Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs got exactly the kind of outing they needed from Kenneth Walker III to escape Allegiant Stadium with a 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Mahomes, who has quietly turned Las Vegas into one of his more productive road stops, threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while Walker ran through, around and past the Raiders’ defense for 177 yards and two scores of his own. The pairing kept Andy Reid’s offense ahead of a Raiders team that never let up.
That offensive balance also gave wide receiver Tyquan Thornton room to put together the best game of his career. Thornton caught five passes for 111 yards and scored twice, the first two-touchdown game of his career.
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His biggest moment came late in the fourth quarter, when Mahomes threw a deep shot on third-and-long, and Thornton turned it into a 55-yard gain that nearly became the touchdown run that would have put the Raiders away for good.
Raiders safety Treydan Stukes ran Thornton down from behind at the 5-yard line to prevent the score, and the celebration that followed told its own story. Thornton popped up pumping his fist, seemingly unaware of what had just happened to his left ankle, before the pain finally caught up to him and he went back to the ground.
The Chiefs ruled Thornton out for the rest of the game with an ankle injury, and the full extent of the damage became clear the next day. NFL reporter Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Thornton is expected to miss 12 to 16 weeks after further testing, a timeline that will keep him out well into the season.
He is set to have surgery this week, though a late-season or playoff return remains possible. That timeline adds urgency to an already thin receiver room, since Rashee Rice also suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday’s win.
Xavier Worthy remains Mahomes’ top target, but Andy Reid may now lean on Cyrus Allen and Jaylen Royals sooner than planned as Kansas City looks for ways to keep the passing game from slipping.
Names already being floated as potential outside help include Arizona Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., free agent Tyreek Hill, Houston Texans receiver Kayshon Boutte and Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
A Week 5 bye now gives the Chiefs some much-needed time to sort out their receiver room before getting back on the field.
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