Chiefs reveal final injury-status updates for ‘Sunday Night Football’ vs. Texans
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs list starters Trey Smith and Jawaan Taylor as doubtful for Sunday.
- Kansas City will start Wanya Morris and Jaylon Moore after lineup changes.
- Texans pass rush forces Chiefs to adjust with heavy sets, quick throws, runs.
All week, signs pointed to the Kansas City Chiefs entering their “Sunday Night Football” showdown against the Houston Texans shorthanded along the offensive line.
On Friday, that expectation became nearly official.
Kansas City listed right guard Trey Smith and right tackle Jawaan Taylor as doubtful for Sunday night’s game. Starting left tackle Josh Simmon, who dislocated and fractured his wrist during the Chiefs’ Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys, had already been ruled out and placed on injured reserve earlier in the week.
Smith did not play in Dallas due to an ankle injury, and Taylor left early with a strained tricep. Head coach Andy Reid noted Smith is closer to a return than Taylor, but both would be a “stretch” to play Sunday.
In their absence, Reid confirmed he would turn to Wanya Morris and Jaylon Moore at the tackle positions. Earlier in the week, Reid indicated Morris would play the left side with Moore on the right, but on Friday he backtracked, saying both players have been rotating throughout practices.
The timing of Kansas City being down three starting offensive linemen couldn’t come at a worse time. Houston enters the weekend with the No. 1-ranked scoring defense in the NFL (16.5 points per game) and one of the league’s top pass-rushing duos.
Defensive ends Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter have combined for 21.5 sacks, making Sunday a challenging evening for Kansas City’s reshuffled front.
During his Thursday news conference, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy suggested the Chiefs may need to alter their offensive approach to emerge victorious Sunday evening. That could mean leaning on heavier personnel than usual to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes, with a greater emphasis on quick throws and a commitment to the run game.
The Chiefs also ruled out cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace (back) and kick returner Nikko Remigio (shoulder).
