The Chiefs lost two significant players during their season-opening victory over the Cardinals. Kicker Harrison Butker suffered an ankle sprain and has been labeled day-to-day by coach Andy Reid leading up to Thursday night's game against the Chargers. Rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie has been placed on injured reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury and will miss at least the next four games.
Reid attributed the injuries to Sunday's playing surface inside State Farm Stadium.
"They re-sodded it, which is a good thing because they practice in there," Reid said, via ESPN's Adam Teicher. "But it was a little bit loose. That's what happens sometimes when you re-sod, it's loose.
"It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury. ... The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn't, I would tell you that, too. So it's not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape."
Reid said that the Chiefs were working on a backup plan at kicker for Thursday night's game. They added a new kicker to their practice squad this week, Matt Ammendola, who last season went 13 of 19 on field goal attempts and 14 of 15 on point-after tries for the Jets.
"If it was just a pain thing, I think he would bear through that," Reid said of Butker. "But he's got some swelling there. So I think it's a matter of him being functional enough to do it. He's a tough kid. We'll just see how that works out."
Rookie cornerback Jaylen Watson's role will likely be elevated with McDuffie on IR. A seventh-round pick in April's draft, Watson was honorable mention All-Pac 12 last season after scooping up a conference-best four forced fumbles.
The Chiefs will have their hands full as they prepare to face the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert. The Chargers, however, have a notable injury of their own in receiver Keenan Allen. Allen is dealing with a hamstring issue that is expected to keep him out of Thursday night's game.
