PLAYER NOTES
–LB Justin Houston appears unlikely to play in Week 6 against the New England Patriots after exiting Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. An MRI showed damage to Houston’s hamstring that may need a few weeks to heal before he can return to the field.
–S Eric Berry remains on the sideline due to continuing heel pain. The team continues describing his availability as day-to-day, but Berry has not practiced with the team since Aug. 11.
–LB Tanoh Kpassagnon sat out practice Wednesday with a sore ankle, which he injured Sunday against Jacksonville. The club remains optimistic Kpassagnon will play in Week 6 against New England.
–RB Spencer Ware did not practice on Wednesday but the issue was not injury related.
–S Eric Murray suffered a sprained ankle Sunday against Jacksonville and did not practice on Wednesday. Head coach Andy Reid said Murray is day-to-day and did not rule him out against New England in Week 6.
–WR Marcus Kemp practiced with the team’s defensive backs on Wednesday as part of preparation to use him as an emergency safety if necessary. The Chiefs have sent two safeties to injured reserve this season and have two more safeties on the sidelines with injuries this week. The team dressed only three healthy active safeties for practice Wednesday.
–LB Dee Ford continues nursing a sore groin and on Wednesday the team listed him on its injury report with a hand injury as well. He practiced in full, however, and expects to play Sunday night against New England.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: S Jordan Lucas. The Chiefs acquired the third-year safety in a preseason trade with Miami to bolster their special teams, but injuries at safety forced Lucas into Sunday’s 30-14 win over Jacksonville. He tallied six tackles, picked up an interception and broke up another pass in a relief role. The Chiefs may need Lucas again this week with Eric Murray sidelined with an ankle injury.
GAME PLAN: The Chiefs’ offense doesn’t run through any of their outstanding skill players, it runs through Patrick Mahomes. Head coach Andy Reid conducted a clinic on how to pick apart the New England defense in the 2017 season opener, and expect him to return to the philosophy that worked so well utilizing the skillset of Mahomes. The offense knows only one speed, which remains scoring as quickly and often as possible. Kansas City scored 40 or more points in their last two outings against New England, and may need that many to win again.
Kansas City’s defense shows subtle signs of improvement, but Tom Brady poses a big test. The Chiefs frustrated Brady in last season’s opener by frequently dropping seven defenders in coverage and generating a pass rush with just a four-man front. That may prove more difficult without LB Justin Houston, but the Chiefs’ pass rush comes off a dominating performance against Jacksonville last week. The defense wants to put the heat on Brady and keep small plays from turning into chunks of yards.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Chiefs LB Dee Ford vs. Patriots RT Marcus Cannon. Ford has typically played on the left side of the defense this season, creating favorable matchups for him. It’s up in the air if the Chiefs will continue that strategy if Justin Houston cannot play. But Ford on Cannon is a matchup the Chiefs want. Ford is coming off a big game against Jacksonville with five tackles, a sack, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble.
–Patriots CB Eric Rowe vs. Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. The speedy wideout torched the Patriots for seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown last season, and Hill’s presence can open up the field for the team’s other playmakers if can draw double teams. S Devin McCourty showed last season he can match up well with TE Travis Kelce, limiting him to five catches for 40 yards. That leaves it on Hill to draw the Patriots’ attention away from RB Kareem Hunt and WR Sammy Watkins.
