As the Chiefs piled up the wins while the defense struggled early in the season, fans took solace in the hope that safety Eric Berry would return in time for the playoffs.
Berry, who had been out because of a heel injury suffered in training camp, made his season debut last month, and the Chargers scored just seven points in the first half, which is what Berry was limited to playing.
The following week in Seattle, Berry played again, but he was out for the season finale and missed practice Wednesday. On Thursday, Berry was not with the team for the open portion of practice, leaving fans to speculate on his status for Saturday’s AFC divisional-playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts.