The Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious with a 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7, but the victory was dampened by the potential loss of cornerback Jaylen Watson. Watson exited during the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and did not return to the game. According to a report by Zach Gelb of Infinity Sports Network, the Chiefs fear Watson may have suffered a broken ankle.
“If Watson did break his ankle, he could be sidelined for several weeks or even months depending on the severity,” Gelb tweeted late Sunday night.
Source: Chiefs fear that CB Jaylen Watson has a broken ankle.
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) October 21, 2024
Head coach Andy Reid, during his post-game press conference, expressed concern over Watson’s injury. “We’ll see what the MRI says, but I don’t think that’s going to be great news,” Reid said, hinting at the potential severity of the situation.
Watson, in his third year with the Chiefs, has been a consistent contributor to Kansas City’s defense. Through five games, he played 347 snaps, ranking fifth among Chiefs defenders, and allowed a catch rate of 51.9% on 27 targets. The possible long-term absence of Watson would be a significant blow to a defense that has been thriving this season.
Chiefs Defense Dominates as Offense Stumbles
Despite Watson’s injury, the Chiefs’ defense stepped up in a major way against the 49ers. They forced three interceptions from 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and limited San Francisco to just 2-of-11 conversions on third down. Kansas City also managed to slow down a 49ers run game that was averaging 5.0 yards per carry (YPC) coming into the contest, holding them to 4.2 YPC.
On the offensive side, it was a tough day for Patrick Mahomes, who threw for only 154 yards and two interceptions. However, the Chiefs leaned on their run game, which produced 154 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Kareem Hunt led the way with 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Mahomes and Mecole Hardman each added a rushing score of their own.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Chiefs managed to control the clock, holding the ball for 35 minutes compared to San Francisco’s 24 minutes. This balance helped Kansas City remain undefeated at 6-0, as they continue to look like one of the league’s top teams.
X (formerly Twitter) Reacts to Jaylen Watson’s Injury
Chiefs fans and analysts took to social media to express their concerns about Watson’s injury and what his potential absence could mean for the team moving forward.
“Jaylen Watson injury is going to hurt more than the average fan realizes,” one fan wrote. “Injuries are piling up, and losing Watson could expose the secondary.”
Another fan highlighted the significance of Watson’s potential absence against tougher opponents: “You probably won’t notice it next week against the Raiders, but Baker [Mayfield] will carve up the secondary on MNF when all he has to do is avoid [Trent] McDuffie.”
Kansas City’s defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, is known for making strategic adjustments, and fans are already speculating on how he will adapt if Watson is sidelined. “With Jaylen Watson expected to miss some time, I guarantee Spags is gonna find some creative way to get Jaden Hicks some snaps,” one user wrote, predicting a shift similar to when Spagnuolo moved Kendall Fuller from cornerback to safety.
What’s Next for the Chiefs?
The Chiefs’ next game will be against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8, but if Watson’s injury turns out to be as severe as feared, Kansas City will need to find ways to compensate for the loss of one of their key defensive players. While the Chiefs remain the team to beat in the AFC, the mounting injuries could test their depth as they push towards another deep postseason run.
