The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a 27-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. This week are preparing to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs heading into this Week 9 matchup with a 7-0 record and a 13-game win streak, but are not without their issues. As the team is currently managing a range of injuries across key positions, Head Coach Andy Reid has remained optimistic about having most of the players ready to go for Sunday.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the few teams this season, however, to still find ways to get the job done on game day despite having several injuries to multiple starters. The first injury report for this week was released yesterday Thursday, but here is a closer look at all of the injuries impacting Kansas City and how it could impact their chances on Monday night.
Kansas City Chiefs Injuries For Week 9
The Chiefs’ initial Week 9 injury report listed ten players, which is the most amount of players Kansas City has had on an injury report this season. Offensive Tackle Ethan Driskell (illness), Safety Nazee Jonhson (concussion), and Wide Receiver Juju Smith-Schuster (hamstring) did not participate on Thursday.
Defensive End Mike Dana (pectoral) and Running Back Kareem Hunt (quad) were limited participants. Patrick Mahomes made his first appearance on the injury report this season (ankle), Cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), Defensive Tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps), and Linebacker Drue Tranquil (chest) were all full participants on Thursday.
Then on Friday, Tight End Jared Wiley was added to the report with a knee injury and was limited. Juju Smith-Schuster was the only player to not participate, which points to him being out for Monday night’s game. Nazee Johnson was able to return to practice but was a limited participant along with Mike Dana and everyone else was full participants.
On Saturday, head coach Andy Reid announced that rookie tight end Jared Wiley has tore his ACL will be placed on injury reserve. Wiley suffered a non-contact injury in practice bringing his rookie year to an end. Reid also said tight end Peyton Hendershot will be brought up from the practice squad and active against the Bucs. He also made it official that Smith-Schuster will miss Monday’s game and Nazee Johnson remained a limited participant in practice, but will also miss be out this week.
Offensive Concerns and Key Absences
Smith-Schuster’s hamstring injury continues to be an area of concern for Kansas City, with their wide receiver core still without Rashee Rice, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, and Skyy Moore. However, where there is still some hope is that it was reported the Chiefs decided not to opt into placing Smith-Schuster on injured reserve because they anticipate his availability by at least Week 11 vs. Buffalo.
The Kansas City Chiefs are also aiming to have their No. 1 Running Back Isiah Pacheco back soon after he suffered a fractured fibula in Week 2. Although his return may not be on the immediate horizon, his progress has been steady which is a positive sign for Kansas City’s run game in the long term.
Something else to pay attention to on the offensive end is some of the other recurring names on the injury report or even first-timers. Mecole Hardman appeared on the injury report last week and this week with a knee issue but was able to be back in practice as a full participant. With so many of the Kansas City Chiefs’ top receivers down, Hardman along with rookie receiver Xavier Worthy is going to have to be the one to step in while DeAndre Hopkins is still getting on the same page with Mahomes. He is also dealing with an ankle injury this week but will be ready to go on Monday.
Defensive Adjustments and Player Availability
On the defensive side, Mike Dana appears to be on track for Monday, despite still dealing with a pec injury. Dana was limited on Thursday and Friday. Danna’s absence over the last few games has required some of the younger guys to step up and even forced the Kansas City Chiefs to go out and add some additional depth to the group with Joshua Uche from the Patriots.
Additionally, the Kansas City Chiefs could also be receiving some additional reinforcements at the position with Defensive End Charles Omenihu getting closer and closer to being back from his ACL tear, but his return still points to being weeks away.
As for everyone else on the Defensive End, besides McDuffie, Nnadi, and Tranquil are all dealing with minor injuries that have not been recurring problems for them this season and are all on track for Monday. Johnson on the other hand is still working through the concussion he suffered against the Raiders. He was limited on Friday, but it will be day-by-day for him to see if he will be cleared to go on Monday.
Final Thoughts
As the Kansas City Chiefs look to remain perfect on the season, their health moving forward remains a primary concern. The injury report heading into Week 9 had several starters and rotational players either limited or absent from practice. However, game day is still a few days out which will allow many of the players on this week’s injury report to be ready for Monday. Then those that cannot go, will give other guys on the team an opportunity to showcase what they can do. If the Kansas City Chiefs have shown anything this season is that they have a system that works.
Facing a desperate Tampa Bay team that is also dealing with its issues, will be another obstacle the Kansas City Chiefs will have to overcome if they hope to stay ahead of the pack. However, this team has the depth and resilience to pull it off. The Kansas City Chiefs will closely monitor their injured players over the next few days, making adjustments where needed to ensure a strong showing on Monday night.
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