After their Thursday Night Football debut, these Kansas City Chiefs have some extra time to recover ahead of Week 3.
The Kansas City Chiefs remain one of the NFL’s few undefeated teams, following a Week 2 slugfest against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 27-24 victory was hard fought and put the Chiefs squarely on top of the division. While the short week entering Week 2 hindered Kansas City’s prep and recovery time, the positive side effect is they have more time ahead of Week 3.
The Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts will lock up at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 25, giving the Chiefs ten days of rest and prep time. The Colts are hardly looking like the dominant team many expected in the preseason. They only have a 0-1-1 record, after facing the lowly Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. In Week 2, the Jaguars shut out the Colts, 24-0, when Indianapolis recorded nine first downs and 218 total yards of offense.
But, head coach Andy Reid knows all about underestimating any team in the NFL. Earlier this week he told reporters, “I know what their record is. You can put that aside. This is a good team with good talent.”
The Chiefs left Week 2 behind with some new names on the injury report. Whether new or old, which banged-up Chiefs would benefit from the extra days of recovery?
Kicker Harrison Butker
There will come a time when the Chiefs need a crucial kick, to win a game or put their opponent on ice. Hopefully, their starting kicker Harrison Butker will be back by then. If all goes well, Butker could even return against the Colts.
Butker’s status was kept a mystery in Reid’s Monday press conference.
Butker sprained his left ankle on a kickoff during the Week 1 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Butker initially left the game but returned and nailed a 54-yard field goal. The Chiefs utilized their emergency kicker, safety Justin Reid, for their extra-point field goals. Thankfully, the Cardinals’ game did not come down to that clutch field goal. Ahead of the Chargers game, Kansas City elevated practice squad kicker Matt Ammendola.
Ammendola had a perfect Chiefs debut, nailing both field goal attempts and all three extra-point attempts. His performance should provide some comfort for the Chiefs if Butker is again out against the Colts. Ankle sprains can linger, and Butker plants with his left foot. Even before the Chargers game, Reid described Butker’s status as “day-to-day”, so a Week 3 return would not be surprising. Butker’s chances of returning are only increased by the ten days of rest.