Three biggest questions facing the K.C. Chiefs at the bye week
By Matt Conner
Can the Chiefs stay healthy?
On Sunday night, the Chiefs watched cornerback Rashad Fenton crawl to the sidelines in order to get off the field while in pain after suffering a knee injury that looked scary at the moment. It was hard to watch the third-year defensive back getting medical attention—not only because of the nature of the injury but also for what he means to the team.
On Monday, Fenton was scheduled for an MRI, and by the end of the working day, FanSided’s own Matt Verderame had a source saying the team believed Fenton would be “fine”. Just like that, the Chiefs looked as if they were lucky on the injury front once again.
The Chiefs have taken some hits this season, and it definitely cost them a game or two this year. The defense would have looked much better early if, say, Frank Clark had been feeling great for the first month of the year, or if Willie Gay Jr. didn’t work through a toe injury for the first five weeks. The Chiefs could use Mike Remmers or Lucas Niang back ASAP after the bye to shore up right tackle, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire was missed for the last month (although Darrel Williams did a solid job in relief).
But beyond those injuries, the Chiefs have been a fairly lucky team when it comes to avoiding major concerns on the health front. Whether we want to admit it or not, it’s a trait that all Super Bowl teams have to have—that bit of fortune or luck that allows one team to watch its stars play all year while others see their biggest investments sent to injured reserve.
The Baltimore Ravens are snake-bitten this season. The Tennessee Titans have pressed on after losing their offensive pillar in Derrick Henry. The Arizona Cardinals are making do with Colt McCoy while Kyler Murray is on the mend. The Chiefs are largely healthy right now and even have the bye working in their favor. It’s a perfect alignment, but they’ll need to carry some of that fortune forward with them into December and beyond.