The Kansas City Chiefs enter their Sunday Night Football showdown against the Houston Texans decidedly shorthanded.
After losing a foundational piece for the season, they may also be missing two more starters on the offensive line, a scenario that threatens to leave the offense vulnerable going into a critical AFCplayoff stretch.
Earlier in the week, the Chiefs placed rookie left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve following a dislocated and fractured left wrist suffered in the Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
That alone would be a significant blow, but the concern rises as the final injury report lists both right guard Trey Smith (ankle) and right tackle Jawaan Taylor (triceps/knee) as doubtful, and neither showed up to practice on Friday.
Also ruled out are cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace (back) and wide receiver Nikko Remigio (shoulder).
With so many potential absences up front, the Chiefs may be forced to turn to a patchwork offensive line while relying heavily on veteran quarterback Patrick Mahomes and playmakers elsewhere to compensate.
Mahomes remains optimistic in the strengths of his teammates saying, “This is a really good football team that’s playing really good football right now and has a really good defense.”
He added, “This will be a big game for us to showcase who we are and who we think we can be moving on the rest of the season.”
Backup-heavy offensive line to face a dangerous Texans defense
Coach Andy Reid acknowledged the oddsmakers’ nightmare: if both Smith and Taylor sit out, Mahomes could be protected by a secondstring offensive front.
The backups expected to fill in, including Wanya Morris, Mike Caliendo, and Jaylon Moore, will face a stiff challenge from a Texans defense known for its pressure packages and strong front.
Houston enters the matchup with a stingy defense across the board, especially against both the pass rush and the run.
Ordinarily, Kansas City thrives when it can balance run and pass, mixing creative plays with protection upfront.
But without key linemen, that balance is threatened. The Chiefs‘ running game may struggle, which in turn could force Mahomes into more passing attempts, potentially exposing him to increased pressure.
Even inside the organization, there’s no hiding the risk. As one report put it, “If they’re both ruled out, Patrick Mahomes will play behind a secondstring offensive line.”
Mahomes didn’t sugarcoat the moment: he knows what’s at stake. “This is a really good football team that’s playing really good football right now and has a really good defense,” he said. “We’re going to have to throw it all out there and find a way to win.”
For the Chiefs, this Sunday may not just be about one game. The results could shape the rest of their season.
As for the Texans, the weakened Chiefs line might be the opening they need. With their defense firing, generating sacks, pressure, and turnovers, this matchup could be a prime opportunity to disrupt Kansas City‘s playoff hopes.
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