FLASH NEWS: Kansas City’s offensive line crisis sends chills through fans still haunted by past Super Bowl heartbreak.QQ
A battered offensive line has the Chiefs staring down another familiar nightmare as injuries threaten to derail their playoff push.
Watching a Kansas City Chiefs season fall apart due to offensive line limitations has become something of a depressing tradition in the midst of what has also been a historic run of success for the franchise. Despite three Super Bowl titles, five appearances in six seasons, and a run of divisional dominance that has caused fans to forget what a rivalry even feels like, the Chiefs have also found their bitter end via the o-line on multiple occasions since Patrick Mahomes took over as starting quarterback.
The narrative is falling into place once again in 2025.
The Chiefs came out of Week 13 with a disappointing loss to the Dallas Cowboys (in front of a record-breaking crowd) and a litany of injuries along the offensive front. The hope was that the semi-bye enjoyed by playing on a Thursday would allow for plenty of time—10 days—for some of those ailing players to recover. Alas, that is not how things are playing out.
The Chiefs are back in practice before hosting the Houston Texans on Sunday in a must-win game that will decide their postseason fate (unofficially). Head coach Andy Reid spoke with reporters on Wednesday and said that several backups are already preparing to handle a starting role.
The Chiefs placed left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve before Week 14 with a fractured and dislocated wrist. That move alone will keep him out through Week 17 (and could prematurely end his season). In his absence, Reid stated that Wanya Morris will take over as Mahomes’ blindside protector.
A battered offensive line has the Chiefs staring down another familiar nightmare as injuries threaten to derail their playoff push.
Right guard Trey Smith has already missed time this year due to back spasms, but a more recent ankle injury kept him out of Week 13 against Dallas. He’s trending toward the sidelines once again after missing practice this week, meaning that Mike Caliendo is currently preparing to handle responsibilities versus Houston.
As for right tackle, Jawaan Taylor is nursing a triceps injury suffered during the loss at Dallas, and even after nearly a week, he’s not ready to practice., Jaylon Moore is taking over at right tackle in his absence in practice, and it certainly seems like he could be there for the rest of the week given how the Chiefs are attacking things in practice.
If Taylor was expected to potentially return, it would make more sense to put Moore, the team’s swing tackle, on the left side where the only known void is going to be. However, by putting Moore on the right side in practice reps, the Chiefs have made it clear that Taylor is likely to sit out Week 14. Otherwise, why would they put their OT3 at a different spot than what he could be playing in? Practice reps are too important.
If the situation is read correctly via practice lineups, the Chiefs are heading toward potential disaster against the best defense in the league anchored by arguably the best pass-rushing tandem in the NFL this year. Will Anderson, Jr. and Danielle Hunter have 21.5 sacks between them and should expect to wreak havoc off the edges against the Chiefs backup tackles.
Given the history of offensive line concerns halting their run toward a Lombardi Trophy in years past, including Super Bowl LV and Super Bowl LIX, it feels familiar that postseason hopes could once again be dashed by injuries up front. The Chiefs already felt tremendous pressure coming into their home tilt against the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. Now the hill before Mahomes and company is even tougher to climb.
