Chiefs’ injury-riddled season hits new low with 26-9 loss to Titans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs were down to their third-string quarterback, operating behind their fifth and sixth offensive tackles, without the benefit of their starting right guard and a key wide receiver.
It was a wonder they scored at all in their 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
The defeat nevertheless left the Chiefs with a fourth consecutive loss for the first time since 2017, and saddled Andy Reid with a 6-9 record, ensuring his first losing season since becoming coach in Kansas City following the debacle that was the 2012 season.
“Yeah, nobody like to lose in this business,” Reid said afterward. “My hat goes off to the guys that put together all these years. That’s part of it. We can learn from it and need to do that going forward. Sometimes a good kick in the tail there helps you.”
Hard to see what happened Sunday helping Kansas City a whole lot.
The mess started with veteran backup Gardner Minshew hurting his knee, one week after Patrick Mahomes tore a pair of ligaments in his knee. And despite some bright moments from Chris Oladokun, things did not get a whole lot better against the Titans, whose victory over the reigning AFC champions just might spoil their own bid for the No. 1 pick in the April draft.
As for the Chiefs, a couple of more losses and they might have a top-10 pick of their own.
Not that anybody in the Kansas City locker room is thinking that way.
The Chiefs still have a chance to play spoiler when the Broncos visit Arrowhead Stadium for a Christmas matchup Thursday night. And the finale against the Raiders in Las Vegas offers another opportunity to knock off a hated divisional rival.
“We just want to go 1-0,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said. “There’s not really a message. Just play football. Just like a little kid, and we get the opportunity to come out here and play the game we love. You put your whole heart into it. That’s kind of what the mindset is. We’re privileged. I don’t want to lose sight of that. I don’t ever want to lose sight of that. Regardless of how grim it looks inside the building — on the outside it may be looking like — that’s the mindset we have. And there’s a sense of gratitude and humility.”
What’s working
Well, the Chiefs got to the stadium on time. Other than that, the biggest positive from Sunday may have been the effort shown by the players under difficult circumstances. The Chiefs could have thrown in the towel but played hard the entire way.
What needs help
The training staff in Kansas City.
In the past three weeks, the Chiefs have put Mahomes on injured reserve along with left tackle Josh Simmons, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, backup tackle Wanya Morris, cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace, linebacker Leo Chenal, safety Nazeeh Johnson and tight end Jake Briningstool.
Minshew went down Sunday, when the Chiefs also played without injured wide receivers Tyquan Thornton and Rashee Rice, offensive tackle Jaylon Moore, cornerback Trent McDuffie, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and offensive lineman C.J. Hanson.
Stock up
Given the circumstances, Oladokun played fairly well. He was 11 of 16 for 111 yards after the QB was suddenly called off the bench.
Stock down
WR Xavier Worthy has made little progress in Year 2. The Chiefs desperately needed the 2024 first-round pick to step up given all their injuries on offense, and Worthy managed just two catches for 41 yards against the Titans.
Injuries
By this point, it would be quicker to list the Chiefs who are healthy.
Key number
2: The number of games the Chiefs have left before the season ends.
Next steps
The Chiefs play Denver on Thursday night. The Christmas Night matchup, which could have featured two elite QBs on teams angling for the playoffs, will instead feature Bo Nix and the Broncos against Oladokun and a bunch of Chiefs who are simply trying to get through the rest of the season.
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