NFL
Why isn’t Patrick Mahomes playing for the Chiefs against the Broncos in Week 18?
Mahomes will play no part in the Kansas City Chiefs' final regular-season game, with Carson Wentz poised to start in his place.
Back-up quarterback Carson Wentz is set to start the Kansas City Chiefs’ clash against the Denver Broncos today, with No. 1 signal caller Patrick Mahomes rested for the team’s final game of the regular season.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid revealed earlier this week that Mahomes would sit out this weekend’s matchup in Colorado, allowing the two-time NFL MVP to recharge his batteries before Kansas City’s first playoff game of the season.
“It wasn’t a hard decision,” Reid told reporters on Wednesday, adding: “I’m not too worried [about Mahomes losing rhythm]. It gives the other guys an opportunity to grow. Carson will be the starting quarterback.”
Chiefs' postseason status already secure
While the Broncos go into Week 18 needing to beat Kansas City to guarantee a postseason spot, the Chiefs have already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs. As their conference’s top seed, the back-to-back Super Bowl champions will get a bye through the Wild Card round and will have home-field advantage at every stage of the postseason before February’s Super Bowl.
Bidding to become the first NFL team in history to win three straight Super Bowls, the Chiefs will join the playoffs in the Divisional round, on January 18 or 19.
When did Mahomes last miss an NFL game?
A three-time Super Bowl champion, Mahomes last failed to start a Chiefs game in Week 18 of last season, when he was absent from Kansas City’s 13-12 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wentz, on the other hand, will be in an NFL line-up for the first time since the final round of the 2023 regular season, when the 32-year-old played for the Los Angeles Rams in a 21-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Wentz threw for 162 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and ran for 56 yards and a touchdown.
“The guys have confidence in Wentz”
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Reid said of Wentz: “You can tell he’s done it before, gone through the whole-week process that it takes to put the game plan in storage there in your mind and be able to see it and then execute it. I think he’s done a good job there.
“I think the guys have confidence in him, which probably tells you the whole story. He’s done well.”
Chiefs vs Broncos: when, where, how to watch?
The Week 18 game will be played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, with kick-off scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT. In the US, the game will air on CBS. You can stream the network’s coverage on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free trial.
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