Chiefs Chargers Football

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is helped up after injuring his knee against the Chargers on Sunday. Ashley Landis/Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Coach Andy Reid did not definitely say Monday that receiver Rashee Rice will miss the season with a torn ACL, but it sure seems that’s where things are headed, meaning the Chiefs must figure out a way forward without their top young star.

Rice, 24, was on his way to a breakout season when he hurt his right knee Sunday following an interception in a road win against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rice, a 2023 second-round pick, leads the team in receptions (24) and yards (288).

Reid said Rice was still undergoing tests to ensure the diagnosis was a torn ACL, which would cost Rice the season. So where would the Chiefs go from there?

The first look would be to the current roster, where rookie Xavier Worthy seems likely to take on a more significant role. Worthy, this year’s first-round pick, had three catches for 73 yards with a touchdown against the Chargers and a two-touchdown game in the opener against Baltimore.

“We’ll see how he does,” Reid said of Worthy, asked if the rookie could take on more offensively. “We’ve got guys here that have experience playing the game. It’s not that he’s the only one. He doesn’t have to be the only one. We’ve got a good group of guys there that we can utilize. We normally spread the ball around and that’s what we’ll continue to strive to do.”

PANTHERS: Carolina lost veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson to another season-ending injury. The Panthers confirmed Thompson tore his Achilles tendon in a noncontact injury Sunday in a 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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“I’m sick for Shaq, a guy that really just cares so much and plays with so much passion,” Coach Dave Canales said. “He’s a vocal leader and is somebody who has had my back through this process as I get my feet underneath me as a first-time head coach.”

Thompson has been critical about the Panthers playing on an artificial surface instead of a grass field, which he felt increased the risk of injuries to players, and more wear and tear on their bodies.

This is Thompson’s second major injury in the last two seasons. He broke his fibula in Week 2 last season and missed the final 15 games.

RAVENS: Derrick Henry 87-yard touchdown Sunday night was just the beginning of the 35-10 rout of the Buffalo Bills that gave Baltimore a second consecutive victory.

Henry, fellow running back Justice Hill and quarterback Lamar Jackson combined to rush for 271 yards — a ground game that reestablished Baltimore’s identity.

“That’s kind of always what we’ve been about,” Coach John Harbaugh said. “Running the ball and playing great defense. … The run game is massively important to us.”

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Henry followed his 151-yard, two-touchdown performance at Dallas with 199 yards on the ground against Buffalo. He also caught the fourth TD pass of his career and first since 2019.

PACKERS: Coach Matt LaFleur said he continues to believe in rookie Brayden Narveson, who has missed four field-goal attempts. That doesn’t include a missed 48-yarder against Tennessee that got nullified by a penalty.

Narveson missed both his field-goal tries Sunday in a 31-29 loss to Minnesota. He bounced a 37-yard attempt off the right upright and sent a 49-yarder wide right as Green Bay fell behind 28-0 in the first half.

“It hurts,” Narveson said, “but I’ve just got to look (at) myself in the mirror, go back to the drawing board and be better.”

Narveson has made 69.2% of his field-goal attempts without having a single try from 50 yards or beyond. He is only 3 of 6 from at least 40 yards.

“You’ve got to perform, and we expect him to make those kicks as well,” said LaFleur.

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