Chiefs Injury Report - Three Players Hurt Against Saints

The Chiefs were able to pick up a huge win in New Orleans on Sunday, saving their season and cooling the frustrations of a heated fan base. However, the win came with a big price, as Kansas City lost several players due to injury during the New Orleans game.

Dexter McCluster, Peyton Hillis and Rodney Hudson all left Sunday’s game with an injury, and head coach Romeo Crennel indicated that at this point, he is unsure if any of the three will be able to play this Sunday. McCluster left the game in the second half with an elbow injury, Hillis has an injured ankle, and Hudson has injured his knee.

McCluster has been a pleasant surprise for the Chiefs this season, posting 13 receptions and often finding ways to move the chains with his quickness and speed. What hurts the Chiefs is they have no one who can replace McCluster’s role – Dwayne Bowe and Jonathan Baldwin are bigger, downfield threats and Steve Breaston is more of a possession receiver. Rookie Devon Wylie was supposed to be used in a similar role as McCluster; however he has been hurt most of this season and is not ready for playing time.

Hillis’ injury likely means more playing time for Shaun Draughn, as the team needs to limit the carries of Jamaal Charles. Charles had 39 touches against the Saints, far too many for an explosive back recovering from a serious knee injury. Hillis was signed to be a bruising, between the tackles runner who could give the Chiefs a change of pace from the dynamic Charles and take some of the work load off of him. Draughn had a solid preseason and has looked pretty good so far in a backup role this year.

Hudson, the team’s starting center, was replaced by Ryan Lilja. Lilja normally starts at guard, and was replaced by rookie Jeff Allen after assuming the center duties. To address depth concerns, the team signed offensive lineman Russ Hochstein this week.

This trio of hurt Chiefs join three others on the sideline – safety Kendrick Lewis, nose tackle Anthony Toribio and tight end Kevin Boss. It is still unclear if any of these players will be able to return for Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers.

Injuries are a part of the NFL, but the Chiefs’ already had some serious depth concerns before losing McCluster, Hillis and Draughn. Some young players are going to have to step up and fill the void if the Chiefs are to pull off another upset and beat the Chargers this weekend.

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Chiefs' 2011 Draft Recap

The 2011 NFL draft is over, and most experts felt that Kansas City did a decent job. While the Chiefs' first pick was somewhat of a surprise, Kansas City addressed areas that had to be upgraded, and did a good job of building quality depth.

Kansas City had two primary goals entering the 2011 NFL draft - find another pass catcher to compliment Dwayne Bowe and another outside linebacker to take some of the pressure of Tamba Hali. Jonathan Baldwin will hopefully be the receiver the Chiefs need, but it was Kansas City's next picks that impressed the draft experts. The offensive line got some much-needed depth with the arrival of Rodney Hudson, and finding OLB Justin Houston in the third round was a steal. Houston was projected by many to be a first round selection, however a failed drug test gave Houston a red flag, and he fell into Kansas City's lap in the third round. The character issues are a bit concerning, but Houston has the talent to be a star. He was certainly worth a gamble with a third round pick.

The Chiefs's later round selections were also quality picks. Massive NT Jerrell Powe has the potential to be a run-stopping machine, and adds depth and competition to a position of weakness on Kansas City's defensive line. QB Ricky Stanzi should add solid depth, and teams have often grabbed quarterbacks late in the draft, developed them, then traded them later for a higher draft pick.

While on paper the Cheifs' draft looks good, one must be concerned with character issues. Baldwin has been described as a potential diva and Houston failed two drug tests last year (a failed test in the NFL will lead to an automatic suspension). Kansas City addressed the areas it needed to, and hopefully gambles like Houston pay off.