KANSAS CITY, Mo. — — Patrick Mahomes knew he may run on the ankle he sprained final week. The larger concern for the Chiefs quarterback was how he would cease, when all the burden and stress and momentum would land squarely upon it.
The answer towards Houston was easy: Mahomes did not cease.
The 2-time MVP saved chugging ahead till he plowed into the tip zone on a 15-yard scramble to cap the Chiefs’ opening drive on Saturday. Mahomes proceeded to throw for 260 yards and one other rating, by no means as soon as wanting troubled by his ailing ankle, and led Kansas Metropolis to a 27-19 victory that put the Chiefs getting ready to the No. 1 seed within the AFC playoffs.
The Chiefs (14-1) can clinch the postseason bye and home-field benefit if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Payments win, Kansas Metropolis can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day — its third sport in an 11-day span.
“I ask quite a bit from the fellows round me. I really feel like if I will ask them to play by means of ache and nicks and bruises, I’ve bought to do it as effectively,” Mahomes stated. “That is one thing that I pleasure myself on is being on the market with my guys.”
Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a landing, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and one other rating, and Marquise Brown had 5 catches for 45 yards for Kansas Metropolis in his first sport this season after recovering from a shoulder harm.
The consequence was what Chiefs coach Andy Reid known as his group’s most complete efficiency of the season.
As for Mahomes?
“He spoils the canine out of us, he is so powerful,” Reid stated. “You get used to it. However most guys do not come again from that like he did.”
C.J. Stroud threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for Houston (9-6), and a kind of TD throws got here at a fantastic expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards, sustained a devastating knee harm on the play and was taken to the College of Kansas Medical Heart, the place Texans coach DeMeco Ryans stated he would stay in a single day.
“All our ideas and prayers are with Tank proper now. You see what he means to our complete group,” Ryans stated. “It hurts to see him go down like that. He was having a implausible sport, taking part in very well for us.”
Stroud was visibly shaken by the harm and needed to be consoled by teammates on the sideline.
“I imply, all you may actually do is pray,” he stated.
There have been questions early within the week about whether or not Mahomes, who has a historical past of ankle accidents, would play in any respect after he sustained a excessive ankle sprain late in final week’s win over Cleveland. However he was off the harm report by Friday, and he was on the sphere and main the Chiefs to a landing on their opening possession.
His scramble for a rating was merely the beginning of a back-and-forth first half.
The Texans answered with a 33-yard area objective, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud’s landing toss to Dalton Schutlz. However the Chiefs shortly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the tip zone, they usually tacked on a area objective a couple of minutes later after Stroud’s second interception to guide 17-10 on the break.
Dell was damage on the Texans’ opening drive of the third quarter. He was coming throughout the again of the tip zone and made a spectacular catch however collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his method to the bottom. He instantly grabbed his left knee, and gamers from each groups surrounded him as he was loaded onto a cart and pushed from the sphere.
Ka’imi Fairbairn promptly missed the additional level, and any momentum Houston may’ve had disappeared.
Kansas Metropolis marched the opposite manner, relying closely on Worthy, who touched the ball 4 instances on the drive. The primary-round decide completed it off with an 8-yard reception, giving him a season excessive for receiving yards and his eighth landing of the yr.
The groups matched fourth-quarter area targets, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with simply over 5 minutes to go. However the Chiefs pressured a three-and-out, getting a sack from Josh Williams on a cornerback blitz, and ran out the clock from there.
“This was a fantastic check versus a extremely good playoff group,” Ryans stated. “This was a playoff environment right here right this moment. I believed our guys battled the suitable manner. We simply have to complete.”
Taylor time
Pop star Taylor Swift was readily available for the Chiefs’ regular-season finale. She has been spending extra time along with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce, in Kansas Metropolis since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, together with making a shock go to to Kids’s Mercy Hospital.
Accidents
Houston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the sport. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was damage late within the first half.
Kansas Metropolis: LB Jack Cochrane fractured his ankle on particular groups within the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left within the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf pressure within the fourth.
Up subsequent
The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL’s doubleheader on Christmas Day.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl