The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for a huge matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. After dropping the Sunday night game to the Green Bay Packers, the Chiefs need a win if they are going to stay in the conversation for the number one overall seed in the AFC. They will have to play without a couple of defensive starters. Both Bryan Cook and Drue Tranquill have been ruled out for week 14.
The #Chiefs are ruling out RB Isiah Pacheco, LB Drue Tranquill, DB Bryan Cook, and OT Donovan Smith for their game against the #Bills.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 8, 2023
Kansas City Chiefs Bryan Cook & Drue Tranquill Ruled Out
Both of these players were injured last week against the Packers and the defense changed when they went out. Tranquill suffered a concussion and hasn’t cleared the protocol. He is the team’s leading tackler with 72. Cook suffered a gruesome ankle injury on Sunday and while it seems he has avoided a major injury, it is unclear exactly when he will see the field again. This is not what the Chiefs needed ahead of a big matchup against a desperate Bills team.
Concern In Kansas City?
The Ravens and the Dolphins are one game up on the Chiefs. If Kansas City is going to get the highly coveted one seed, they need to string together some wins. There are two reasons I am not concerned. The first is that the Chiefs have shown they can win in the playoffs. Until they lose, I trust the process. The second is after the Bills, the schedule is easy. The Patriots, Raiders, Bengals, and Chargers are the last four and the Chiefs should be heavily favored in all of those games.
It hasn’t been perfect this season but the Chiefs are still in great shape to make a Super Bowl run. There are more concerns this year and this game might give a window into how concerned we should be going into the postseason.
