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The Kansas City Chiefs barely had time to settle in before their worst nightmare up front showed up again. On the very first offensive snap against the Houston Texans, running back Isiah Pacheco took a short gain and left tackle Wanya Morris went down in a heap, immediately clutching his left knee.
NBC refused to show a replay, with Mike Tirico telling viewers it “wasn’t pleasant,” while NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo noted how a battered Kansas City line just lost another key piece on the opening play.
The Chiefs later announced that Wanya Morris has been ruled out with a knee injury, per the team’s update on X, formerly Twitter. For a group already missing starters Josh Simmons, Jawaan Taylor, and Trey Smith, this felt like one hit too many in a season-long war of attrition in the trenches.
Undrafted rookie tackle Esa Pole stepped in at left tackle, making his NFL debut in prime time against a Texans defense that ranks among the league’s best and leans on game-wreckers like Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter off the edge. Good luck with that assignment.
Early on, the Chiefs tried to protect Patrick Mahomes with quick throws and a conservative script. Mahomes opened 3-of-4 for 5 yards, while Isiah Pacheco managed only 7 yards on his first three carries as the teams traded punts in a scoreless first quarter, according to ESPN’s live box score.
Big picture, this injury could reshape the Chiefs’ playoff push. Kansas City entered Sunday at 6-6, already clinging to postseason hope and asking Patrick Mahomes to drag a thin roster through December. If Wanya Morris misses extended time, Andy Reid will have to keep scheming around an offensive line that just keeps taking hits.
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