The Kansas City Chiefs came away with a late victory over their AFC West rival the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, 17-10, but they lost a lot in a game that could be worse going forward.
Wide receiver Rashee Rice, the NFL’s leading receiver through the first three weeks of the season, was carted off the field after a tackle by Patrick Mahomes resulted in the quarterback accidentally injuring his intended knee while trying to tackle the Chargers quarterback. take him away.
Rice was down on the field and was in a lot of pain. When he was carted away, he had a towel over his face and hands over his head, which is never a good sign when it comes to knee injuries.
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Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Kristian Fulton, left, pushes the ball out of bounds after intercepting the ball as Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice (4) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sept. 29, 2024 , in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Head coach Andy Reid said after the win that the team will wait to see what Rice’s MRI says, but it doesn’t look like anything good is waiting for them. Many reports say that the Chiefs are afraid that Rice will tear his ACL, which could be a big risk in this case.
“I feel bad for Rashee,” he told reporters. “… We’ll hope for the best.”
In the event of a season-ending injury, the Chiefs will be without Rice, Hollywood Brown, who was lost for the season before taking a break with Kansas City, and Isiah Pacheco, who is recovering from a broken hamstring.
PATRICK MAHOMES ACCIDENTALLY LEVELS RASHEE RACE AFTER INTERCEPTION; CHIEFS EVERY RECEIVER IS OUT OF THE GAME
It’s hard to break for Chiefs, but just like this game, they need someone to step up to get a win.
The Chargers, a team that was hit hard heading into this tournament, saw the Chiefs drive in the fourth quarter in a 10-10 game after Justin Herbert and the Chargers forced three charges. Herbert battled through an ankle injury to play on Sunday, although he appeared limited in his mobility.
After a 29-yard reception from Noah Gray, the Chiefs found themselves playing a few plays after the first and second goal after 6:04 minutes to play in the quarter. That’s when Samaje Perine, one of the three players running Reid who were deployed on Sunday, got hit and gave up and gave Chiefs a goal.
There was more than enough time for the Chargers to work, but Herbert, struggling to support all drives, couldn’t get the job done. Los Angeles was forced to punt, and would not get the ball again. The Chiefs ran out the clock after Xavier Worthy, the team’s rookie speedster, picked up 15 yards on 3rd-and-6 to get the first down needed to bring it down.
With Rice on the ground, Mahomes relied on Worthy’s blazing speed to catch the team’s first touchdown of the game, and it was a highlight reel as the quarterback used his entire arm to launch a 54-yard strike to Worthy in the end zone.
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with quarterback Leo Chenal after catching a 54-yard touchdown in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. (Photos by Kirby Lee-Imagn)
That made it 10-7 for Los Angeles, the only one they came from when they opened the ball after fumbling the Chiefs for four games in this game. Herbert went 10 plays and 74 yards to find his rookie receiver, Ladd McConkey, behind the end zone with a perfect dot that only his guy could get from seven yards out.
But when the Chiefs struggled with turnovers, the Chargers were unable to do things as Herbert was pressed in the pocket and his two starters, Rashawn Slater and rookie Joe Alt, were both out.
Herbert completed 16 of 27 attempts for 179 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions, while Mahomes was 19 of 29 for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Seven of those passes were completed by Mahomes to tight end Travis Kelce, who finally got the game he deserved after totaling 69 yards on his first three plays. He led the game with 89 yards on catches and Worthy had three for 73 yards.
Also, the return of Kareem Hunt in a Chiefs uniform was nice to see for a Kansas City fan, as he racked up 85 yards from scrimmage and seemed to solidify his role as the team’s leading running back with Pacheco out. He had 14 carries for 69 yards, while Perine and Steele combined for seven on the day.
It wasn’t good for both teams, but once again, the Chiefs did the right thing in the fourth quarter to come away with the win.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws the ball during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. (Photos by Kirby Lee-Imagn)
They remain undefeated, but the Chiefs will need to see the contributions of everyone and Rice who was not expected to return this season.
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Meanwhile, the Chargers are looking to make a living as they are tied 2-2 after starting the new season 2-0.
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