Chiefs proved their resiliency with starters out ... and now they’re regaining their health

Player by player, the Chiefs are getting the band back together. But they’ve been well served by their understudies.

Alex Smith is back and Spencer Ware has been cleared after both players sat out last week with head injuries.

And in the biggest news from Wednesday’s practice, linebacker Justin Houston has been activated to the team’s 53-man roster.

With the top-liners returning, or close to it, the feeling is upbeat — make no mistake, everyone in the locker room wants the starters healthy and ready to play at Carolina on Sunday.

But there’s also a sense that the Chiefs are in good shape whoever takes the field.

“You bring in players who have played a lot of football, and when their name is called, they’ve been in this situation before,” linebacker Frank Zombo said. “They don’t crack under pressure and (they) get the job done.”

Such has been the case for the past two games, especially the Chiefs’ most recent contest against Jacksonville.

Nick Foles made his first start of the season at quarterback. Charcandrick West got his first starting call for 2016 at running back.

Top wide receiver Jeremy Maclin left the game with a strained groin in the first quarter, and Albert Wilson got more snaps at outside receiver, catching his first touchdown pass of the season. Maclin didn’t practice on Wednesday.

The Chiefs had to finish the game without tight end Travis Kelce, who got booted in the fourth quarter for protest antics that drew two unsportsmanlike-conduct flags. And rookie left guard Parker Ehinger was lost for the season with a knee injury the previous week in Indianapolis, where Smith and Ware suffered their concussions and were unable to finish the game.

No matter. The Chiefs beat the Colts and took down the Jaguars 19-14 to improve to 6-2 and remain in the thick of the AFC West race.

“This is a group of professionals that understand their number can be called any time,” center Mitch Morse said. “You don’t think about who is and isn’t playing. You focus on doing your job.”

For Smith and Ware, the expectation for Sunday is they’ll pick up where they left off. Smith wasn’t diagnosed with a concussion and missed last week as a precautionary measure.

“The nice thing was, I got to practice all week, go out there the pads, wear the helmet,” Smith said. “It was nice to have gotten that done and feel like I can move forward like a normal week.”

Smith’s week actually started on Sunday, when he took part in pregame passing drills.

“We had planned that,” Smith said. “I wanted to take advantage of that time there Sunday morning and have a good workout.”

Houston’s status for Sunday is uncertain. He returned to practice three weeks ago but has yet to play in a game this fall.

Rookie defensive end lineman Chris Jones said, with a smile, he’s been waiting to play alongside Houston.

“I heard the guy can pass rush, I’m ready to see what he can do,” Jones said. “The d-line, we’re pretty excited about it. The edge rushers are going to crash the edges, and we’re going to have a little fun on the inside.”

This story was originally published November 9, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Chiefs proved their resiliency with starters out ... and now they’re regaining their health."