Chiefs survive everyone’s best shot, but the margin for error is shrinking due to a Rice injury
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – No matter the opponent, no matter where they are on the schedule, no matter who is in uniform for the opponent, many Kansas City Chiefs, as they did on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, are reminding themselves of their burden, as cliché as it sounds .
“We are going to get the best out of everyone.”
Coach Andy Reid said it in not so many words. So did quarterback Patrick Mahomes, linebacker Drue Tranquill and even running back Samaje Perine, who joined the Chiefs a month ago following the Chiefs’ 17-10 win, their fourth one-score win in as many weeks to start the season to start.
“I just remember as a player on the Chargers you were excited to play against the Chiefs,” said Tranquill, who played four seasons with the Chargers. “Every time the Chiefs came to town or we went to Arrowhead (stadium), it was like: ‘This is a great game!’ You felt it, something more.”
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The Chargers epitomized such a team Sunday at SoFi Stadium, even without some of their best players, including edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip), left tackle Rashawn Slater (chest), safety Derwin James Jr. (one-game suspension) and rookie right tackle Joe Alt (knee). Additionally, quarterback Justin Herbert, who was playing through a high ankle sprain, struggled with his mobility when he had a clean pocket.
Still, the Chargers (2-2) played as well as they could have hoped in the first quarter. They built a 10-point lead by taking advantage of two Chiefs giveaways, a fumble by rookie fullback Carson Steele and an overthrown Mahomes pass that was intercepted.
Chargers intercept Mahomes and nearly rumble him away!
📺: #KCvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: pic.twitter.com/2An4So367O—NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
Even worse than the scoreboard at the time was how Mahomes’ turnover ended. As cornerback Kristian Fulton returned the ball near the Chiefs’ sideline, he was chased by Kansas City’s leading receiver, Rashee Rice. Rice’s right leg was bent back when he encountered Mahomes, who used his right shoulder in an attempt to tackle Fulton.
Within minutes, Rice was wheeled to the locker room, with his hands and a towel covering his face.
“Rashee played really well,” Mahomes said. “I tried to tackle the guy and obviously rolled towards him. If I just don’t turn the ball over, it never happens. I know Rashee and how strong he is. Since he was so down, I knew it wasn’t good. All we can do is pray that the x-rays and MRIs are better than they seemed.”
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Rice will undergo an MRI of his knee Monday morning. According to a team source, the Chiefs fear Rice has torn his ACL, an injury that would end his season. Entering Sunday’s game, Rice led the Chiefs with 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Reid said. ‘I’m sure it’s not as good news as we would like. The boys all stuck together and they feel terrible for Rashee because he is having a fantastic year.”
Rashee Rice appears inconsolable as he is led away pic.twitter.com/KD8rgo28Oz
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 29, 2024
Midway through the second quarter, Mahomes found himself huddled with a group of skill players he couldn’t have anticipated six weeks ago: tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, running backs Kareem Hunt and Perine, and a receiver corps. of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and rookie Xavier Worthy.
This wasn’t the offense the Chiefs expected to be before the season started. But the Chiefs were without veteran receiver Marquise Brown (left shoulder), running back Isiah Pacheco (right fibula) and Rice.
It will make it much harder for the Chiefs to survive each team’s best shot. But now others have a chance to step up, as Worthy did just before halftime on Sunday.
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Mahomes and Worthy had enough time from the offensive line to connect on the longest connection of the season, a 54-yard touchdown.
“On the sideline, I said to Pat, probably around the first quarter, ‘If we get this play call, I’m going to stutter a little bit (in the middle of my flight path),’” Worthy said. “It worked. It turned out like this, how strange.”
Xavier Worthy does his thing.
📺: #KCvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: pic.twitter.com/s1k5ygK0ET—NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
The Chargers’ secondary gave Worthy an 8-yard buffer before the play started. Worthy, who ran the 40-yard dash in a record 4.21 seconds at the combine, still sprinted past two defenders, Fulton and safety Alohi Gilman, before catching the ball in the end zone. The ball traveled 62.2 yards in the air, Mahomes’ longest completion through the air of his eight-year career, and Worthy reached a top speed of 35.46 mph, the third fastest by a ball carrier in the league this season, according to Next. Gene statistics.
“When it happens and it works in a game, it’s just a lot of fun,” right tackle Jawaan Taylor said of the touchdown. “The momentum has definitely changed.”
While the Chiefs offense needed time to adjust after Rice’s injury, the defense, led by pass rusher Chris Jones, began attacking the Chargers’ offensive line to disrupt Herbert. The Chargers had four possessions in the second quarter. Four goals were scored.
“We try to figure out early on what they’re trying to do,” Tranquill said. “They made a lot of moves, they could get distance on the screen and they had a good game plan. As the game goes on, Spags (Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) is one of the best at sensing when he can get his shot, and we knew they were a little beat up on the O-line and there might be some communication and chemistry would be problems. We were able to benefit from that.”
After halftime, the Chargers’ best shot to regain the lead came early in the fourth quarter.
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But Spagnuolo and his players managed another clutch stop deep in the red zone. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh decided to keep the offense on the field for a fourth-and-1 play from the Chiefs’ 3-yard line. Jones beat backup right guard Sam Mustipher to generate immediate pressure on Herbert, who threw an incompletion, the ball nowhere near a pass catcher in the end zone.
“It’s not just one play that’s important enough to affect the whole game, but I think there’s four or five plays that affected this game,” Jones said. “I watch enough films where I can understand the trends and then you have to understand what the teams like to do in certain situations and formations.”
Jones dominated the line of scrimmage in the second half. He finished with two sacks and three quarterback hits on the season.
The Chargers also never moved the ball past midfield again. Jones sacked Herbert on the Chargers’ final offensive play on a third-and-11 play with less than four minutes remaining.
“In my opinion, he’s the most dominant one-on-one pass rusher in the NFL,” Tranquill said of Jones. “He can run indoors and outdoors and we try to figure out every week how to get him a one-on-one because his winning percentage is so high. If you give him one-on-one, the quarterback won’t have much time.”
THE CEO STRIKES AGAIN 💪 @StoneColdJones pic.twitter.com/mDry7Ro1m2
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 29, 2024
Through four games, the Chiefs still boast one of the league’s best defenses, even after trading cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans this offseason. The Chiefs have held their four opponents – the Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens – to 26 points or fewer for an average of 18 points per game.
“It’s a testament that our coaches and (general manager Brett) Veach brought in the right guys and Spags,” Jones said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for the work he puts in and the investment he makes in the players and making sure they’re at their best and what he can get out of us.”
On one drive in the fourth quarter, Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs offense managed to do what it took to leave SoFi Stadium with another win. Mahomes’ performance was disjointed, but he put together a game-winning touchdown drive in just five plays. The biggest highlight was Mahomes’ 29-yard pass in the middle of the field to Gray. On the play, Kelce and rookie tight end Jared Wiley blocked for Mahomes.
Perine scored the winning score on a two-yard run to the end zone.
“It’s no different than the first three weeks,” Perine said. “We did this every week. I think we know how to win.”
(Photo of Chris Jones and Justin Herbert: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
