All eyes in Kansas City will be on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ left ankle this week after he was injured in Sunday’s 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns.
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player defenseman got a chance to test his ankle for the first time Tuesday, and it was a positive development for the quarterback. Mahomes was listed as a full participant in Tuesday’s practice. But the Chiefs didn’t wear full pads in Tuesday’s session, so they haven’t had a chance to really test the ankle yet, and that won’t happen until later this week.
Mahomes acknowledged Tuesday that if his ankle is still bothering him Saturday, he probably won’t push it because it’s not a playoff game.
“I’m not going to say I’m miserable playing. We’re playing to get to the Super Bowl, not the AFC Championship Game,” Mahomes said, via ESPN.com. We have some leeway, but ultimately we’re aiming for victory.”
The Chiefs star said he won’t make a decision on the status of the game against the Texans until later in the week.
“I’m going to push myself to be in the best place possible over the next few days, and I’ll make a decision then,” Mahomes said. “I’m not going to put the team in a bad position.”
The three-time Super Bowl champion added that there might not be much point in playing if your ankle keeps you stuck in the pocket.
“Obviously, it’s football, so I’m going to get attacked, but I want to be able to protect myself,” Mahomes said. “So, that’s my position, I don’t want to limit the game plan. That’s the other thing for me, but we want to be able to move around in the pocket. That way, It’s not just sitting in one spot.’ It’s about having them really chase their D-line throughout the game and finding that balance and seeing where you are. ”
If Mahomes is unavailable, Carson Wentz will start.
“If I feel like I’m going to play and go out there and win football games, I’m going to play,” Mahomes said. “And if we don’t think that’s the best scenario, we’re going to let a guy like Carson play.”
Mahomes was injured during the fourth quarter against the Browns when he was caught between two defenders while throwing the ball while trying to complete a fourth-and-3. Not only was Mahomes slow to get up, he could barely walk when heading off the field.
After Mahomes left the game, Wentz took over as quarterback. Chiefs manager Andy Reid said the team would have “full confidence” in their backups if Wentz had to start against the Texans.
“If he has to come out and play, I think all the coaches and players have full confidence that he can come out and do a great job,” Reed said Tuesday. “He’s been a starter in the league and had some success. He has great feel for this offense. Very smart and big arms. I like the way he carries himself. I like everything about him. ”
Mahomes’ injury comes at an inopportune time for the Chiefs, who are just beginning a three-game span in 10 days. In the days leading up to the Browns game, Mahomes actually complained About the fact that the NFL was forcing his team to play three games between December 15th and December 25th.
“You never want to play this many games in such a short amount of time,” Mahomes said. “It’s not good for your body. But at the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession. You have to come to work and do it.”
Given the way his schedule is structured, Mahomes probably won’t have much time to recover. Not only will the Chiefs have a short week in Week 16 with a game against Houston on Saturday, but they will also turn around four days later and play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday on Christmas Day. Must be.
Even if Mahomes plays in both of these games, he could be held back. And if he has to sit out, it would be a big problem for a Chiefs team trying to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. The Chiefs need to go 2-1 in their remaining three games to earn the No. 1 overall seed, so even if Mahomes has to sit out this week, the Chiefs would still be in a position to win the No. 1 seed.
