The Kansas City Chiefs have potentially been dealt another setback before the all-important clash against the Buffalo Bills, with left tackle Jaylon Moore showing up as questionable on the injury report ahead of Sunday’s match.
The 27-year-old, who was set to start the season as the backup left tackle for the Chiefs, appeared on Kansas City’s injury report as a non-practice participant on Friday due to an illness. This has put his status in doubt for the Bills matchup.
More Injury Concerns on the Offensive Front
After finally being healthy and having all of their pieces, it looks like the Chiefs have been hit with the injury bug yet again, unfortunately. Their star right guard, Trey Smith, is also questionable for Sunday after “locking his back” against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. That issue had him miss last week’s game against the Washington Commanders as well, where Mike Caliendo had to start in his place.
Another major setback for the Chiefs was their starting running back, Isiah Pacheco, being listed out due to an MCL sprain suffered against the Commanders last week. Pacheco, who could not get back to his level of play after a fractured fibula last season, had started to show some promise again recently, averaging almost 4.5 yards per rush in the last five weeks. With him out, the Chiefs will have to increase the reps of power runner veteran Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith, the latter of whom Andy Reid had used as a gadget play guy to start this season instead of a traditional runner.
Although the Chiefs’ running game had been off the mark this season, if there was a team where they could have found their mojo again, it was the Bills, who are currently the second-worst rush defense in the league in terms of rushing yards allowed.
Moore’s Status Adds to Chiefs’ Concerns
The Jaylon Moore setback is the latest addition for the Chiefs, and while reports suggest he is still in line to start on Sunday, his status, even being in doubt, is something the Chiefs cannot really afford, as they will then have to go to their third-string tackle, Wanya Morris, to start an all-important game.
The Chiefs made it their mission in the offseason to protect Patrick Mahomes’s blindside after their offensive line was exposed in the Super Bowl. To shore up that position, they not only signed Moore to a two-year, $30 million contract but also drafted Josh Simmons, who eventually won in practice and started the season.
Josh Simmons’s season since the Week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions has really been up in the air due to a personal issue. He has not played a game since Week 5, and as such, Moore was called back into action. The swing tackle had done exceptionally well to fill out the starting tackle role in recent weeks, and the Chiefs will hope they have his services available again on Sunday against what is expected to be a depleted Bills defensive line.
The good news for the Chiefs is that they did not place Josh Simmons on the injured reserve list, and the Trey Smith and Jaylon Moore issues are more likely short-term than long-term. As such, a bye week after the matchup against the Bills will serve as the perfect pit stop as the Chiefs look to not only make the playoffs yet again but make a deep run, one they hope ends at Levi’s Stadium in February.
Main Image: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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