KC Chiefs rule out Willie Gay, L’Jarius Sneed vs. Chargers
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs are piling up the losses on the defensive side of the ball as they prepare to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football. On Wednesday, news broke that the team had ruled out cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and linebacker Willie Gay, Jr. in advance.
Sneed will miss his second game in a row after leaving the team to be with his family in the wake of the horrible news that his brother had been murdered last weekend. The team had noted he was back in Kansas City but the Chiefs will go on without him on the field against the Chargers in Week 15.
As for Gay, he’s the latest addition to the team’s COVID protocols, although they’ve ruled Gay out already. Both defensive tackle Chris Jones and wide receiver Josh Gordon are also in the team’s COVID protocols although their official designation has not yet been made, as of press time.
The Chiefs will be without Willie Gay Jr. and L’Jarius Sneed on Thursday night against the Chargers.
Without Gay, the Chiefs are going to have serious problems in the heart of the defense against the Chargers who will employ more of Austin Ekeler than before knowing the team’s linebackers have taken such a hit. That was the problem in the first meeting between these teams in Week 3 when the defense was limited due to numerous injuries.
During the first meeting, the Chiefs didn’t have pass rusher Frank Clark, cornerback Charvarius Ward, Gay and pass rusher Melvin Ingram, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers at the NFL’s trade deadline in early November. This time, they’re missing Gay again to go with Sneed and potentially Jones as well along with other issues that could creep up.
This is an important game for both the Chargers and the Chiefs given the one-game difference between them in the standings. The Chiefs, at 9-4, can essentially lock up the division title with a win over the Bolts on a short week, but the Chargers can take the division lead from K.C. with a win knowing they own the tiebreaker.
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