Eric Berry injury casts shadow over Chiefs win vs. Patriots

Eric Berry’s injury casts a shadow over the celebratory evening the Chiefs should be enjoying after their victory at New England.

The Kansas City Chiefs need to sit back and enjoy the moment. They should revel in the spotlight coming their way over the next few days after an incredible victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they’re also crossing their fingers as they hope for the best for safety Eric Berry.

Berry was taken off the field in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs victory on a cart after injuring his Achilles tendon. It’s uncertain whether it’s a serious tear at this point, but the thought of facing a long season without their defensive superstar and franchise icon is enough to cast a shadow on the team’s feel-good night. Andy Reid did say that he believes it’s potentially a tear, which would likely finish his season.

Berry played an excellent game through three quarters for the Chiefs, as he was tasked with covering the Patriots best pass-catcher in Rob Gronkowski. Berry had 7 total tackles, including one for a loss, and helped to hold Gronk to only 2 catches on 6 targets. Gronk finished with 33 total yards on the night.

If the Chiefs were to lose Berry for any extended period of time, it’s likely that Daniel Sorensen would replace him and Eric Murray would become a much more valuable contributor in the secondary. To lose Berry would also thin out a secondary that’s already lost cornerback Steven Nelson for the first half of the season.

Berry had 77 total tackles and 4 interceptions last year and was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.