Chiefs face must-win game against Chargers without 3 starting offensive linemen, wide receiver Brown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will be without three starting offensive linemen for the second consecutive week, along with wide receiver Marquise Brown, when they play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in what amounts to a must-win game for them.

The Chiefs, who put left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve last week, also are missing right tackle Jawaan Taylor to a triceps injury and right guard Trey Smith to an ankle injury. Backup left tackle Wanya Morris also is out with a knee injury.

Smith returned to practice this week and hoped to play but was not ready, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday, so instead he will run with the same group that finished last week's 20-10 loss to the Texans. That means Esa Pole at left tackle, starters Kingsley Suamataia and Creed Humphrey next to him, Mike Caliendo at right guard and Jaylon Moore at right tackle.

Reid said Brown was dealing with a personal issue and would not be available.

The reigning AFC champion Chiefs are 6-7 with four games to go. They have about a 10% chance of extending their decade-long playoff streak, depending on the metric used, and they could be eliminated with a loss Sunday coupled with the wrong results in other games.

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