Patrick Mahomes practiced Tuesday despite suffering from an apparent ankle sprain.
Mahomes played the full game in a short practice week ahead of a high-stakes showdown with the Houston Texans. He left Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with an injury. He said he doesn't know if he'll be able to play Saturday, but he knows what he'll have to do if he does.
“I want to be able to move. I want to get out of the way,” Mahomes said, adding that the Texans boast a dangerous pass rush. The Texans have 45 sacks this season, the second-most in the NFL, just four behind the league-leading Denver Broncos.
“You don't want to go out there and put yourself in danger. That's football. You're going to get attacked, but you want to be able to protect yourself,” Mahomes said.
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Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, 94, is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick during the third quarter at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on December 15, 2024. – Help Mahomes (15 years old). (Scott Galvin/Imagine Images)
If Mahomes is unavailable, the Chiefs will have to turn to former Philadelphia Eagle backup Carson Wentz. Wentz last started for the Los Angeles Rams in the final week of last season, leading the team to a 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Mahomes will be in the game if he doesn't limit his offense.
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“I don't want to limit the game plan,” Mahomes said. “That's another thing for me. I want to be able to move around the pocket so I don't end up sitting in the same spot the whole game and leading the D-line and chasing it. So, that's a problem. “I'm just trying to find that balance and see where I'm at, but like I said, we won't know until closer to the end of this week.”
The Chiefs are in contention to remain the top seed in the AFC. They have the best record in the league at 13 wins and 1 loss, making it out of the first round with a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills. However, Buffalo defeated Kansas City 30-21 on Nov. 17, so if the Bills finish with the same record, they will maintain a tiebreaker with the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes watches second half play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Therefore, Chiefs only need one more win to secure the top spot. Mahomes and company will face three playoff teams in the final three games against the Texans, Steelers and Broncos. The Steelers and Broncos are teams that boast the top defenses in the league.
The game against the Texans was bad timing, as Mahomes was injured on Sunday and had only six days to prepare for the game.
The Chiefs will also have to turn around and play just three days after their Christmas Day game in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Mahomes previously complained about the schedule in a press conference last week.
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“It doesn't feel good,” Mahomes told reporters. “You never want to play this many games in this short amount of time. It's not good for your body. But at the end of the day, it's your job, it's your profession. You come to work and do it. I have to.”
Mahomes was asked if he had ever played three games in such a short span of time.
“I've never played soccer,” he answered.
“All you can do is focus on the game, practice that day,” Mahomes added. “I try to prepare my body for this stretch all year long. It's just adjusting my workouts and adjusting the way I practice and prepare.”
“And the coaches do a great job of taking care of us on the practice field. We practice as hard as anyone, but they know how to get it back when they need it.” ”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes kisses his wife Brittany Mahomes before kickoff against the Detroit Lions at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 7, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. . (Tammy Yungblud/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Mahomes faces injuries, a dangerous defense and a grueling holiday schedule that will force him to play on Christmas for the second consecutive season.
He ends up dealing with all this while facing the pressure of caring for his pregnant wife. Brittany Mahomes is in her third trimester of pregnancy, according to her trainer Christy Ray.
“Last trimester is my favorite time of year when it comes to training,” Ray wrote in a recent Instagram video of Brittany working out. “There's research showing that the human body essentially goes into superhuman mode to prepare for childbirth.”
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