Kadarius Toney ruled out of Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Raiders game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney has been ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs announced Saturday that Toney was ruled out due to ankle and hip injuries.
In Las Vegas, the Chiefs will now be without three of their main players.
Running back Jerick McKinnon and wide receiver Mecole Hardman were listed as out on Kansas City’s injury report on Friday.
Additionally, the Chiefs declared on Saturday that La’Mical Perine, a running back, and Montrell Washington, a wide receiver, had been activated from the practice squad via standard elevation.
While McKinnon is sidelined with a groin injury, Hardman suffered a thumb injury in the first half of the Chiefs’ game against Philadelphia on Monday.
The Chiefs vs. Raiders game is scheduled to begin at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.
What’s going wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense
The Chiefs’ Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrated the obvious problems that could prevent them from winning the Super Bowl again. The Chiefs dropped five passes in that game, increasing their league-high total to 26. That is five more than the Detroit Lions, who are in second place.
The NFL’s lowest second-half scoring total is possessed by the once potent Kansas City offense! They have failed to score a single point in the second half of three consecutive games. Here’s what’s wrong with the offense of the defending Super Bowl champions and how it affects their chances going forward.
Wide Receiver Woes
Any criticism of general manager Brett Veach vanished once the Chiefs fielded one of the best offenses in the league following the trade of Tyreek Hill last season. He determined that the offensive wizard Patrick Mahomes could still lead a winning squad, freeing up Hill’s cap space and draft picks to invest in a more complete group. The defense appears to be what is said to be there.
They stopped the apparently unstoppable A.J. Brown and held the Eagles to just 21 points on 4.4 yards per play. But ever since Hill left, the receivers have emerged as the major problem. Rashee Rice, a rookie, is the most productive of the group.
However, the rest of the receiving corps feels terribly thin between Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney. Against Philadelphia, Valdes-Scantling missed a chance to win the game that was in perfect position. Additionally, Watson failed to convert a fourth down that would have prolonged the game.
Other than the drops, guys don’t show themselves enough. Mahomes is one of the players in the league with the longest ball-holding times, at 2.96 seconds. Their all-world tight end, Travis Kelce, helped the offense last season. Kelce acknowledges that he’s been off lately as well:
I’ve got to be better. I’m just not playing up to the level that I have in the past. I’ve got to be better. (It’s) turnovers and penalties on our half. It’s nothing that they (Philadelphia) did. It’s all us.
Whether it’s Kelce returning to form or one of these young wide receivers fulfilling their potential, the Chiefs need a boost.
Overall Offensive Health
Even though there are warning signs in Kansas City, Defcon 1 is probably not necessary at this time. They are still ranked 10th in expected points per drive and 15th in offensive success rate. Despite the defeat, Mahomes showed how different he is from all other quarterbacks. He’s the one quarterback who makes you believe that, “Yes, he could get this,” on a fourth and 25. And he would have if Watson hadn’t dropped it.
It brought back memories of the Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he allowed receivers to make plays despite being in total distress.As Mahomes stated following the Eagles’ defeat:
His receivers are aware that he will continue to fire them. I am exactly who I am. I’m going to shoot the guy who’s not hiding. They will usually write the plays.
Mahomes hasn’t been flawless either; against Philadelphia, he threw a red zone interception. In terms of turnovers as a team, the Chiefs (19) trail only the Cleveland Browns (20), Los Vegas Raiders (21), and Washington Commanders (20). 19 is more than KC posted in each of the three years 2018–2019–2020! Although turnovers have a history of coming and going, it’s still something to be aware of.
With the rest of the AFC in upheaval, the Chiefs could easily still make the Super Bowl, but they do look a little vulnerable. Vegas agrees, as both the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles have similar Super Bowl odds, sitting around +450.
New England Midwest?
In the end, any worried supporters should be encouraged by Kansas City’s oppressive defense. They are fourth in yards per game (283.2), third in points per play (16.4), and among the top 10 in third- and fourth-down conversion rates. They rank 23rd (59.2 percent) in red zone scoring, which is the only area where you would like to see improvement.
When it comes to stopping offenses in the postseason, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the few. Strangely, especially in the early years, Veach’s construction of this team bears a striking resemblance to the New England Patriots dynasty. Prior to the Patriots’ 16-0 offensive juggernaut led by Tom Brady and Randy Moss, they essentially made due with small, white slot receivers and heavily invested in their defense.
Brady’s actions are mirrored in Mahomes’ willingness to accept less money in order to assemble a team around him. Right now, he makes the seventh most money for his position. Chris Jones, the defensive star, also doesn’t seem overly concerned about the offense:
We have a great deal of faith in Andy Reid and Pat Mahomes. They have scored many points, and we have never once cast doubt on them. We never doubt that we will have a chance to score if we give the ball back to them, and I don’t think that will change after just one game.
Although Kansas City doesn’t necessarily sink after one game in the rain, they do have some gaps that need to be filled.
