KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No surprise, but injured Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Donnie Avery has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Bills in Buffalo. Avery, who had sports hernia surgery earlier in the season, returned to practice this week but did not work on Friday.
A.J. Jenkins will get another start in Avery's place against the Bills.
Avery was injured in the Chiefs' Week 4 win over the New England Patriots. He had 14 catches for an 11.1-yard average and no touchdowns.
That's not great production but better than what the Chiefs are getting from Jenkins. In the four games since Avery's injury, Jenkins has four receptions for 50 yards. His signature plays have come against San Diego, when he stepped out of bounds with no defender in reach, and last week against the New York Jets, when he stumbled and fell on his way to the end zone for what would have been the first touchdown of the season for a Chiefs' wide receiver.
"With his speed and ability, you do miss the opportunity of the deep threat with him,'' offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said when asked what the Chiefs are lacking without Avery. "He’s got great speed.''
Avery is fast, probably the fastest of the Chiefs' wide receivers if we're not counting De'Anthony Thomas as a true wide out.
But Jenkins is fast, too, and should be capable of stretching the opposing defense. The Chiefs have been surviving without Avery, but they're a better team when he's the one paired with Dwayne Bowe.
So we'll be watching Avery's situation next week when the Chiefs prepare for their Nov. 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium.