Xavier Worthy gave the Chiefs exactly the kind of usable, efficient production they can build around in Week 4.
Kansas City’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders came down in part to the explosive plays the offense was able to generate. That kind of game could have gone differently in the prior two seasons, when the Chiefs might have walked out of Vegas with a loss instead of a victory.
Worthy was a quiet but important piece of that big-play mix. He finished with four catches for 70 yards, and three of those receptions went for at least 10 yards. His longest grab covered 41 yards and came while fighting through contact downfield.
Not every target from that game was clean, and Worthy probably would like a couple of them back. Still, the bigger takeaway was how often he helped keep things moving.
Rather than living on only short completions or disappearing on the deeper throws, he was reliable in Week 4. That’s not something Kansas City could always say dating back to the start of last season.
The Chiefs are going to want more of those chunk gains from him as the year goes on. If Worthy does not establish himself as a vertical threat, Kansas City will eventually search for someone else to take on that role. In the Raiders game, he was often just the easy answer for Patrick Mahomes when everything else broke down on a play.
That role matters even more now because the receiver room is changing around him. Tyquan Thornton led the Chiefs in catches and receiving yards in the game, and he also caught both of Mahomes’ touchdown passes. But Thornton will be out for a while after a gruesome ankle injury.
Rashee Rice also left this trip to Las Vegas with a hamstring injury. The bye week may keep him from missing time, but hamstring problems can be tricky for wide receivers, and Rice has been up and down to start the season despite Kansas City’s encouraging beginning.
It seems likely the Chiefs will add another receiver soon. Tyreek Hill rumors keep circulating, and if that reunion never comes together, the trade deadline options get complicated fast. Either way, Worthy is set to carry more of the load as the group around him thins out.
The run game and overall balance of the offense could help create easier throws for Worthy too. Kenneth Walker III is getting a heavy workload so far, and if he keeps producing at his early pace, the Chiefs should continue to find more space for their pass catchers.
With Thornton sidelined, Worthy’s chances are not going anywhere. If he keeps playing like he did against the Raiders, Kansas City’s passing game should keep moving forward.
In Other News...
Chiefs 4-0 Start Just Set Up Their First Real Test
The Chiefs have opened with four straight wins and now get an early Week 5 bye, a rare breather in a season that has already demanded plenty from a team trying to stay atop the AFC. It also gives Kansas City a chance to reset before the schedule tightens again, with a stretch of games ahead that includes road trips to Seattle and Denver.
The first real checkpoint after the break comes at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chargers are set to visit on Sunday, Oct. 18. From there, the Chiefs are headed into a long run without another off week, so this pause may feel more like a brief pause in the middle of the grind than a true break. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Is Caught In An Off-Field Fight Fans Didn't Expect
Travis Kelces life away from the Chiefs keeps drawing attention in northeast Ohio, where he and Taylor Swift own a mansion in Bratenahl. The latest wrinkle involves the kind of home-improvement project that usually stays quiet: a six-foot aluminum fence around the property and landscaping plans that would include planting about 50 trees. The fence appeal has already been approved, giving the couple at least one clear win in the process.
Now the focus has shifted to the rest of the proposal, and that is where nearby residents have concerns. Neighbors are raising questions about how the tree plan could affect local infrastructure, turning a private estate upgrade into a community issue that has lingered longer than expected. For Kelce, who is also a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers while still active with Kansas City, it is another reminder that his off-field profile can be just as visible as his work on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Already Hold Early AFC West Control For One Big Reason
After four weeks, the NFLs unbeaten list is down to three familiar names, and Kansas City is still right in the middle of it. The 49ers and Vikings get their shots at 5-0 in Week 5, while the Chiefs are on a bye and will have to wait another week to try to join them, but their start has already put them in an enviable spot as the season settles in.
For Kansas City, the bigger point is how quickly it has created separation in the AFC West. The Chiefs have already banked division wins against the Broncos and Raiders, and those early results matter just as much as the clean record next to their name. With the Colts and Dolphins also in the win column, the Chiefs have given themselves a sturdy early foundation, even if the next real checkpoint is still waiting after the break. [Read more 🡒]