The Kansas City Chiefs used a throwback play against the Colts in Week 2, and it worked to perfection.
For Kansas City Chiefs fans, the 30-yard pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes to receiver Tyquan Thornton in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts had a familiar look to it. It brought back memories of the “Wasp” route that former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill made famous in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIV win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Those memories are spot on. According to Jesse Newell of The Athletic, Thornton noted after the game that “You can see that thing on Madden, for sure.”
Time for a stroll down memory lane. The original version of “Wasp” happened against the 49ers with the Chiefs trailing 20-10 in that game and needing a third-and-15 conversion in the fourth quarter. There was a stoppage in play, and Mahomes went to the sidelines and asked offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy if the Chiefs had time to run Wasp.
There are probably multiple versions of Wasp in the Chiefs playbook, but in that iteration it featured Hill faking an over route across the field, then cutting back toward the sideline. It’s a slow-developing call that requires extra blocks on the outside, Newell noted, with a deep shotgun drop and a requirement for a speedy receiver who can eat up ground quickly before making a sharp cut to get open at the end.
Hill ran it to perfection to help Kansas City get a 31-20 win, and against the Colts Thornton was able go get a big first down. Thornton added that he’s rehearsed “Wasp” multiple times repeatedly since he joined the Chiefs’ practice squad two seasons ago, and that helped him make the play succeed. He was able to sell the inside route, then deliver a shoulder shake to break free from the coverage of Colts safety Kapena Gushiken.
Thornton took a big hit on the play, but he was able to make the catch. That catch was a small answer to a larger question, which was about whether the Chiefs wide receivers will consistently be able to make big plays.
Reid noted that Thornton made two tough catches with people “all over him,” and the Chiefs will need more of the same. They let the Colts hang around in their Week 2 win, and if they’re going to get into track-meet games, Thornton, Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice are all going to have to step up on a weekly basis and do their best imitation of Hill as the season continues to unfold.
