Tag: Chiefs

Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill questionable to return vs. Chargers after suffering hamstring injury

Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill is questionable to return to the game.

Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill came off the field hobbled following the first offensive series for the team.

Hill limped off the field and immediately went to the Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder. He spent a short time on the training table where they worked on his hamstring a bit. He briefly returned to the bench before getting more treatment from Burkholder.

After some conversation with the training staff, Hill walked to the locker room unassisted. That at least tells you it isn’t serious because he didn’t need the cart. Shortly afterward, Hill was ruled questionable to return with a hamstring injury.

It’s entirely possible that Hill went back to the locker room to receive IV fluids for cramping. His injury on the field was non-contact and didn’t appear to occur during the play. After the play, he took a few paces and he clutched at his hamstring before hobbling off the field. That suggests that this could simply be a cramp and that Hill could return to the game. The Chiefs had made it a point to emphasize hydration and extra rest because of the elevation difference in Mexico City. It appears that might have not been enough for the Chiefs’ speedster.

At the same time, this could be a pulled muscle, which potentially wouldn’t allow for Hill to return to the game. We’ll just have to wait and see if he can manage his way back on the field anytime soon.

WATCH: Chiefs K Harrison Butker nails 71-yard kick in pregame warmups

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker did WHAT during pregame warmups?

Kansas City Chiefs K Harrison Butker has a big leg, but it could be aided tonight by the thin air in Mexico City.

The elevation at Estadio Azteca is 7,200 feet above sea-level. It doesn’t just have an impact on the passing game, but it also helps out with the kicking game. While many are marveling over Patrick Mahomes’ ability to throw it 75 yards with ease in Mexico City, Butker has done something even more special during pregame warmups.

Ahead of the Week 11 game between the Chiefs and Chargers, Butker trotted out on the field for some practice kicks as usual. He practiced PATs, short field goals, medium field goals and then he just kept backing up. Before you know it, Butker was lining up a kick from 71 yards out. By all accounts, he nailed it. Check it out:

The NFL record for field goal distance is 64 yards set by Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater in 2013. The game happened in Denver, which is also known for its elevation advantage.

It’s not likely that Butker will have a chance to defeat the NFL record in this game, but it’s good to know that he has the leg and accuracy to make a long kick if pressed into the situation. That kick would have set a new record and added 7 yards to the longest kick in NFL history had it occurred during the game.

Chiefs vs. Chargers Week 11: Live tweets and scoring updates

Follow along as Chiefs Wire staff and other media members tweet throughout the eleventh Chiefs game of the 2019 season.

It’s another week of Kansas City Chiefs football!

Kickoff is coming up at 7:15 p.m. CT as the Chiefs face the Chargers in Week 11 of the 2019 NFL season. You can find all the important details about how to watch the game and more here.

Looking for live scoring updates? We’ll update those in the chart below.

Chiefs vs. Chargers score

Quarter Chiefs Chargers
First 0 3
Second 10 9
Third 24 17
Fourth 24 17
Final 24 17

53-man player guide

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Follow along as the Chiefs Wire staff and other media members tweet during the game. Get the absolute latest updates on our twitter list down below.

https://twitter.com/TheChiefsWire/lists/chiefs-gameday

Chiefs’ 2019 schedule

Week Opponent Time (CT) | Date  Channel
1 at Jacksonville Jaguars 12:00 p.m. Sun, Sept. 8th CBS
2 at Oakland Raiders 3:00 p.m. Sun, Sept. 29th CBS
3 vs. Baltimore Ravens 12:00 p.m. Sun, Sept. 22nd CBS
4 at Detroit Lions 12:00 p.m. Sun, Sept. 29th FOX
5 vs. Indianapolis Colts 7:20 p.m. Sun, Oct. 6th NBC
6 vs. Houston Texans 12:00 p.m. Sun, Oct 13th CBS
7 at Denver Broncos 7:20 p.m. Thu, Oct 17th FOX/NFLN/Amazon
8 vs. Green Bay Packers 7:20 p.m. Sun, Oct. 27th NBC
9 vs. Minnesota Vikings 12:00 p.m. Sun, Nov. 3rd FOX
10 at Tennessee Titans 12:00 p.m. Sun, Nov. 10th CBS
11 at Los Angeles Chargers (Mexico City) 7:15 p.m. Mon, Nov. 18th ESPN
12 BYE BYE  BYE
13 vs. Oakland Raiders 3:25 p.m. Sun, Dec. 1st CBS
14 at New Englands Patriots 3:25 p.m. Sun, Dec. 8th CBS
15 vs. Denver Broncos 12:00 p.m. Sun, Dec. 15th CBS
16 at Chicago Bears 7:20 p.m. Sun, Dec. 22nd NBC
17 vs. Los Angeles Chargers 12:00 p.m. Sun, Dec. 29th CBS

 

Inactives for Chiefs vs. Chargers, Week 11

These players will be inactive for the Kansas City Chiefs Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Kansas City Chiefs have released their inactive list for their Week 11 Monday night matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Here are the inactive players for the Chiefs:

– DE Alex Okafor
– CB Kendall Fuller
– RB Darwin Thompson
– TE Blake Bell
– QB Chad Henne
– OL Jackson Barton
– OL Nick Allegretti

Here is the Chargers inactive list:

– OL Russel Okung
– WR Geremy Davis
– RB Justin Jackson
– OL Sam Tevi
– QB Easton Stick
– LB Drue Tranquill
– DL T.Y. McGill Jr.

The Chiefs will have all five starting offensive linemen in this game for the first time since Week 1. Eric Fisher is returning from a groin injury that has kept him out of action for the last eight weeks and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returns from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 8.

Okafor is still dealing with an ankle injury and will miss this game, but could have a shot to return in two weeks after the bye. Fuller did participate in practice this week but was downgraded to a limited participant on Friday and will miss this game. He also has a shot to return after the bye week.

As for the Chargers, they will be without starting left tackle Russel Okung. This leaves them with just one starter along their offensive line and four backups. Look for Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to bring a lot of pressure on quarterback Philip Rivers tonight.

Chiefs send DE Emmanuel Ogbah to IR, elevate WR Gehrig Dieter from practice squad

Emmanuel Ogbah heads to IR and Gehrig Dieter returns to the active roster for Kansas City Chiefs.

As expected, the Kansas City Chiefs have placed injured defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah on injured reserve. The corresponding move, however, is a bit unexpected.

Ogbah suffered a torn pectoral muscle during Week 10’s game against the Tennessee Titans. He has since had season-ending surgery, and a move to injured reserve was inevitable. The Chiefs just had to come on a decision about whom they’d bring on in place of Ogbah.

Kansas City is thin at the defensive end position with the injury to Ogbah, but they’ve chosen to reinforce a position on the offensive side of the ball instead. Wide receiver Gehrig Dieter has been elevated to the active roster.

Dieter spent the early part of the season on IR with a bulging disk in his back. He was eventually released with an injury settlement. Dieter then was signed back to the practice squad once he had returned to full health.

The Chiefs aren’t exactly stressed at the receiver position, with five available options at the position prior to Dieter’s addition. It’s a perplexing move given their concerns on the defensive side of the ball. One area where Dieter could instantly help is on special teams, as Blake Bell is set to miss this game with a high ankle sprain and typically played about 15 special teams snaps per game.

Bills playoff picture: Damien Williams rejoined Chiefs ahead of Mexico trip

Buffalo Bills playoff picture: It appears the Chiefs will have the services of running back Damian Williams against the Chargers on Monday Night Football in Mexico City. 

It appears the Chiefs will have the services of running back Damien Williams against the Chargers on Monday Night Football in Mexico City.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Williams, who was listed as questionable coming into Week 11’s final game, made the international journey down south with his teammates.

Williams missed the Chiefs’ practices on Friday and Saturday due to personal reasons. In Week 10 during a Chiefs loss to the Titans, Williams was their starter. Former Bill LeSean McCoy was actually a healthy scratch.

Per Chiefs Wire, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid cited McCoy’s age and workload for the decision to make McCoy inactive. McCoy has also struggled with ball security with KC. Williams had a costly fumble in the Chiefs’ loss to the Titans, too. Other than the fumble, Williams had a productive game, averaging 4.1 yards per carry (77 rush yards) while adding another five catches for 32 yards.

Even Chiefs Wire admits that there’s “no telling” which of those two will be the starting back on Monday Night Football.

The upcoming game against the Chargers on Monday is a big one for the Chiefs and Bills in regards to the AFC playoff picture.

If the playoffs started today, the 7-3 Bills – the first wild-card team – would face the 6-4 Chiefs, who lead the AFC West and hold the fourth seed in the conference.

But the Chiefs have the Raiders right on their backside, who also sit at 6-4.

An added nugget as well: If the Chargers lose this game, their playoff hopes are likely done as well as they enter the game at 4-6.

All three of the aforementioned AFC West squads will be teams the Bills scoreboard watch the rest of the 2019 season. Buffalo has no meetings against any of them down the stretch.

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NFL announces schedule change for Chiefs-Raiders Week 13 game

You’ll now get to watch this AFC West showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders on Sunday afternoon.

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The NFL has announced another schedule change for Week 13. This time, the change impacts the Dec. 1 game at Arrowhead Stadium between the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The AFC West divisional matchup between these two rivals has been moved from its original time of noon CT to 3:25 p.m. on CBS. In a corresponding move, the game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers was flexed to noon CT.

Kansas City and Oakland’s game is shaping up to be one that has significant playoff implications in the AFC West race. The NFL wants to get as many eyes as possible on that game, so a change to the afternoon slot makes plenty of sense. New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans will remain the Sunday night game for Week 13.

The Chiefs will be well-rested heading into that game after a Week 12 bye. The Raiders will have spent Week 12 on the road facing the 3-7 New York Jets. Of course, Kansas City also has an important AFC West division matchup tonight against the Los Angeles Chargers in Mexico City. Winning that game would give the Chiefs a half-game advantage over the Raiders entering Week 12.

Elevation in Mexico City should impact Chiefs’ rotation along defensive line

Expect a healthy rotation along the defensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs with injuries and altitude concerns.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers both are relying on differing approaches to handle the altitude in Mexico City.

The Chargers traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado and trained at the Air Force Academy for four days ahead of the game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs stayed in Kansas City, opting for a regular routine, including extra rest and hydration before traveling to Mexico City. Each choice will be heavily criticized depending on the outcome of the game, yet we can already look to one area where the Chiefs might be impacted by the thin air at Estadio Azteca.

Injuries have been a big story for Kansas City this season, and lately, the injury bug has hit the defensive line. Starting defensive end Alex Okafor won’t play this week with a high ankle sprain. Sack leader Emmanuel Ogbah tore his pec against the Titans in Week 10, and the Chiefs have yet to send him to injured reserve, but he’s been ruled out for the game.

That means the Chiefs will have just two players at the defensive end position available for this game in Frank Clark and Tanoh Kpassagnon. Clark has dealt with what he’s described as a pinched nerve in his neck throughout the season. He claims to be healthy now, but his performance hasn’t yet indicated that.

As the Chiefs have dealt with these injuries over the past few weeks, defensive tackle Chris Jones has stepped in and played some at the defensive end position. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo expects that to continue in Week 11 and beyond.

“Yeah, it will be a little back and forth,” Spagnuolo said of Jones’ role on Friday. “He’ll probably end up playing both for us now.”

When the Chiefs faced the Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Week 7, no defensive end played more than 76% of the defensive snaps. Fatigue and the altitude played an influence in that, so we should expect the same against the Chargers in Week 11. The only difference is that they don’t have as many bodies to throw at the issue. Both Okafor and Ogbah were available for that Week 7 game.

The Chiefs will likely rely on a three-player split between Clark, Kpassagnon and Jones at the defensive end position. There’s an off chance that Joey Ivie plays some rush end during dime defensive packages. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some more 3-3-5 nickel packages from Spagnuolo’s defense over the course of the game.

Altitude issues should also influence the rotation along the interior defensive line with Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders seeing a healthy dose of action, but players like Joey Ivie or perhaps Mike Pennel (if he’s active) rotating in. Keeping bodies fresh along the interior will be quite important if they play four down linemen, especially if Jones is tasked with rotating in at the defensive end position.

In general, expect a healthy rotation from Kansas City up and down the defensive line with injuries and the elevation in mind.

Keys to a Chiefs victory over Chargers in Week 11

How do the Kansas City Chiefs come away with a win against the Los Angeles in Week 11?

Monday night will be the biggest divisional game for the Chiefs in a long time.

This season has been bumpier than expected for Kansas City, but there is still plenty to be optimistic about. The Chiefs will play in Mexico City with all five starting offensive linemen for the first time since Week 2, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is healthy again. The Chiefs defense, though still with issues, is an improved unit from 2018.

The 4-6 Los Angeles Chargers are fighting for their playoff lives. They have talent across the board, but injuries have ravaged their season like so many times before. Quarterback Philip Rivers also appears to be on his last legs and it is becoming more difficult for him to shoulder the load.

Here are the keys to a Chiefs victory before they head into their bye week:

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Improve red zone efficiency

The Chiefs’ offense is still an elite unit (No. 3 in the NFL), but the one area it is struggling in is scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Last season, the Chiefs scored red zone TDs 73 percent of the time, second-best in the NFL. This season they rank 26th, scoring TDs on just 47 percent of their trips to the red zone.

The Chiefs are settling for too many field goals, which is keeping their opponents in the game. With six games still to go, kicker Harrison Butker has already matched his number of field goal attempts from last season.

With Mahomes at QB and one of the best skill position groups in the NFL, there’s no reason for K.C. to be struggling to score TDs. The offensive line returning to full health might help.

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Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Chargers Wire for Week 11

We go behind enemy lines to ask questions about the Kansas City Chiefs’ upcoming opponent in Week 11.

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting ready to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11 in Mexico City, hoping to get a win against an AFC West rival.

To learn more about Kansas City’s opponent, we spoke with managing editor Gavino Borquez over at Chargers Wire and asked him a few questions.

Chiefs Wire: Philip Rivers is 37 years old and in the final season of his contract. Do you get the sense this might be his last hurrah with the Chargers?

Chargers Wire: In 2018, Rivers had one of the most productive seasons in his professional career. However, he hasn’t been able to match that in 2019. Rivers leads the league in passing yards, but he has tied for the second-most interceptions thrown. Inconsistency along the offensive line is to blame for his woes, but there are obvious signs of regression — poor decision-making and lack of arm talent. Rivers, who’s turning 38 in December, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and this could mark the last time he will be in a Chargers uniform. Whether he’s considering retiring or playing another season or two with another team, there’s a sense that the team wants to start fresh with their future signal-caller when they move into their new stadium with the Rams in Inglewood, Calif. Not to mention, Los Angeles has a lot of decisions to make when it comes to re-signing some of their premier players within the next couple of seasons, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they use that money that could be used on Rivers elsewhere.

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