme, aren’t you?)
This time, though, the coverage didn’t bite. The Lions left cornerback Amik Robertson all alone with Worthy.
Worthy spotted that and just kept running. This won’t be the last time I use this sentence: He won the footrace.
“He was a clear-out route for the other guys, but if you get that type of coverage look, you have to trust that he’s going to win. And obviously you see that he won,” Mahomes said. “That’s good for me to see. Then maybe as the game goes on, as the year goes on, maybe a similar type of situation (arrives) to know that he can win versus that one-on-one man coverage. (It) is something that I can kind of put in the cabinet, knowing that I can maybe bring it out later in the year.”
There’s a misconception that preseason games don’t matter.
The results don’t matter. The Chiefs will be 0-0 when they take the field on Sept. 5.
The game within the game has some merit. The Chiefs learned something about their first-round draft pick Saturday. The MVP quarterback thinks he might use it in a game in the future.
And if the response is that the league learned a little something about him too — that the rest of the 31 teams are now more aware of his ability — just remember:
Sometimes, that’s the idea.
