Chiefs rout Jets 35-12, but Worthy and Moore injuries sharpen deadline needs
Kansas City moved to 6-2 with five sacks and three Kenneth Walker TDs, but injuries at receiver and tackle raise the stakes before Tuesday's deadline.
The Kansas City Chiefs beat the New York Jets 35-12 at Arrowhead on Sunday and moved to 6-2. The win also left them with fresh injury questions two days before the NFL trade deadline. Xavier Worthy hurt his left hamstring in the fourth quarter, and right tackle Jaylon Moore left with a right ankle injury, ESPN reported. Those are the two spots where Kansas City was already short.
The team ruled Worthy out soon after he went down. Chiefs Wire reported that he walked to the locker room on his own but with a clear limp, and that how serious the injury is remains unknown. Losing him would hurt a passing game that has already lost its downfield threat. ESPN's Nate Taylor noted that Patrick Mahomes hasn't completed a pass of 20 or more air yards since Week 4. That was the game in which Tyquan Thornton dislocated his ankle. Taylor wrote that the Chiefs are more likely to add a receiver before Tuesday, though general manager Brett Veach should also be looking for a tackle. Second-year left tackle Josh Simmons has not played this season because of a lower-back injury, and Moore's ankle now adds a second question on the edge of the line.
The rest of the afternoon went well for Kansas City. The Chiefs had nine sacks through seven games, tied for fewest in the league. They took Geno Smith down five times on Sunday. Chris Jones got the last one, which moved him to 90.5 career sacks, second in franchise history. Kenneth Walker III ran for most of the offense, with 143 total yards and three touchdowns on 22 touches.
What it means for Atlanta
The Chiefs travel to play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 15, on CBS. They lost their last two road games, 20-3 at Seattle and 28-24 at Denver, before coming home to beat the Jets. Kansas City is 4-0 at home and 2-2 on the road, where its wins came at Miami and Las Vegas. Atlanta is 3-6 after losing 34-17 to Cincinnati in Madrid. According to ESPN, Michael Penix Jr. ran for a career-high 50 yards in that game but averaged only 5.2 yards per pass attempt.
Kansas City is favored across the board for the matchup. On the game page, Novig lists the Chiefs at -178 to win outright, and the best price at any of the 11 venues is FanDuel's -174. Atlanta is +170 on Novig. On the spread, Novig has Kansas City -3.5 at +113, while Pinnacle offers the Chiefs at -3 for -117. BetRivers has the best price on Atlanta +3.5, at -114. Novig sets the total at 44.5, and Hard Rock Bet is the high number at 46. Venues differ more on the spread and total than on the winner. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.1% to 5% across the markets.
The price on the Chiefs could move this week. A healthy Worthy and a deadline addition at receiver or tackle would give Mahomes a deeper passing game in Atlanta. Without them, Kansas City may again lean on Walker and a pass rush that only just started producing sacks. Follow the full season on our Chiefs page.