The Kansas City Chiefs finally received a much-needed boost as they prepare for a pivotal Week 12 showdown against the 8-2 Indianapolis Colts. After dropping two straight road games — a 28-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills and a 22-19 defeat to the Denver Broncos — Kansas City entered this week battered, inconsistent, and facing pressure they haven’t felt in the Patrick Mahomes era. But on Thursday, the team shared positive injury news involving two key offensive contributors: left guard Kingsley Suamataia and wide receiver Xavier Worthy.

Both players were sidelined during Wednesday’s session, fueling concern about whether Mahomes would be missing another starter on the offensive line and another playmaker at receiver. Instead, both returned to practice in some capacity on Thursday. As reporter Matt Derrick wrote on X, “Chiefs report that everyone on the active roster expected to practice in some form Thursday, which includes WR Xavier Worthy (ankle) and LG Kingsley Suamataia (concussion).”

With Kansas City slipping to 5-5 and facing postseason uncertainty for the first time in years, Thursday’s development was a rare bright spot.

Worthy has battled injuries all season, missing two games earlier this year with a shoulder issue and then suffering an ankle injury ahead of last week’s matchup with the Broncos. Despite being limited, Worthy still hauled in three catches for 25 yards and continues to sit at 27 receptions for 281 yards and a touchdown this season.

A first-round pick out of Texas, Worthy’s speed and ability to stretch the field remain crucial as Kansas City’s offense continues to search for consistency. If Worthy cannot go Sunday, the Chiefs would rely heavily on Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The update on Suamataia is equally significant. Suamataia, a second-round pick who began the year as Kansas City’s starting left tackle before moving to left guard, left last week’s game after hitting his head on the turf during a Mahomes interception. He entered concussion protocol and did not return.

“The concern was real,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote, noting the team originally ruled him out of Wednesday’s practice entirely. Suamataia’s return on Thursday suggests he is trending in the right direction, although he still must clear all stages of the NFL’s concussion protocol before suiting up.

Kansas City now faces a Colts team riding an 8-2 record led by NFL passing yards leader Daniel Jones and standout running back Jonathan Taylor, who is firmly in the MVP conversation. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are 0-5 in one-score games this season — a stark contrast from their perfect 12-0 record in such matchups last year, including during the playoffs.

Head coach Andy Reid addressed questions this week about whether deep postseason runs have finally caught up with the team. When asked if “five extra weeks every year” of playoff football contributed to their struggles, Reid responded to Sports Radio 810, “I’m really tired of these press conferences, yeah,” before adding, “There’s enough changeover in today’s world that keeps it fresh. I think we’re okay there.”

Reid also emphasized that Kansas City must return to the basics. “What can you do? What you can do is get yourself ready to play Indianapolis. That’s what you can do,” Reid said. “You’ve got to take care of the small things… I’m responsible for that, and then the players have to do the same thing.”

Kansas City will attempt to rally on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium at 1 p.m. ET on CBS, hoping the return of Worthy and Suamataia helps steady the team during its most vulnerable stretch in years.