The Kansas City Chiefs are set to play the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon, but the team will be a bit shorthanded on the defensive side of the ball with former Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Houston on the mend. According to BJ Kissel of Chiefs.com, head coach Andy Reid stated on Wednesday morning that it would be a “stretch” to see Houston back on the field against the Patriots.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that it was reported earlier this week that Houston would be out of the mix for the next couple of weeks with a hamstring injury. This appears to be a significant injury that the team is treading cautiously with him in order to avoid any additional issues arising if not handled properly. There was already a growing assumption that it would at the very least keep him off the field for Week 6 action.

This is a significant blow to their front seven with one of their best pass rushers as he has recorded 3.0 sacks in the first six games played.  Houston has been a highly dependable asset in the front seven behind his consistent production and effectiveness over his career as one of the premier pass rushers that has been one of their main anchors to their defense. He is currently sitting fourth all-time in Chiefs history with 72.5 sacks.

This could present a more difficult for the Chiefs defensively to defend against Tom Brady, especially with their issues already present against the pass this year ranking last in the league in thatr regard. The Chiefs have had an effective pass rush with Justin Houston being tied for sixth with 15 sacks through the first five games played. The loss of Houston will now shift the pass rushing responsibility over to defensive ends Dee Ford and Allen Bailey, who each respectively have 4.0 sacks this season.