The Kansas City Chiefs’ push for the playoffs is teetering on the brink, and to prevent missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, they’ll need all hands on deck.
The return of offensive tackle Josh Simmons was an important step in that process as he played in his first game since Week 5 in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos. The rookie offensive tackle wouldn’t reveal the reason why he missed the past four games due to a personal matter, but he did clear up one big concern, telling KSHB 41’s McKenzie Nelson that he will be with the team for the rest of the season.
Simmons’s declaration for the rest of the year is great news for the Chiefs and offers some clarity as they try to catch up in the AFC standings.
Josh Simmons’s Return Should Help the Chiefs Save Their Season
The Chiefs' loss to the Broncos on Sunday put their path to a playoff berth in a critical stage. With a 5-5 record, the Chiefs are effectively two games back of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final playoff spot, as Jacksonville has a 6-4 record and owns a tiebreaker courtesy of a Week 5 win over the Chiefs. Kansas City also has a massive matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9, who enter Sunday with an 8-2 record.
Of course, the Chiefs may be in a better spot if they had the services of their left tackle. Simmons won the left tackle job during training camp after fully recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his final year at Ohio State. While he allowed 12 pressures on 211 attempts (5.6% pressure rate) according to Pro Football Focus, he performed well overall, including back-to-back games with overall grades and pass blocking grades over 70 in a Week 4 game against the Ravens and against the Jaguars the following week.
The next month included some mystery, however. Simmons was absent from practice as he tended to a family matter, but also remained in contact with the team. After a month away, Simmons had an overall grade of 59.6 and allowed four pressures on 49 pass-blocking snaps against the Broncos, but the biggest thing for the Chiefs was that he was back on the field and earned his job back immediately after returning to practice.
While there may have been some concern that those family issues would pop up again down the stretch, Simmons put those to rest with his comments on Wednesday. It should help the Chiefs make their push toward the playoffs and potentially back into a playoff spot in the final seven games.