The Kansas City Chiefs' offense took huge steps in returning to form during their 37-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. One of the biggest factors in the Chiefs having a capable offense again was second-year star Xavier Worthy's return to action.
Worthy, who sustained a torn labrum on the Chiefs' opening drive of the season, missed the last two games. That said, his performance on Sunday proved his shoulder wasn't going to hold him back, as he finished with 83 receiving yards on five catches and 38 rushing yards on two carries. Following the game, Worthy reassured Chiefs Kingdom by putting any lingering injury concerns to bed..
"Once I got tackled, I knew I was good," Worthy said (h/t @TheFan965). That's exactly what Kansas City fans wanted to hear, giving them hope that the best is yet to come.
Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy Puts to Rest Injury Concerns
The 22-year-old's impact on Kansas City's offense was felt from the onset of the game. On the Chiefs' first drive, Worthy recorded two catches on two targets for four yards. While that isn't his output on the drive, his impact was felt more because of his speed and route-running ability.
Those two factors allowed other pass-catchers like Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster to get targeted on he opening drive. It even allowed rookie running back Brashard Smith to get more involved. Worthy is a clear game-changer, and now the fan base is eager to see what the future has in store.
Worthy's return will only help the Chiefs' offense continue to be successful moving forward. Next week, Kansas City faces a highly rated Jacksonville Jaguars defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Jacksonville has the fourth-best overall defense with a 78.2 grade and the third-best coverage defense with a 76.0 grade, which will help show if Worthy is truly in top form.
Despite the upcoming challenge, Worthy's connection with quarterback Patrick Mahomes could be too much for the Jaguars' defense to handle.
The Chiefs are also only two weeks away from getting Rashee Rice back from suspension. Having both Rice and Worthy back in the lineup at the same time means the offense will finally be at full strength and very dangerous, especially if Hollywood Brown and Tyquan Thornton keep their feet on the gas pedal.
Chiefs Kingdom should be excited about the team's outlook, and if they finish the season atop the AFC, chances are Worthy will have played a role in that success.