The Kansas City Chiefs have suffered a serious setback in front of Patrick Mahomes ahead of their must win Thanksgiving trip to face the Dallas Cowboys, ruling out starting right guard Trey Smith and two other key contributors for the game in Texas.
Smith, a Pro Bowl selection last season and one of Mahomes most reliable interior protectors, injured his right ankle in the comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The team has confirmed he will miss the Thanksgiving game, which is only his second absence of the season. Mike Caliendo, a three year veteran, is expected to replace him in the starting lineup.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy backed Caliendo publicly, pointing to his understanding of the system and his ability to step in without disrupting the offense.
Nagy said, “He knows everything in the system. To be able to step in and do the things he did, it is valuable for us.”
Kansas City will also be without tight end Noah Gray and cornerback Chris Roland Wallace. Gray is in the concussion protocol after taking a hit late against the Colts, and Roland Wallace is dealing with a back issue that kept him out of practice and led to his game status being listed as out.
The official injury report from the team paints a mixed picture. Smith, Gray and Roland Wallace are all ruled out. Linebacker Leo Chenal, receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy and defensive end George Karlaftis were full participants by the end of the week and carry no game status designation.
Most importantly for Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes and running back Isiah Pacheco were listed as full participants in every practice leading into the game.
Mahomes had been on the report with a groin issue, but his full participation on all three practice days indicates he is set to start in what could be his first Thanksgiving appearance as a professional quarterback in his home state.
The game in Dallas doubles as a high profile national showcase and a crucial result for a Kansas City team with a record of six wins and five losses. On the ground, the Chiefs will finally get a boost. Head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Isiah Pacheco will return after missing three games with a knee injury suffered in late October against Washington.
Reid said, “We will get him in there. How much? I cannot tell you that right now. We will see how it goes.”
During Pacheco absence, Kansas City leaned heavily on veteran back Kareem Hunt, who recorded a season high in carries and rushing yards in the win over Indianapolis.
Pacheco had been averaging more than four yards per carry before the injury and his return gives the offense a more explosive option next to Mahomes, although the reshuffled line without Smith will be tested immediately by a strong Dallas front.
To cover the defensive and offensive gaps created by injuries, the Chiefs elevated safety Mike Edwards and offensive tackle Esa Pole from the practice squad.
Edwards, who was part of the franchise Super Bowl winning run earlier in his career, returns to the active roster for the first time this season. Pole, an undrafted lineman, comes up to provide depth in a game where line play and pass protection will be under intense scrutiny.
The Cowboys have their own problems. Starting tackle Tyler Guyton has been ruled out with an ankle injury, and several other players have appeared on the report during the week, although many were upgraded to full participants before game status was finalized.
Both teams come into the matchup fighting for playoff position, which adds more tension to every injury decision and every adjustment on the depth chart.
For Mahomes, the story is clear. He goes into Thanksgiving healthy enough to start, but without his Pro Bowl right guard and with a reshuffled protection group.
Pacheco return should help keep the offense balanced, yet the responsibility will still fall on Mahomes to manage pressure, extend plays and overcome the loss of one of his most important linemen in a game that could shape the rest of the Chiefs season.
