It's all hands on deck for the 6-6 Kansas City Chiefs as we enter Week 14, with the defending AFC champs on the ropes, one punch away from seeing their season end.
And the Houston Texans have the weaponry to deliver that knockout punch.
But don't fret, the Chiefs have plenty of tricks up their sleeve, with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid orchestrating the offense, plus Steve Spagnuolo's defense has proven to be stout in the biggest spots, even if of late, that hasn't been the case.
But for ESPN's Chiefs reporter, Nate Taylor, he's named Kansas City's x-factor ahead of its season-defining run, and it's not Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, or Chris Jones; it's Rashee Rice.
“After missing the first six games while serving a suspension, Rice has been a difference-maker for quarterback Patrick Mahomes," Taylor writes. "Alongside tight end Travis Kelce, Rice will need to continue to elevate his play, in particular his ability to gain yards after the catch, to keep the Chiefs' playoff hopes alive.
"Mahomes will likely need to rely even more on short passes to Rice because Kansas City is dealing with numerous injuries along its offensive line.”
More: Will Chiefs survive 'elimination game' vs. Texans? Analyst bullish on Week 14 chances
Can Rice power Chiefs to win vs. Texans?
Without a doubt, and as Taylor points out, Rice's biggest weapon is his yards-after-the-catch, and given the state of the offensive line, coupled with how devastating the Texans' pass rush is (ask Josh Allen), Mahomes will be getting the ball out quickly.
In Rice's last two games, he's been in great form, posting 141 and 92 yards, with two touchdowns and eight receptions in each.
More is needed from No. 4, and with the focus still on Kelce, Marquise Brown, and Worthy, but Rice, who has had receptions of 47 yards and 28 in the past two weeks, looks to be the dynamic field-shifter Kansas City needs against a high-powered Houston defense.
The Chiefs have plenty of x-factors, but Rice might loom as the one who can help Mahomes keep Kansas City's season alive.
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