Playing Off the Script with Perine and Kelce

Running back Samaje Perine has only been with the Chiefs for a short while, but he’s already learned a valuable lesson: keep your eyes peeled when tight end Travis Kelce has the ball. The Chiefs’ victory over the Saints on Monday night featured a play that caught everyone's attention. Kelce caught a short pass on third-and-21 and quickly lateraled the ball to Perine, who ran for 15 yards. This set up a fourth-and-1 that the Chiefs converted on the next play.

This isn’t the first time Kelce has pulled off such a move. Last year, he lateraled to teammate Kadarius Toney in a play that was ultimately called off due to a penalty. Perine witnessed that play and has seen Kelce do it in practice, so he knew to stay alert. "It wasn't scripted at all," Perine shared in an interview, adding that he saw Kelce switch the ball and prepare to throw. He was ready for it. Perine described the experience as being part of Kelce’s "backyard football." This kind of play adds another layer of complexity for opposing defenses to worry about when facing the Chiefs in upcoming games. The unpredictability of Kelce's moves keeps everyone on their toes.

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