For Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney, the silver lining following his disappointing season debut against the Detroit Lions on Thursday is that he can only improve from here.
Toney encountered three costly drops during the Chiefs’ 21-20 home loss to the Lions. One of these drops resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown by Detroit rookie safety Brian Branch:
In addition to this crucial mistake, Toney also had a drop on a 3rd-and-2 situation in the red zone, which forced Kansas City to settle for a field goal.
Then, on the Chiefs’ final drive, Toney let an easy pass slip through his fingers, a catch that would have positioned the home team for a potential field goal. Unfortunately, Kansas City turned the ball over on downs, and the Lions successfully ran out the clock to secure the upset victory.
This resulted in the worst grade for a receiver in five years.
With star tight end Travis Kelce sidelined due to a bone bruise and hyper-extended knee, Kansas City relied heavily on its wide receivers to step up.
However, Toney himself managed just one reception for a single yard, and Marques Valdes-Scantling led the team in receiving with only 48 yards on two catches.
The Chiefs are now determined to avoid a 0-2 start to the season, a situation they haven’t faced since 2014. They will have the opportunity to turn things around when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.
