Might be hard to keep Mahomes off the field next Saturday. I don't think he likes playing on Christmas so if given the choice I bet he'd rather play next week and take the Christmas game off. He won't want to miss any game though until we clinch.

Well, a week off in this unholy gauntlet of a schedule certainly couldn't hurt. He's already on record complaining about it, and justifiably so.

Agreed on all counts. They can beat Houston with Wentz and even if they don't do it, Mahomes' health matters more than the game. This is a ridiculous stretch of the schedule.

I don't see how you rest Mahomes. You have to go all out to get the bye. Let him heal during that week.

The Chiefs will play him on 6 days rest. Win. Secure the bye. Rest for three weeks.

Easy. Hell he might even play against Denver, a couple series.

This is being way overblown.

If Mahomes is messed up what seed we get won't matter. I would sit him down. Next week and against Pitt. 1 seed isn't worth it. Sit the starters.

If the Chiefs win next week and clinch the one seed (assuming Buffalo loses today) then I’m shutting him down until the playoffs.

I’m certainly not sending him out there to get killed by TJ Watt.

If it's a mild sprain (and I'm hopeful that's what it is) then he's not sitting as recovery from that is short. In 2019 he sprained his ankle bad vs the Colts and never missed a game. Then of course he did it again in 2022 vs the Jags in the playoffs and that looked way worse imo and he still played the rest of the game and another two after that.

Pittsburgh is still in the 1 seed hunt and needs to lose this week as well.

Or lose to the Ravens next week.

Yes.

The point is everyone keeps focusing on Buffalo and forgetting that the Steelers are in the mix as well.

Only possible if Buff and Pitt lose.

Just remember that we have played a lot more games than all others and a longer season due to the Superbowls.

These vets have had little rest in years.

Mahomes is playing.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="art" dir="ltr">👷*♂️🚧🔧🗜️🧰🔩🔨</p>&mdash; Bobby Stroupe (@bobbystroupe) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobbystroupe/status/1868406671858704689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Did he massage his ankles already?

MAHOMES WITH A BAD ANKLE MEANS WE ARE THREEPEATING. HE IS INDESTRUCTIBLE ON A BAD ANKLE.

Without Pat season is lost, it’s about the playoffs now. One seed doesn’t matter try your hand with wentz we can win with him all be it harder than with Mahomes. Rest him for a few weeks make sure he’s healthy for the actual season.

He goes out on short week with a high ankle sprain with this offensive line and current coaching blunders it is suicide.

High ankle sprain is painful he’s struggling anyway he will struggle more with this injury. Is other ankle isn’t a peach either.

Unfortunately when you’re up 3 scores and then 2 and pass the ball 6 times in a row with 0 completions and then go for it on a meaningless 4th and 3 when the games already over while you can’t protect your star QB that pissed away the one seed shot. Take your medicine.

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I'm in favor of this path if the Bills win. Since Pitt lost, they wont hold the tie breaker unless we lose 3 games out of 4 to finish the season.

If we go down that path, We have to win in Denver though to get HFA but Mahomes will still have 2 weeks before the "real" season starts.

Even if the Bills win today, how is the #1 seed and HFA off the table?

Because he’s a pussy

It’s not completely off table, I think we can win a game or two with Wentz. I’m just saying don’t play Mahomes because of the one seed

Mahomes at 80% at home is a way better bet than throwing him out to face TJ Watt if you can at all avoid it. Get the one seed and rest him.

Sure throw Mahomes on a bum ankle out there for two games on 4 days. Super smart!

True. We are not winning a 3peat with Wentz. Bills, Eagles and Lions look stout as hell.

Mahomes health matters over all else.

Coaches are conscious of resting Mahomes

Calls 30 slow developing pass plays up by 14 with a G playing LT getting him injured

Yes, avoiding Watt and sticking it to the NFL and Netflix should be the objective here.

Bills are not losing today brother.

Have we ever won a Superbowl with Mahomes not having a lower leg injury? Maybe it's something that has to happen per the formula.

Rest Mahomes for the Texans game. Chiefs can beat the Texans with Wentz at QB.

Even if the Bills win tonight, I like our odds of HFA playing the Texans and Denver to get HFA. The starters get a week off and beat Denver and get another 2 weeks off.

And unless we get full strength Mahomes, we are not winning our 3peat.

A hungry Wentz out to prove that he's not washed could be a major boon to our struggling offense.

OTOH, maybe he is washed. I guess we'll find out.

The history of Mahomes missing games is very slim.

1. First ankle sprain vs Colts in 2019 he never missed any games.

2. Second ankle sprain vs Jags in 2022 he barely missed a drive and then played the rest of the game plus two more.

3. "Concussion" and turf-toe against the Browns in 2021 he left the game but played the next week and made it to the superbowl.

4. Carried off the field vs the Titans in 2021 after a huge hit to the head. Played the next game and later that year came the famous "13 seconds" game vs the Bills.

The only time Pat had missed game was after his knee moved against Denver. And he was forced to missed games over that. So unless the MRI shows something bad or Andy puts his foot down and tells him "no" I don't see Pat missing the Texans game tbh.

Correct as I type this lions just turned it over. Lions getting blown out.

Yes last season. The other two he had injuries though.

They said the same thing in 2022.

Looks fine.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Defense locked it down �� <a href="https://t.co/n4dIAjl7CR">pic.twitter.com/n4dIAjl7CR</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1868438640164266417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

We also had the best and most efficient offense in the league that season with Mahomes at full strength.

What do we have now exactly?

A team that has won 19 of 20 games.

Derp derp toughness. All u pussy millennials. Rub some dirt on it. Dont show weakness. L9ng way from ur heart. Derp derp. Needs reps or wont be able to play football. Will get rusty derp derp. I saw the Eagles in concert in 1982

I'm thinking the same.

Home field advantage is also key. If this was scheduled to be played @HOU then I wouldn't be confident in a Chiefs win with Wentz at QB.

Chiefs will need Mahomes against PIT though.

Exactly it’s different every year especially this year, well it’s sheer dumbassery to trot a hurt Mahomes out there on consecutive short weeks one being 4 days after the next late season when you have 2 games on the next team anyway. Rest him at minimum this week. If wentz wins maybe do it another week.

Back to back champs who are 13-1.

Buffalo isn't losing today, and they aren't likely to lose the rest of the way out. We need to finish 15-2, that simple.

Play Mahomes the next 2 games, secure the bye, and then give him the approximate 3 weeks of rest until he needs to play again

If you think they are playing like a team that deserves to be 13-1, then you're also the guy who has been pining for the Joshua Williams experience and misses the halcyon days of Daurice Fountain and Justyn Ross.

The offense was elite in 2022. The defense was elite last year. Is there anything you're hanging your hat on this season with the exception of maybe the run defense?

They're the Chiefs so they can obviously beat anyone because Mahomes is Mahomes. But the odds are much less in our favor at the moment given that this team has no real identity.

Yeah every other team is perfect and the Chiefs are terrible buddy. Last year's regular season was obviously way better :thumb:

Deserves got nothing' to do with it.

The Chiefs are the best team in the NFL.

The off season is LOTS of rest ... Even when you play in the Super Bowl. They are professional athletes after all..

The Bills are a much better team than us right now. The Ravens may also be , but they are more inconsistent.

You can’t be this naïve… They have played more games and minutes than the rest of the league.. They need the bye to recharge..

The bottom line is IF we win the next two games we'll get the number one seed and can rest our guys for THREE whole weeks. That should be the focus.

Converting 3rd downs? :)

I think we've seen far more glimpses of what the offense could be in the postseason this season than we did last year. It's no less frustrating to watch and hope, but they've had a killer instinct or at the very least been in sync more often, especially in the 2nd half of the season.

Outside of more injury issues, I'm no more or less confident they'll be in any postseason game they play and for that one game winning drive or whatever the situation, they'll figure it out in that moment.

Yeah the Rams loss last week was just an illusion right? :LOL:

Yes, exactly. This isn't hard.

The offense wasn’t great in the postseason last year either. It was slightly more efficient but we had long stretches of failing to do anything. It again took Mahomes being Mahomes to get things done.

And when it was all said and done, it was the defense that carried us in that postseason. And this defense has a lot more holes than last season.

Chiefs probably would have lost that one too though.

And if he breaks his ankle next game you will say what? It was worth it maybe getting that one seed ! Maybe next year! Lulz.

Who cares about seeding Mahomes healthy can win any game. No Mahomes in post season means we’re watching someone else in February.

Nah, they just happen to have the best record. Hopefully, they'll be the best when it counts.

I would put health above seeding at this point. We need everyone as close to full health as possible.

Yeah sure ROFL

I wonder what the real impact of the extra games is on a team, especially given they have such a long offseason.

Injuries are obviously the first thing, especially recovery time for long term stuff in the offseason... if you have surgery in February instead of early January, does that impact being in camp on time, etc.

And then maybe mental strain? But if you assume the Chiefs would at least make it to the divisional round every year, we're only talking about two extra games per season.

They obviously put more on the players now than ever, too... 17 game seasons, only one team gets a postseason bye, might have to travel to Europe.

I dunno, seems like sometimes people talk about it like they're playing into April every year or something, and it's not like the NBA or NHL, playing 82 games and then potentially close to 100 and then only having a few months of offseason.

Dan Campbell is a moron.

This didn’t age well

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This was Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes walking off the field to the locker room after the game. <a href="https://t.co/HwGdSqTFSo">pic.twitter.com/HwGdSqTFSo</a></p>&mdash; Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessenewell/status/1868405481871757605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Football has fewer games than those other sports for a reason. It’s all relative.

That being said, I do go back and forth on this myself because yeah, they have played a lot more football than any other team the past several years, but not everyone on the team was on the team in 2018 when the deep runs started. Most weren’t, actually. But there are a few, and few more who have been with the team longer than just this season or last.

So, I don’t really know. One would think it would take a larger toll on the big bodies. And Trav, at his age - and has been here since before the run - probably feels it a bit.

That’s….. not good.

It's worth noting, even in this thread.

I hadn't thought about this unexpected impact of adding the 17th game, but it makes it more likely that a team can lock up their playoff seeding and take that last week off. The 17th week may end up helping us.

It was basically the same as it was all season, just without the turnovers. Obviously that’s a nice improvement and area available to be fixed, but we scored the least ppg of any Super Bowl winning team back to at least 2016. In fact it was the second fewest total points in that span, which includes four games for us and three games for some others. I didn’t bother looking further back but the point being what we did last year is not repeatable under basically any scenario, but especially with our regressed defense.

Compare this to how he looked in the Jags game and it's clear this one is a milder sprain. He was hobbling around badly against the Jags. In this video he has a slight limp which is natural when your ankle gets rolled up. If the MRI is clean tomorrow I'm 100% sure he's fine for next Saturday.

There's some signal and significance that you take from the fact that we have Mahomes. It's not fair to say "the sample size is small" because while it is in some aspects, the truth is we have a supremely talented QB who has shown he can elevate a team in the most crucial moments. He has that clutch gene.

But that doesn't mean that he's infallible and he can lead anything to a championship. The margin of error was incredibly thin last year, and anyone who thinks this team is the best team in the NFL is just trolling or delusional.

Clay checks both boxes.

Good point, especially this year with all the injuries and guys coming back relatively fresh, DHop joining the team midseason, etc.

Lol so the current record and history doesn't matter? :LOL:

compared to the ankle sprain he got against the Jaguars in the 2022 playoffs? That one was way worse.

The mic'd up from today's game will tell us his reaction

You are what your record says you are. I know we didn't get ****ing barnburned by the Bills in our own stadium.

No bye week for this team to rest up and get healthy and we're watching someone else anyhow. It's important. This team has played a rough schedule and alot of games the past several yars.

It will be for any team playing the Chiefs in the playoffs, too.... the Bills' awful defense, the Ravens' bad defense and Lamar, "Dan Campbell", etc, etc.

I think we all know how the playoffs can chew up and spit out teams that aren't prepared for playing CG/SB contending teams in playoff pressure games, and that's a very real thing for every team not the Bills (and maybe Eagles).

I say play Mahomes against Texas. Sit him for the Steelers. Play him against Denver. We win the Mahomes starts, we get HFA regardless of what the Bills do from here on out.

Mahomes and the rest of the starters get a weeks rest after the Texans, then play a week and then get another week off before the playoffs. Of course thar means we have to win or lose HFA game in Denver.

They will not rest anyone against the Steelers if HFA is on the line.