Chiefs downgrade WR Kadarius Toney (hip/ankle) out for Divisional Round game vs. Bills
Kadarius Toney is going to miss his shot at redemption.
The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver has been ruled out for Sunday’s AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills due to hip and ankle injuries, the team announced Saturday. Toney had received a questionable designation after being limited in practice all week.
It marks his fifth straight game missed, and his absence means he won’t have a chance to make right what went wrong the last time these two teams met.
A Week 14 game that ended in a 20-17 Buffalo victory appeared to be heading a different direction with 1:25 remaining, when Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs pulled off potentially the play of the season.
On a second-and-10 from the Bills’ 49-yard line, Mahomes hit tight end Travis Kelce, who ran to the 20 before lateraling across the field to Toney. The Chiefs wideout sprinted to the end zone untouched for a go-ahead score, but the play was nullified due to Toney lining up offsides.
KC moved back five yards and didn’t gain another on three straight plays before turning the ball and the game over to Buffalo.
Thus far, that was Toney’s second to last game of the season, an underwhelming campaign in which he’s contributed 169 yards and a touchdown on 27 catches.
Without him available, it will be up to Mahomes, Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs offense to deliver an improved result this time around.
Rashee Rice is the most likely to make a difference in the WR room. The rookie is coming off a playoff debut with eight catches, 130 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins.
Kelce, currently mired in a seven-game scoreless streak, will also be pivotal to securing a victory in Mahomes’ first career playoff game on the road.
The Chiefs and Bills revisit their tremendous rivalry at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
