Xavier Worthy's NFL debut justified his preseason buzz. Cam Taylor-Britt, Bengals cornerback, is not his fan.
"Speed. That concludes. "He runs straight," Taylor-Britt remarked Wednesday of Worthy. "Just go straight during jet sweeps. Not much else. That concludes. I think you can stop the speed by putting your hands on him—he's only 100 pounds. So basically grab him."
Worthy broke the 40-yard dash record at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.21-second run that captivated Lucas Oil Stadium spectators in March. He's been known as a speedster who can spread the field for the Chiefs, which they've needed since Tyreek Hill left.
His debut game showed fans what could be, taking an end around down the numbers on the right side of the field and slicing through the Ravens defense for a 21-yard touchdown.
His second touchdown was even easier, running past Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey into a wide open field and collecting a Patrick Mahomes pass for 35 yards.
Instead of Worthy's speed, broken covering caused the second touchdown. The Bengals, a recent Chiefs adversary, aren't interested in feeding the machine, but the hype persists.
That doesn't matter to the Chiefs, who know Worthy can help their offense, which had slowly reduced its big-play potential for years. If anything, Worthy is what they've been missing, and they're delighted by his potential.
"I expect a spark. Worthy's abilities are shown "Mahomes remarked Wednesday. "His speed was obvious. His ability to run routes and identify vacant places was shown. It boosts his confidence. I assume he already had it, but to prove it on Sundays or whatever day we play.