When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field for their regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, they’ll do so without Patrick Mahomes.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Carson Wentz will get the start at quarterback for Kansas City’s Week 18 game.
Reid’s decision to start Wentz in place of Mahomes hardly comes as a surprise. With the Chiefs having locked up the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed with a 15-1 record, Kansas City has nothing to gain from winning the matchup and could benefit from resting key players ahead of the playoffs.
That’s especially the case for Mahomes, who suffered an ankle sprain in the Chiefs’ victory over the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 15. While the two-time NFL MVP has played in each of Kansas City’s two games since suffering the injury, the rest could prove beneficial, as when coupled with the Chiefs’ impending first-round bye, it could give him nearly a month off between games after last playing in the team’s Christmas Day victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Reid told reporters that the decision to go with Wentz over Mahomes was an easy one.
“I’ve been through that before, so I’m not too worried about all that,” Reid said, according to ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “It gives the other guys an opportunity here to grow and you can use everybody.
“The primary thing is to make sure that we stay sharp in all areas through this game and for the upcoming weeks … We want to stay sharp mentally and physically and then that’s our responsibility to do that and how we manage the time. I make sure I do that practice-wise and the guys go out, players and coaches, and work on that.”
While Kansas City may not have anything to play for on Sunday, the same can’t be said for Denver.
With a win or tie, the Broncos would clinch a Wild Card spot for the upcoming playoffs. A loss, meanwhile, would open the door for either the Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs.
[ESPN]
