Heading into a pivotal Week 12 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, the Kansas City Chiefs were expected to put the ball into the hands of wideout Tyquan Thornton more consistently. The veteran receiver is a big play waiting to happen, and respected CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson noted that the Chiefs indicated that there would be a consistent effort to get the football into the hands of Thornton. Instead, he didn't make a single catch and was targeted only once in the game.
This was despite playing 25 snaps, the highest number of plays since Week 7 (27), and yet the pass-catcher couldn't take advantage of the chance. It is a clear concern for a playmaker who, early in the season, appeared destined for a breakout year. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is clearly focused on feeding the ball to his star receivers with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, who combined for 200 yards and 12 catches in Sunday's thrilling win.
However, it wasn't just the star duo that was involved with Travis Kelce, Brashard Smith, Kareem Hunt, Noah Gray, and Hollywood Brown all making big plays. Even depth players JuJu Smith-Schuster and Clyde Edwards-Helaire managed a catch each while Thornton was shutout. The 25-year-old WR not being able to have any impact with a high number of snaps with such a long list of contributors is undeniably concerning.
Chiefs Can't Blindly Trust Tyquan Thornton Anymore
Kansas City simply cannot rely on Thornton to show up consistently, and that has been made incredibly clear by the receiver making a huge play one week only to disappear the next. It'd likely be a bigger issue if the Chiefs' WR depth weren't as deep as it is. The resurgence of Kelce has helped the passing game, too, with the star tight end performing as if his career is only beginning.
The Chiefs suddenly have great options for Mahomes, far away from the start of the season when injuries and a Rashee Rice suspension opened the door for Thornton to play a larger role. Now, the Chiefs simply have no reason to force the ball Thornton's way based on the star targets who are back in the lineup, leaving him less likely to see personally-designed plays.
It is a setback for Thornton, but a progression for the Chiefs, who need their passing attack to fire on all cylinders to succeed. This doesn't mean Thornton won't have a role to play, but rather he is now less likely to see the ball come his way, proven by his averaging just one target in his last six games compared to five from Weeks 1 to 5.
Still, there is no denying that this has been a solid season for Thornton, who's already set new career highs in receiving yards (372) and touchdowns (3) through 11 games. He clearly knows how to be a needle-mover, and it'll be up to him to prove that he can push things in the right direction for the Chiefs down the stretch.