Kadarius Toney is ready to move on from his Week 1 performance

One week removed from their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions, the Kansas City Chiefs are determined to bounce back as they prepare for Sunday’s road matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

None of the Chiefs may be more motivated to move on than wide receiver Kadarius Toney.

The third-year wideout — whom the Chiefs acquired last season in a trade with the New York Giants — played 16 snaps during last week’s game, finishing the night with just one reception (for one yard) on five targets. More significantly, however, Toney had four critical drops during the game. One of those became a momentum-shifting interception return for a touchdown that ended up being the difference in the game.

Speaking to reporters before Wednesday’s practice, Toney said that he’s already accepted the responsibility for his performance with head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the team.

“At the end of the day,” he recalled, “they all counted on me and allowed me to make certain plays — and I’ve got to be able to do that. There really isn’t any excuse. There’s nothing else you could blame it on.”

Toney is putting in the work to ensure that such a performance will not happen again.

“I just told the other guys, [I] have to put the work in — a lot of work,” he explained. “[I can] spend 30 minutes after practice catching from the [Jugs machine], catching from the quarterback — whatever I have to do.

“I just have to make sure that I show up when it’s time.”

While Toney’s talent has never been questioned, his health (and ability to stay on the field) have always been causes for concern. Toney missed almost every moment of training camp (and all of the preseason) while recovering from a torn meniscus in his knee. Although he was cleared to practice in the days leading up to the Lions game, his long absence away from the field may have led to some rust.

“Well, some of the guys hadn’t played much,” Reid noted during his Wednesday press appearance. “They need to get in a game and get caught up to game speed, and I think that will benefit us. Whether it was young guys — or Kadarius I’ve already mentioned — I think it’s good for those guys; I think that game was good for them. We’ll see what happens.”

Still, Reid knows how effective Toney could be in the high-octane Kansas City offense. In 10 games last season, the wideout had 16 catches for 221 yards and four touchdowns. His big-play ability really stood out; he seemed to make game-changing plays whenever the team needed them. That’s why Reid still has confidence he can move past his Week 1 drops.

“The best way to get rid of that is to go out and practice — and then get back in the game and get better,” observed the head coach. “I’m not worried about him there. He’s a competitive kid — and a heck of a player. I told you before: I put him in a position where it’s tough, but he had to get in there and play — [to] get caught up to speed. I thought it was important that he got in. He’s going to catch most of those.”

With the support of his coaches and teammates, Toney he hopes to get his season back on track against the Jaguars. Last season — in his second game with the Chiefs — he recorded four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.

“Just positive thinking,” Toney said of his approach to the next game. “I’m just moving forward. I’m thinking about the next weekend: how I can make plays in the upcoming week.

“I’m not going to dwell on the past.”