Chiefs’ early bye timely after Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton hurt. Could Tyreek Hill be an answer?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs probably weren't real happy when the NFL schedule was released and their bye fell this week.

Better to have it later in the season, when nicks and scrapes and bruises have accumulated, and a team with Super Bowl aspirations — as they Chiefs have every year — are anticipating a postseason run that won't end until early February.

Yet the way things transpired in the Chiefs' 30-27 win in Las Vegas on Sunday , the bye may have come at an opportune time.

The Chiefs first watched top wide receiver Rashee Rice pull up following a catch and grab his hamstring, and subsequently learned he would be out for the remainder of the game. While the injury is not considered serious, Rice almost certainly would've missed at least one week, and the bye gives him a chance to get back on the field the next time the Chiefs do.

The more devastating injury happened later in the game: Tyquan Thornton was in the midst of the best game of his career when he was hauled down from behind after a long catch. His ankle got caught beneath and twisted at a gruesome angle, and Thornton was carted off the field and diagnosed with a dislocation, effectively ending his season.

So, the bye gives the Chiefs an opportunity to assess their wide receiver situation.

And perhaps negotiate a reunion.

It didn't take long after the injuries to the Chiefs' pass catchers for Tyreek Hill, their erstwhile star wide receiver, to post two letters on social media: “Hm.” Hill is still working back from a dislocated knee and torn ligaments sustained in September 2025 while he was with the Dolphins, but his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has indicated that he could be ready to play in November.

Such a reunion seemed unlikely before Sunday's game against the Raiders. Now it seems to make a lot of sense.

The Chiefs expect Rice to return, of course, but his hamstring strain underscores the fact that he's been prone to injury throughout his career. Xavier Worthy is their only other reliable wide receiver now that Thornton is out — Jalen Royals has struggled to live up to expectations, Nikko Remigio is a special teams ace but has scant experience with the offense, Cyrus Allen impressed in training camp but is still a rookie, and youngsters Omari Evans and Andrew Armstrong are on the practice squad.

“I tell you that it's next man up to go, and (wide receivers coach) Chad (O’Shea) does a nice job of rotating those guys in there so that they can get in, and it’s not completely foreign to them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "When they get in there, they can roll with it.”

Still, it's not exactly an intimidating group of wide receivers, no matter how good Patrick Mahomes is delivering them the ball.

The Chiefs have a week off to figure out a solution to their wide receiver problem, so the bye may have come at just the right time.

The timing might have worked out well for Hill, too.

The Chiefs at least have Kenneth Walker III to make life easier for Mahomes and the passing game. He eclipsed his career high set in the season opener against Denver with 177 yards rushing to go with a couple of touchdowns against the Raiders on Sunday.

For all the brilliance of Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, one thing his crew has struggled to do consistently is cover the tight end. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer combined to catch 14 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.

The Chiefs challenged punter Matt Araiza to improve his ball placement in the offseason; he's long been known for his booming leg, but the Chiefs wanted to see more punts inside the 20. He put all five there on Sunday, averaging 47.6 yards in the process.

Oh, and Araiza alertly ran for a first down when Las Vegas decided to just ignore him on his first punt attempt.

The Chiefs drafted R Mason Thomas and Peter Woods in the early rounds in April to not only get better but also younger along their defensive line. Both have done some good things this season, but they combined for a single tackle against the Raiders.

The injuries to Thornton and Rice were the only significant ones on Sunday.

4 — The Chiefs are the only team left in the AFC with a perfect record through the first four weeks.

The Chiefs are off before hosting the Chargers on Oct. 18. It will be their first home game since beating the Colts on Sept. 20.

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