Why the Chiefs Would Be Stupid to Play Patrick Mahomes This Week
Patrick Mahomes might return from his injury to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. The Kansas City Chiefs would be stupid to let him do it. | Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images / AFP
- Patrick Mahomes has hinted at a risky return in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, just weeks after suffering a terrifying knee injury.
- Matt Moore’s strong play and a weak AFC West should be enough to get the Chiefs to the playoffs without the 2018 MVP.
- Andy Reid should learn from his mistake that injured the star QB in the first place.
Rumors are swirling that Patrick Mahomes might be set to make his NFL return against the Minnesota Vikings this week after his frightening knee injury against the Indianapolis Colts.
Kansas City Chiefs fans should be praying that he doesn’t.
Kansas City Needs to Trust Matt Moore, Hold Patrick Mahomes Back
Superstar athletes always want to compete, even to the detriment of their physical health. Patrick Mahomes is cut from this cloth, and it should be no surprise that “Mr. Perfect” said he could have played against Green Bay if necessary. The reality is there is simply no need for Mahomes to do anything to risk his ability to be healthy for the playoffs or do long term damage to his knee.
That’s particularly true since Matt Moore has looked unexpectedly composed. He hasn’t thrown an interception in two games as a starter , and the offense is not the most significant issue given how woeful the Chiefs run defense is .
With a galaxy of offensive weapons, Moore nearly beat an excellent Green Bay Packers team. It’s tough for any quarterback – even Mahomes – to win when the defense gives up more than 220 total yards to Aaron Jones.
Chiefs Don’t Need Mahomes to Win Miserable AFC West
Moreover, consider that the Chiefs are still leading the AFC West by two games over a flagging Oakland Raiders squad. Behind the Raiders, the Chargers and the Broncos round out a division that has struggled to put any pressure on Kansas City whatsoever.
The remainder of the schedule sees the Raiders, the Chargers (twice), and the hapless Broncos sprinkled among some tougher matchups like the Vikings and New England Patriots. Matt Moore has shown more than enough to beat most of these teams comfortably, putting no pressure on a Mahomes return.
Andy Reid Already Made One Big Mistake
Finally, it’s quite apparent that Andy Reid needs to learn his lesson from the origins of Patrick Mahomes’ knee injury. Many commentators blasted the decision to call a quarterback sneak when the Chiefs head coach knew that his QB was already suffering from an ankle injury.
Having now stared down the possibility of losing Mahomes for the entire season, Reid needs to trust his team to buy time to get his 2018 MVP fully healthy .
You don’t play games with knee injuries , and Kansas City should be aware of the critical danger of risking the longevity of their quarterback. The Chiefs will be a Super Bowl team the day they figure out how to stop the run; there’s no reason to get greedy right now.
Allow Matt Moore to go 1-1 over the next two weeks, then unleash Patrick Mahomes on the hapless Chargers in Week 11 to begin shutting down the AFC West.
