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Could a hobbling Patrick Mahomes actually prove to be a good thing for the Chiefs as they prepare to face the Bengals in the AFC Championship game?
According to chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown, such a scenario may not be as damaging as it appears on the surface.
An ankle sprain Mahomes suffered early in Kansas City’s 27-20 Divisional Round win over Jacksonville on Saturday has cast doubt on the star quarterback’s availability for the much-anticipated Jan. 29 rematch against Cincinnati. However, as Brown explained to NBC Sports’ Peter King, Mahomes’ injury, while obviously far from ideal, can have an electrifying effect on the team, particularly on the offensive line.
“When something like that happens it forces us to play even harder to make sure he doesn’t get hit,” Brown said. “That’s one thing – it will motivate you to keep improving your game.”
Brown complemented his optimistic outlook on Mahomes’ injury by praising the toughness of his QB and the rest of his teammates, as well as their shared passion for the game. The four-time Pro Bowler also stressed the team’s desire to rally behind their ailing leader and play better against the Bengals next Sunday.
“We put a lot of courage into ourselves here and we love the sport and we love each other. I don’t know how to explain it, but we just want to catch up after 15. He’s the epitome of what our team is,” Brown said.
Hearing the veteran opt to focus on the silver lining in arguably the biggest story of the week is encouraging in the short term, but it remains to be seen how Mahome’s ankle will react over the next week.
The latest update on the former MVP’s status came from Chiefs coach Andy Reid on Monday morning. Reid told reporters Mahomes has “worked hard in treatment and is doing well,” but the team still planned to re-evaluate the 27-year-old after Wednesday’s training session and see how things develop from there .
However, despite the ongoing speculation, Mahomes has claimed he will take the field in the franchise’s fifth straight AFC title game. After beating the Jags, Mahomes said in his postgame interview that he’ll be “good on his feet,” an expectation touched on Reid Monday when he said the QB thinks he “will play in the matchup.” “.
Mahomes was ruled questionable in Saturday’s win over the Jaguars after awkwardly bending his ankle at the end of a game late in the first quarter. After finishing the drive early in the second quarter, Mahomes was eliminated for a review before returning after halftime to end the game. He later shared the team had given him an “ultimatum” to go to the dressing room to be assessed before his return.
Mahomes finished the game on 22 of 30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. To his relief, backup Chad Henne was a consistent performer, completing five of seven attempts for 23 yards and a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.
