Chiefs players respond to loss of Dwayne Bowe

With Dwayne Bowe headed to the injured reserve due to multiple broken ribs, the Chiefs will have to find offense in the final three weeks of the season without the team's leading receiver. On Monday, some offensive players for the Chiefs reacted to the loss and the common theme was that other players will have to "step up."

Among those players was offensive lineman Branden Albert, who spoke of the successes of Donald Stephenson is a similar role:

"Those guys have to step up. I think guys have been stepping up all year. It's been a tough year for everybody. Guys have to step up. Donald Stephenson is a guy that stepped up for me being hurt and the young receivers have to step up. Our job is professional football players and somebody's got to step up."

Fellow offensive lineman, Eric Winston, echoed that sentiment, but was also very complimentary of Bowe, who may have played his final game as a member of the Chiefs on Sunday.

"Dwayne's a fighter. That's one thing, I've gotten to know him this year, and I've been really impressed with him. He's a guy that comes to play every week and he's had his ups and downs just like all of us have, but you know one thing: he's bringing his hard hat and his lunch pail and he's going to go to work and I respect the heck out of him. He got hurt throwing a block. That's the kind of guy he is. It's the way it goes. Someone's going to have to step up and get open and there are going to be some balls and some opportunities for some other guys."

The Chiefs haven't received much help from other receivers on the offense as Bowe is the only player on the team with more than one touchdown reception in 2012. His 801 yards receiving through 13 games is more than double that of any other receiver on the roster.

With a 30-7 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 14, the Chiefs dropped to 2-11 and will play the Raiders on Sunday in a game that may decide the first overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft.