The Kansas City Chiefs will finish the 2024 NFL regular season with the best record in the AFC, and at worst tied for the best in the NFL. This is a remarkable achievement from the defending Super Bowl champions, who lost several key players to injuries during the season.
Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, Jaylen Watson, Isiah Pacheco, Jawaan Taylor, and D.J. Humphries are among the players who have missed time this year. Fortunately for the Chiefs, they will be getting Watson back for the playoffs, who is a very important player for their defense.
Fans React to Jaylen Watson Getting Activated From IR
Watson fractured his ankle in the Week 7 game against the San Francisco 49ers. He was feared to miss the rest of the season, but surprisingly, Kansas City has activated him off the injured reserve ahead of Week 18.
The 26-year-old cornerback will not play in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos and still has two more weeks to get healthier to play in the Divisional Round.
Here’s how some of the fans on social media reacted to the news of Watson’s return from injury:
How do you come back from a broken leg in like 2 months?!
— Mark Goddard (@MSGoddard10) January 3, 2025
“There’s no f***ing way,” said a fan in surprise at Watson’s return from a serious injury.
A Chiefs fan added, “The league has officially been put on notice.”
Between this and Pat having almost everyone except Rice back I can’t wait for that divisional round. Major and I mean major props to there medical and training staffs
— Sean Kennedy (@swim5599) January 3, 2025
“Chiefs gonna 3 peat, huh? They getting healthy at the exact right time,” wrote a fan.
“The defense has not been the same without him,” added another fan.
How much help does Mahomes need?!
— Dave Sta (@Dav8sta) January 3, 2025
In the six games Watson played this season before getting hurt, he had 32 tackles and allowed just 53.3% of the targets getting completed against him. He allowed a passer rating of 75.4 when targeted and played 91% of the Chiefs’ snaps on defense.
Watson and Trent McDuffie form one of the league’s most underrated yet impactful cornerback duos. The Chiefs’ defense allowed 17.1 points per game in the first six games of the season, but the defense struggled after Watson’s injury. The team allowed 20.5 points per game in the next six games, and there were visible issues in the secondary.
Joshua Williams eventually stepped up for the Chiefs in the last few games, and he should continue to have a role for the team after Watson’s return.
The Chiefs haven’t missed L’Jarius Sneed much. With everyone in the secondary healthy for the playoffs, Steve Spagnuolo could use McDuffie in similar ways as last season, where he had a lot of success in blitzing the opposing quarterbacks.
Chiefs Are Set Up for Success in the Playoffs
The Chiefs are getting healthy at the right time, and they are set up quite well to chase their dream of becoming the first NFL team to win three straight Super Bowls.
Apart from Rice, Kansas City will be with all its star players on the field in the Divisional Round. Since the AFC West team clinched the first seed in Week 17, they will have two weeks of rest before playing in the playoffs.
The rest will help senior players like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Drue Tranquill in healing up from the blows they took in the regular season. If the current seedings hold, Kansas City will face the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round.
The Chiefs have already defeated both the Texans and the Steelers this season and will be confident about their chances against either of them. Moreover, two of the Chiefs’ biggest threats, the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills, will likely face each other in the Divisional Round.
Last season the Chiefs faced the Miami Dolphins at home and the Bills and Ravens on the road to make the Super Bowl. Their success in the regular season has earned them an easier path this time around, and they should make the most of it.