Through the first three games of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs had to be thankful they had Rashee Rice. They didn’t have a lot else.
Rice had 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns through three games. He had 28 targets. All of those numbers made it seem like he’d be one of the NFL’s most productive receivers, and a savior for a Chiefs offense that had plenty of other questions at the skill positions.
In other words, Rice’s injury in Week 4 leaves a big void to fill.
The Chiefs officially placed Rice on injured reserve Thursday, meaning he will miss at least four games. No official diagnosis was provided, though.
Rice was injured trying to make a tackle after a Chiefs interception by the Los Angeles Chargers, and carted off. Head coach Andy Reid said afterward, “It’s not good.”
The Chiefs’ quest for a third straight Super Bowl is the biggest story in the sport, and their path is a lot tougher after the official news on Rice.
The injury for Rice was fluky and unfortunate. Patrick Mahomes threw an interception. Rice was trailing the play going one way, Mahomes was trying to make a tackle going the other way and hit Rice’s leg. Everyone knew right away, by the way Rice’s leg bent backwards, that it could be a serious injury.
The theme for the Chiefs, particularly after last season, is that no setbacks really matter. Kansas City had major offensive issues last season and still won a Super Bowl. They’ve gotten the reputation that as long as they have Andy Reid and Mahomes, they’ll still win championships. And that reputation is well earned.
But the Chiefs offense was looking thin before Rice’s injury. It’s looking a lot worse without a player who was on pace for more than 135 catches and 1,600 yards this season.
In the Chiefs’ preseason opener, Marquise Brown suffered a shoulder injury. That injury could keep him out all season. Top running back Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula in Week 2 and the timetable for his return is uncertain. Tight end Travis Kelce had a good game on Sunday but before that he was having a very quiet start to the season as he approaches his 35th birthday. On top of all that, the Chiefs have been shuffling left tackles, trying to find an answer there.
If it was just the injury to Rice, it would be a setback but there would be other depth to make up for it. Instead, Rice’s injury is the biggest blow to a team that has already lost plenty of key pieces before October.
Exciting rookie Xavier Worthy will likely need to take on a bigger role, like Rice did last season. Receiver Justin Watson could be thrust into a big role. Kansas City probably needs something out of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore.
It’s the Chiefs and they usually figure things out well before the playoffs. But Rice’s injury is going to be a big and unexpected challenge.
