Kansas City, Mo. ? Priest Holmes, who missed much of the last quarter of Kansas City’s 28-17 loss to Carolina, sprained his ankle, and the Chiefs aren’t sure if he will play against Houston.

Holmes, who set an NFL record last season with 27 touchdowns, had his leg bent back on a play midway through the fourth quarter Sunday and walked gingerly to the sideline.

As the Chiefs tried to fight back from an 11-point deficit and avoid starting the season 0-2, their three-time Pro Bowl running back did not return.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said after the game he had been assured Holmes was all right, but Monday morning he was told about the ankle problem.

“Just a slight sprain, slight swelling,” Vermeil said. “Nothing to do with a high-ankle sprain or anything like that.”

Holmes was replaced Sunday by Derrick Blaylock, a rarely used career backup. If Holmes should miss any significant part of the season, it could doom any chance Kansas City has of returning to the playoffs.

Asked if he expected Holmes to be ready Sunday, Vermeil said, “I don’t know. All I can say is, questionable to doubtful. I know it’s not a serious ankle sprain. It’s just how quickly he can mend.”

During the past three seasons, Holmes has been the NFL’s most productive running back, with 4,590 yards rushing, 6,566 total yards from scrimmage and 61 touchdowns. Holmes missed the last two games of the 2002 season because of hip surgery.

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Pressed on why Holmes did not play the last three series against Carolina, Vermeil became irritable.

“Because we didn’t want him in the game at the time,” he said. “Is that a good enough answer? It had nothing to do with his injury, because I walked right up to him and asked him, and that’s the only thing I can tell you is the truth.

“The situation in the game like that, down 11, we just left him out there.”

Even with Holmes on the field Sunday, the offense, which led the NFL in scoring each of the past two seasons, managed only one touchdown. The offense also sputtered the week before in a loss at Denver, and could be further weakened this week by the loss of wide receiver Eddie Kennison.

Kennison left the game in the first half because of a hamstring pull and is doubtful for Sunday.

“We’re not as functionally coordinated in our scheme right now,” Vermeil said. “We’re sort of bouncing around. I think that’s because people have seen us in the scheme.”

Dante Hall would replace Kennison, Vermeil said.

Kennison’s absence would add even more turbulence to a wide receiver group that’s already been weakened by the losses of Marc Boerigter and Kris Wilson to injury.

“We’re not in rhythm with ourselves as an offensive team right now,” Vermeil said.