Through the first three games of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs had to be grateful to have Rashee Rice. They didn’t have much else.
Rice had 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns in three games. It had 28 targets. All of those numbers made it seem like he would be one of the most productive receivers in the NFL and a savior for a Chiefs offense that had plenty of other questions at the skill positions.
In other words, Rice’s Week 4 injury leaves a big void to fill, particularly considering no other wide receiver on the roster has more than nine receptions this season.
He Chiefs officially placed Rice on injured reserve Thursday, meaning he will miss at least four games. However, no official diagnosis was provided.
Rice was injured trying to make a tackle after a Chiefs interception by the Los Angeles Chargers and left. Head coach Andy Reid said afterward: “It’s not good.”
The Chiefs’ quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl is the biggest story in sports, and their path is much more difficult after the official news about Rice.
Rashee Rice injured in tackle
Rice’s injury was fortuitous and unfortunate. Patrick Mahomes threw an interception. Rice was following the play in one direction, Mahomes was trying to make a tackle in the other direction and hit Rice’s leg. Everyone knew immediately from 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 setbacks don’t really matter. Kansas City had major offensive struggles last season and still won a Super Bowl. They have earned a reputation that as long as they have Reid and Mahomes, they will continue to win championships. And that reputation is well earned.
But the Chiefs’ offense looked weak before Rice’s injury. It looks much worse without a player who was on pace for more than 135 receptions and 1,600 yards this season.
Chiefs offense has some problems
In the Chiefs’ first preseason game, Marquise Brown suffered a shoulder injury. That injury could keep him out for the entire season. Leading back Isiah Pacheco suffered a broken 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 were just Rice’s injury, it would be a setback, but there would be other depth to make up for it. Instead, Rice’s injury is the biggest blow for a team that already lost many key pieces before October.
Exciting rookie Xavier Worthy will likely need to take on a larger role, like Rice did last season. Receiver Justin Watson could play a big role. Kansas City probably needs some JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore.
They’re the Chiefs and they usually figure things out long before the playoffs. But Rice’s injury will be a big and unexpected challenge.