The Las Vegas Raiders encountered the absence of star running back Josh Jacobs due to a quad injury. Jacobs, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, had also missed the prior week’s game against the Chargers due to the same injury. His discomfort during pregame warmups at Arrowhead Stadium led to his exclusion from Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Raiders faced a critical game to maintain their slim playoff chances, and despite expectations from Coach Antonio Pierce that “all the guys” would play, including Jacobs—whose practice had been limited and was questionable for the AFC West showdown—his absence was notable.
However, the Raiders did have pass rusher Maxx Crosby available to confront the Chiefs, despite missing practice early in the week due to a knee injury. Tight end Michael Mayer was ruled out due to a toe injury, while quarterback Brian Hoyer, offensive linemen Hroniss Grasu and Brandon Parker, tight end Jesper Horsted, and defensive tackle Byron Young were among the other inactive players for Las Vegas.
Kansas City, with a few predictable absences, had already ruled out wide receiver Kadarius Toney due to a hip injury and left tackle Donovan Smith for the third consecutive game due to a knee injury. The Chiefs dealt with injuries by signing running back La’Mical Perine from the practice squad, promoting wide receiver Montrell Washington and defensive tackle Mike Pennel to bolster their squad.
Despite the setbacks, the Chiefs welcomed back their leading rusher, Isiah Pacheco, after a two-game absence following shoulder surgery. Pacheco’s return was expected to see him take on a full workload according to Chiefs coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs’ inactive list also included defensive tackles Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell, defensive ends B.J. Thompson and Malik Herring, and cornerback Nic Jones.
