As the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for a Week 17 outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the best Christmas presents they can get is coming out of the game healthy. That's been anything but a guarantee all season long, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is no different.
Look no further than Week 15, when Mahomes suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Cleveland Browns. Despite nursing an injury that's normally multi-week in nature, the two-time NFL MVP practiced all week and played through the pain against the Houston Texans. In last Saturday's win, Mahomes showcased plenty of grit en route to a 27-19 win.
The downside of playing, however, is more mileage being put on the body. With that in mind, how does Mahomes feel as Wednesday's game arrives? He discussed it prior to an afternoon practice this week, setting an optimistic tone.
“I think I’ll be in a better place ankle-wise," Mahomes said. "I mean, obviously the body’s going to be sore with the short week and everything like that, but I think the ankle should be in a better place. Obviously, we’ll see at practice today. As far as how I felt after this game compared to the one before, I’m definitely in a lot better place.”
In Week 16's home outing, Mahomes showed that he can play efficient football on a bum ankle. He completed 28 of his 41 pass attempts on the afternoon, which was his best completion percentage since Week 12's triumph over the Carolina Panthers. He threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, not turning the ball over a single time and also taking just one sack.
Kansas City focused on a quick passing game, and Mahomes answered by settling down in the pocket and delivering decisive strikes to his receivers. He posted a very healthy 0.30 EPA/play average on the afternoon. For reference, his season average is half of that. It doesn't hurt that Mahomes had runs of 12 and 15 yards on the club's opening drive, either, proving that the ankle wasn't anything to worry about.
With a handful of days to rest and recover, the Chiefs' hope is Mahomes can continue to extend plays and avoid aggravating the ailment on Christmas. Facing a scary Steelers defense and pass rush will prove to be a serious challenge, but there's one thing Mahomes has taught the football world time and time again.
