Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is getting ready to play Saturday in opposition to the Houston Texans, until his unhealthy ankle places the two-time MVP in such a precarious place that he cannot shield himself or “places the soccer crew in a nasty place”. .”
Mahomes suffered a gentle ankle sprain late within the 21-7 win in opposition to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He started receiving therapy on the airplane experience dwelling — “I wasn’t doing excessive knees or something like that,” he joked — and spent greater than 12 hours doing extra work on the apply facility Monday, though the Most of the crew was given the break day.
Mahomes returned to the apply discipline Tuesday with Carson Wentz there to assist him.
“You do not need to go on the market and put your self in hurt’s means. It’s soccer. You’re going to get hit. But you need to have the ability to shield your self,” Mahomes mentioned. “And I do not need to restrict the sport plan. I need to have the ability to transfer within the pocket.”
Mahomes has loads of expertise with ankle accidents to attract from. He suffered an analogous one in opposition to Jacksonville in Week 1 of the 2019 season, then a extra critical one in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars within the 2022 playoffs. In that case, he failed to complete the sport however acquired sufficient therapy to play in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals for the title AFC and the Philadelphia Eagles within the Super Bowl.
“Jacksonville was worse. That was fairly vital,” Mahomes mentioned. “He clearly responded higher, quicker. That could be one of the best factor to say. But I need to be in a greater place going into the subsequent sport in opposition to the Bengals.”
Mahomes has the posh of time he did not have two years in the past. The Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West title and a playoff spot, and he might conceivably miss a sport or two if it meant being totally wholesome for the postseason.
Yet there’s quite a bit using on these three video games in opposition to Houston on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day and the Denver Broncos on the ultimate weekend of the common season. The Chiefs (13-1) are clinging to a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills for the No. 1 seed. 1 and the one playoff bye, however Buffalo holds the tiebreaker over them by advantage of their win earlier this season.
Patrick Mahomes suffers week after week with a sprained ankle
“Every sport counts,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned. “If your guys can play, they play, so long as they’re medically good to go.”
While Mahomes has a status for enjoying by way of ache and even arguing with Reid on the sideline to remain in video games the place he is harm, Reid believes his quarterback might be sincere about how his ankle feels all through the week.
“He’ll handle some issues and we’ll see the way it works out for him. And if he cannot work, then Carson will get these reps that Pat would not get,” Reid mentioned. “We have full confidence in Carson if he has to step in and play. I believe everybody, coaches and gamers, has full confidence that he can are available in and do a superb job.”
Wentz, who signed a $3.325 million contract with Kansas City to switch Blaine Gabbert as Mahomes’ backup, appeared in almost 100 video games throughout his NFL profession. He accomplished each of his move makes an attempt for 20 yards within the closing minutes in opposition to the Browns, permitting the Chiefs to expire the clock following their victory.
“I bought my ft slightly moist on the finish of the final sport and felt good on the market,” Wentz mentioned. “Nothing will change this week. Patrick has had some scrapes and bruises all year long and I ready the identical means.”
Associated Press reporting.
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