The Chiefs stayed undefeated with an impressive 28-18 victory over the 49ers in Week 7, though they received a brutal piece of injury news following the victory.
Standout CB Jaylen Watson, who has emerged as the No. 2 starter alongside Trent McDuffie, was knocked out of the game with an ankle injury. He was seen in crutches with a cast after the contest and head coach Andy Reid indicated he wasn't optimistic about Watson's status moving forward.
Considering how important Watson is to the secondary, this is just the latest example of a pivotal injury that could hurt Kansas City's three-peat dreams.
Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson Suffers Injury vs. 49ers
Some unfortunate news on Jaylen Watson, who is on crutches with his left ankle & foot in a cast.
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) October 20, 2024
The third-year corner is enjoying his finest season yet as a pro, starting all six games and playing 97% of the defensive snaps. He's allowed only a 51.7% completion percentage and 73.9 passer rating when targeted in coverage.
Should Watson be out for an extended period of time, players like Nazeeh Johnson, Chamarri Conner, and Joshua Williams will all need to step up in his absence.
Andy Reid wasn't optimistic about Jaylen Watson returning anytime soon after his ankle injury. Said they were waiting on MRI results but said "I don't think that's going to be great news."
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) October 20, 2024
The Chiefs' win coupled with the Texans' loss gives Kansas City a firm lead in the AFC. They'll take on the Raiders in Week 8 before a Monday Night Football showdown with the Buccaneers, but it'll be harder to contain Tampa Bay's explosive passing attack should Watson be out.
After injuries to Rashee Rice, Isiah Pacheco, and Hollywood Brown on the offensive side of the ball, Watson's ailment is the first major issue the team has suffered defensively.
We'll see how long Watson will be out, but things don't look good in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's win.
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